Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Delaware
Soccer Tops Delaware 1-0 on Penalty Kick Goal
September 12, 2014 | Soccer
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- Leah Mattingly scored on a penalty kick in the second half Friday, and the Ball State soccer team opened the Navy Invitational with a 1-0 win over Delaware.
Goalkeeper Brooke Dennis posted her third shutout in five games this season as the Cardinals improved to 3-1-1. Delaware fell to 2-4 with the loss. Ball State will be back in action Sunday at Noon against Navy on the Mids' home turf at the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility.
Friday marked the first game for Ball State in 12 days after its only game last weekend was canceled because of inclement weather.
“Both teams battled hard,” Ball State head coach Craig Roberts said. “It was a complete team performance. I felt we didn't play as well in the first half, but we made some alterations at halftime, and the girls committed to those came out stronger and created more chances.”
One of those chances came in the 65th minute with the game still scoreless. Lucy Walton broke down the left side of the field and sent a cross it to the box, where it hit a Delaware player in the hand. The Cardinals were awarded a penalty kick, and Mattingly beat Delaware keeper Kailyn Rekos for what proved to be the only score of the day.
It was the second career goal for Mattingly, a sophomore defender from Floyds Knobs, Ind.
Delaware logged 14 shots for the game and put five of them on goal, but Dennis was there to turn them all away. It was her sixth shutout in 13 career starts.
“Brooke was outstanding,” Roberts said. “She was very good on restarts, and she showed a lot of maturity and a lot of strength in what she was doing. As a team, our concentration was there we when we were tested toward the end, and I was pleased we made some progress in closing out a game.”
