Ball State University
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Western Michigan
Soccer Opens MAC Play With Loss To Western Michigan
September 24, 2010 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State soccer team saw its three-game winning streak come to an end Friday afternoon as the Cardinals suffered a 3-0 loss to visiting Western Michigan in their Mid-American Conference season opener at the BSU Soccer Field. The loss drops the Cardinals to 6-3-0 on the year and 0-1-0 in league play while the Broncos improve to 5-4-0 overall and 1-0-0 in MAC action.
Ball State controlled play in the first half as it went with the strong southwesterly wind as it held a 4-0 advantage in shots in the opening frame. Senior forward Jacki Eft (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) had a good opportunity in the 13th minute as her shot from 15 yards out was saved by WMU goalkeeper Julia Francy. The Cardinal came within inches of taking the lead in the 39th minute as senior defender Tina Vannatta (Powhatan, Va./Springboro) ripped a free kick from 30 yards out but Francy was just able to push over the cross bar to keep it a scoreless game.
Western Michigan came out in the second half and took advantage of the wind as it controlled the tempo in the early part of the half. The Broncos broke the scoreless contest in the 49th minute off a free kick as Jacki Drees was the beneficiary of assists from Ashley Caliendo and Stephanie Skowneski.
The Broncos broke the game open with a goal in the 54th minute of play as Skowneski found the back of the net after getting behind the BSU defense. The Cardinals had an opportunity to cut into the deficit but Francy made a sprawling save in the 56th minute to stop redshirt sophomore Sarah Orisich (Columbus, Ind./Columbus North) from 12 yards out. WMU sealed the victory in the 88th minute as Skowneski scored her second goal to finish the game with five points.
Francy finished the game with six saves in the victory as BSU out-shot the Broncos 11-5. Sophomore goalkeeper Aubrey Buehler (Waukesha, Wis./UT-Martin) played 67:47 and allowed two goals while freshman Layne Schramm (The Colony, Texas/The Colony) allowed a goal in 22:13.
Ball State returns to the road Sunday afternoon as it travels to DeKalb, Ill., to face the Northern Illinois Huskies at 1 p.m. (CT).
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