Ball State University
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Western Michigan
Mattingly?s dramatic goal downs Western Michigan
October 17, 2014 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Leah Mattingly scored on a header in the 88th minute Friday and the Ball State soccer team claimed a dramatic, 1-0 win over Western Michigan at the Briner Sports Complex.
It was the second straight shutout victory for the Cardinals, which improved to 8-4-2 (4-3 Mid-American Conference) by avenging a loss in last year's MAC Tournament championship game. Western Michigan dropped to 9-5-1 (3-3-1 MAC).
“Western Michigan is a very good team, one of the best teams we've played this year,” Ball State coach Craig Roberts said. “We're in a hard stretch of games right now. We've told our team it's going to be a challenge, and right now our girls are meeting the challenge.”
Alyssa Heintschel made her second straight start in goal for Ball State and recorded another shutout. She made six saves, including five in the first half to keep the Cardinals even. She made another key save in the final minute to preserve the win.
A strong wind played a major factor throughout the game. Western Michigan played with the wind at its back during the opening half and controlled play. The Broncos fired nine shots and put the Cardinals in some tough positions.
“We had to weather the wind,” Roberts said. “We really couldn't get out and get any offense going in the first half, so it was our opportunity to generate offense in the second half. We pushed more players forward as the game went on, and I felt that troubled Western.”
Ball State generated a couple scoring chances in the second half before breaking through. Franziska Sottner had a shot deflected in the closing minutes that led to Ball State's second corner kick of the day. Cailey Starck lined up the corner and sent it into the box, where Mattingly was waiting to knock it in.
“I ran in and the ball went right over Vic (Jacobs) and Lauren (Hall), and I just headed it and was praying it would go in,” Mattingly said. “I couldn't ask for a better goal. We had a tough loss to this team last year in the MAC finals, and we didn't want that to happen again.”
It was the third goal of the season for Mattingly and the fifth assist of the year for Starck. Western Michigan tried to answer late on a loose ball in the box, but Heintschel secured her final save of the day with 49 seconds on the clock. It was the seventh shutout in eight wins this season for the Cardinals.
Ball State will ride the momentum from back-to-back shutouts of Kent State and Western Michigan into another important MAC game Sunday. The Cardinals will continue their weekend home stand with a 2 p.m. contest against Northern Illinois.
