MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. ? The Ball State soccer team saw its 2008 season come to a close Sunday afternoon as the seventh-seeded Cardinals dropped a hard fought 1-0 loss at second-seeded Central Michigan in the quarterfinals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament at the CMU Soccer Complex.
“Today was very indicative of soccer as the team that controls the tempo and pace doesn't always win the game,” head coach Michael Lovett said. “I am so proud of our team for how they fought back today. There is nothing more I could have asked for as they left everything out on the field. It is unfortunate that we had to end today, especially for our seniors. This class will go down as of the top classes in Ball State soccer history and I was privileged to coach them.”
The Cardinals (9-10-1) turned in an inspired effort the entire game as both teams battled back-and-forth. Ball State held a 6-5 advantage in corner kicks, while Central Michigan held the edge in shots 11-10 in the evenly matched affair.
Central Michigan (12-4-3) looked assured of taking the early lead in the 22nd minute as Amanda Waugh was able to get behind the BSU defense on a breakaway. Senior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) charged out and thwarted Waugh on the one-on-one showdown with a sprawling save.
Ball State responded to the pressure with a stellar chance of its own in the 26th minute. Senior midfielder Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) found some room from 25-yards out and ripped a shot towards the top corner. Central Michigan goalkeeper Shay Mannino was able to get a hand on the shot and push it over the cross bar.
The Cardinals came close to closing out the first half with a goal in the 41st minute. Freshman midfielder Abby Milillo (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) sent a through ball into the box where it found sophomore forward Jacki Eft (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) behind the defense. Eft was able to get a shot off from 10-yards out but Mannino was able to make a diving stop to keep the game scoreless heading into halftime.
Ball State came within inches of scoring the first goal in the 58th minute as senior midfielder Bailey Decker (Granger, Ind./Penn) sent a through ball into the box. The pass made it through the CMU defense and found Eft eight yards out. Eft one-touched the pass past Mannino but the shot sailed just inches over the cross bar.
Central Michigan took advantage of a scramble in the box in the 60th minute to score the game's only goal. Midfielder Erica Rohren sent a flip throw deep into the box where it came down in a group of players. The ball rattled around in the six-yard box where Waugh was able to get a foot on the ball and send it just barely over the goal line for the 1-0 CMU lead.
The Cardinals immediately came down and put the pressure on the Chippewas in the 62nd minute. Junior midfielder Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) found space 15-yards out and ripped a shot that Mannino was able to stop to keep CMU in the lead. The Chippewas came back down in the 67th minute on a corner kick as Valerie Prause had her header from 10-yards out stymied by Murphy to keep the Cardinals within one goal.
Ball State pressed for the game-tying goal down the stretch as the entire team pushed forward. The Cardinals attacked all the way until the waning seconds as they had a corner kick in the final 15 seconds of the game. Senior defender Jen Vilkoski (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) had the Cardinals' last chance in the final seconds as she ripped a shot from 18-yards out that sailed just over the cross bar to end the game.
Murphy finished the game with four saves for the Cardinals while Mannino added five saves in the victory for CMU. The loss drops the Cardinals to 2-9-1 all-time against Central Michigan and 2-5-3 all-time in the MAC Tournament.
Today's game was the final game for the Cardinals' seven seniors in Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn), Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll), Bailey Decker (Granger, Ind./Penn), Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville), Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) and Jen Vilkoski (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield). The senior class has led the Cardinals to 50 victories during their time in Muncie, including two MAC regular season championships.
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