MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State soccer team picked up its second victory of the weekend as the Cardinals defeated inter-regional foe Southern Methodist on a rainy Sunday afternoon at the BSU Soccer Field. Senior forward Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) finished the game with a goal and an assist as the Cardinals improved to 3-3-0 on the season.
“Today was another solid effort and you have to give hats off to the entire team for two strong games this weekend,” head coach Michael Lovett said. “This weekend was a great team effort as we scored four goals and didn't allow a goal against. Our defense turned in a solid effort all weekend long.”
The Cardinals came out of the gate and dictated the tempo of the game from the start against SMU as they out-shot the Mustangs by a 15-9 advantage. Ball State came close to scoring in the 13th minute as sophomore forward Jacki Eft (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) found an opening from 15-yards out and ripped a shot that SMU goalkeeper Ashley Gunter was able to punch over the cross bar.
Senior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) came up with a big save in the 16th minute as Devon Herrman blasted a shot from 10-yards out, but Murphy was there to stymie the effort. The Cardinals responded to the SMU pressure in the 20th minute as freshman midfielder Abby Milillo (Fairfield, Ohio/Badin) broke down the side and sent a cross into the box. Rein was able to volley the pass towards the goal but right at Gunter to keep the game scoreless.
The Cardinals controlled the pace of the game for most of the first half and were rewarded for their efforts in the 35th minute. SMU took a goal kick that junior midfielder Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) won in the air near midfield and sent back towards the goal 30-yards.
Rein flicked the ball past a pair of SMU defenders and into the 18-yard box where it found reserve forward Olivia Ramirez (Rockford, Ill./Guilford) behind the defense. Ramirez took the ball and placed a perfect shot in the opposite corner to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Ball State came out of the break and kept attacking the Mustangs. The Cardinals were dangerous on a set piece in the 47th minute as senior midfielder Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn) took a quick restart that sent Rein into the box with an opening. Rein blasted a shot that Gunter was able to deflect just outside the post.
Murphy turned in another strong save to keep SMU off of the board in the 50th minute as Lauren Shepherd struck a shot from 10-yards out. Murphy made a sprawling save to push the ball over the cross bar for a SMU corner kick.
The Cardinals found an insurance goal in the 55th minute as they turned in a stellar counter attack goal. SMU had a corner kick at the 53:50 mark that was brought down by senior midfielder Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield). Schumacker took the ball down on the run on her own 18-yard line and bolted away from the SMU defenders and over the midline.
Schumacker found classmate Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) streaking down the middle of the field and sent a pass over. Alexander took the pass and quickly threaded it back to Schumacker just inside the SMU 18-yard box. Schumacker was in behind the SMU defense and ripped shot that Gunter saved but allowed the rebound to come out in front of the goal. Rein was the third Cardinal involved in the counter attack as she followed Schumacker's shot and deposited the rebound into the back of the net at the 54:13 mark. The Cardinals used just 23 seconds to turn a SMU corner kick into a BSU goal.
“We got a great goal from Olivia (Ramirez) today,” Lovett said. “Our second goal was a textbook counter attack and was very pretty to watch it develop the entire length of the field. That goal gave our team so much confidence down the stretch.”
Ball State's defense and Murphy held SMU in check down the stretch as the rain and wind from the remnants of Hurricane Ike came in full force in the second half. Murphy finished the game with four saves to notch her third shutout of the season and her second of the weekend. Gunter posted seven saves in the loss for SMU, which was making its first road trip of the season.
The Cardinals will be off until Friday evening when they hit the road to face 2007 NCAA Tournament participant Loyola (Ill.) at 6 p.m. (CT) in Chicago, Ill.
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