Ball State University
Buffalo (#1 seed)
Soccer Falls in Heartbreaking Semifinal at Buffalo
November 08, 2014 | Soccer
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The Ball State soccer team pushed the top team in the Mid-American Conference to the limit on its home field for the second time this season, but a goal late in the second overtime gave Buffalo a 2-1 win Friday night.
Buffalo's Andrea Niper ripped a shot from 25 yards out with 2:25 remaining in the second overtime to send the Bulls (15-2-3) to Sunday's championship game of the MAC Tournament. Ball State (11-7-2), which was playing in the semifinals for a second straight year, was eliminated in heartbreaking fashion.
With no scoring since Elaina Musleh's equalizer in the 60th minute, the teams appeared to be headed for a penalty kick shootout. But Niper's goal came just in time for the MAC regular season champion. The Bulls move on to meet the winner of Friday's second semifinal between Western Michigan and NIU.
“I thought the girls gave everything they had,” Ball State head coach Craig Roberts said. “We had to face a great shot at the end to close out the game, and I commend Buffalo on a fantastic finish. Obviously, we're disappointed as a team, but we went out knowing we gave all the effort we possibly could.”
Buffalo won the regular season meeting between the teams by the same 2-1 score in overtime. Ball State struck first in that game, but Friday it was the other way around. The teams played scoreless through the first half, but that changed early after the break.
Buffalo broke through three minutes into the second half by capitalizing on a free kick. Jackie Hall got to a ball in the box and knocked it off the crossbar. She was there to collect her own rebound and headed it into the net to give the Bulls a 1-0 advantage.
Musleh then answered for Ball State with her third goal in the past two games. Gabby Veldman fired a close range shot that was knocked into the air by Buffalo keeper Laura Dougall. Musleh was the first one to it and knocked it home to even the game.
Ball State goalkeeper Alyssa Heintschel came up with some key saves to keep the Cardinals tied, but one of the biggest saves of the night came from Cailey Starck. With five minutes to play in regulation, and Heintschel drawn away from the goal, Starck was there to stop a shot just before it crossed the line.
“We came up good in some situations, but the reverse is true for Buffalo, as well,” Roberts said. “We had one or two chances at their end, but again I commend our girls on their effort. I can't be more proud of their performance and resilience, going down one goal in the second half and then persevering.”
The Cardinals defended against a pair of corner kicks in the first overtime period to keep the game tied. Heintschel made seven saves on the night, and Ball State held up against an 8-0 disadvantage in corner kick attempts for the game.
Despite the loss, Ball State wrapped up a second straight season with 11 wins, marking the first time the program has done that since 2006 and 2007. The Cardinals came up one win short of a second consecutive trip to the championship game but made back-to-back semifinal appearances for the first time ever.
Ball State's six seniors have played a key role in the program's progression. As a testament to their impact, senior defender Victoria Jacobs set a Ball State record Friday by playing in the 82nd game of her career.
“They've been pillars in regard to setting the foundation we need to have,” Roberts said. “The seniors will definitely be missed. They've provided some great experience for the younger players on our team. We're still young. A lot of teams in the MAC haven't reached this level of the tournament in four years and we've had two opportunities in the past two years. Obviously tonight is a disappointing night, but we are truly delighted with how we are continuing to progress.”
