MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. ? The Ball State soccer team opened the 2008 Mid-American Conference season Friday afternoon with a 3-0 loss at perennial MAC power Central Michigan at the CMU Soccer Complex. The loss snaps the Cardinals' seven-game unbeaten streak in MAC openers dating back to the 2000 season.
“We came up against a very good team today in Central Michigan,” head coach Michael Lovett said. “We have to regroup and get ready for another tough MAC game Sunday. We need to come out of the gate Sunday and play Ball State soccer with some attitude and pride.”
Central Michigan (6-2-0, 1-0-0 MAC) came out of the gate quickly against the Cardinals as the Chippewas found the back of the net in the eighth minute of play. Erica Rohren was able to tuck a rebound past senior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) to put CMU ahead 1-0.
The Chippewas added their second goal of the first half in the 31st minute as Amanda Waugh scored on a breakaway off of a pass from Valerie Prause. CMU capped the scoring with a goal from midfielder Stephanie Martin in the 75th minute as Martin converted a cross from Liesel Toth.
Senior forward Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) and junior forward Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) paced the Cardinals' attack with three shots apiece, as the Cardinals out-shot CMU by a 15-14 margin in the loss. Ball State out-shot CMU by a 7-5 margin in the second half and also held a 3-1 advantage in corner kicks in the second frame.
Murphy finished the game with five saves in the loss for the Cardinals. CMU goalkeeper Shay Mannino recorded six saves in the game to post her fourth shutout of the season.
Ball State is now 2-8-1 all-time against Central Michigan and is 1-5-1 since the 2002 season against the Chippewas. The Cardinals also fell by a 3-0 score against CMU in the 2006 season when BSU claimed its first ever MAC regular season title.
The Cardinals will continue their MAC opening weekend on the road Sunday afternoon when they travel to Ypsilanti, Mich., to take on Eastern Michigan at 1 p.m.
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