Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Valparaiso
Soccer Falters Against Valparaiso, 3-2
September 04, 2009 | Soccer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - The Ball State soccer team suffered a hard fought 3-2 loss to instate foe Valparaiso Thursday afternoon in the first game of the Boilermaker Challenge Cup in West Lafayette. The Cardinals took an early second half lead only to see the Crusaders score the final two goals of the game to claim their second win of the season.
Junior forward Missy Gordon (Carmel, Ind./Marshall) had the Cardinals' first offensive chance in the ninth minute of the game. Gordon found some space inside the 18-yard box and ripped a shot past Valparaiso goalkeeper Mele Cabral, but found the cross bar to keep the game scoreless.
Valparaiso (2-3-0) opened the scoring in the 19th minute as Luisa Desario notched her first goal of the season as she beat freshman goalkeeper Nicole Wood (Strongsville, Ohio/Strongsville) from 15 yards out.
The Cardinals came out of the break and controlled the tempo as they quickly tied the game with a goal in the 49th minute. Junior forward Jacki Eft (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) made a run into the box and found sophomore midfielder Christine Concannon (South Bend, Ind./St. Joseph's) open in the box. Concannon ripped a shot from six yards out over the out-stretched arms of Cabral for the tying goal.
Ball State (0-3-0) took its first lead of the game in the 53rd minute as Eft again was the playmaker for the Cardinals as she sent a cross into the box. Senior midfielder Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) ran onto the cross in the middle of the box and ripped a shot into the corner for the 2-1 BSU lead.
The Crusaders tied the game at two apiece in the 70th minute as Desario scored her second goal of the game off of a counter attack from a BSU corner kick. Valparaiso retook the lead in the 77th minute after a scramble in the BSU box that ended with Rachel Hoaglin pouncing on a loose ball and pushing it into the goal for the 3-2 Crusaders' lead.
Ball State tried to mount its second comeback of the game in the final minutes as the Cardinals forced a corner kick in the 89th minute of action. Junior defender Kristina Anderson (Hamilton, Ohio/Badin) sent the kick into the box where it found the head of freshman defender Brigit Reder (West Chester, Ohio/Lakota West) but Cabral was there to thwart the effort.
Valparaiso finished the game with a 19-11 advantage in shots, including a 12-4 edge in the second half. Wood recorded seven saves in the loss as she was making her first career collegiate start while Cabral earned the victory with two saves.
The Cardinals will continue the Boilermaker Challenge Cup Monday afternoon when they face Purdue at 5:30 p.m.
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