Ball State University
Bowling Green
Offensive Surge Propels Soccer to 5-0 Win over BGSU
September 27, 2014 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State soccer team erupted offensively in the second half Friday and ran away with a 5-0 win over Bowling Green at the Briner Sports Complex.
The Cardinals scored four of their goals after halftime in the Mid-American Conference opener to improve to 5-1-2 (1-0 MAC) and run their unbeaten streak to five straight. Bowling Green dropped to 1-7 (0-1 MAC) with the loss.
The five goals were the most for the Cardinals in a single game since a Sept. 11, 2011 victory over Lamar. Brigit Reder recorded a hat trick that day for the Cardinals, but Friday it was a collection of players doing the work. Madison Oyer, Orla Travers-Gillespie, Kelsey Wendlandt and Aly Kohanowski all scored, and the Cardinals also had the benefit of an own goal.
Oyer's 20th-minute goal on an assist from Jasmine Moses was the lone score of the night for a long time. It was a 1-0 game at the break, and Bowling Green generated a few chances early in the second half as it tried to even the score.
"We made a tactical change midway through the second half, and it enabled us to get more width and lock down the central portion of the field, which they were having a little bit of success with," Ball State coach Craig Roberts said. "Lindsay Kempf made a big change in the game as a holding midfield player for us and was able to win those headers that perhaps were causing us one or two problems."
The floodgates opened in the 64th minute when Moses headed a ball across the front of the goal that was deflected into the net by a Bowling Green player. The Cardinals went on to score two more times in the next five minutes.
Travers-Gillespie connected on a penalty kick for her first career goal after Kempf was taken down in the box. Then Wendlandt took a pass from Shannon Greeley and knocked the ball by Bowling Green keeper Alexis Smith as she was coming out to defend.
Ball State tacked on the final score of the night in the 86th minute on the first career goal for Kohanowski, a freshman. Smith came off her line again, but Kohanowski beat her to a long, over the top pass from Cailey Starck and sent it past the keeper and rolling into the net.
For the second game in a row, Ball State was able to use its depth with 27 different players seeing action and contributing to the win.
"We talked after the game that it's not about the starting 11; it's about the complete squad performance," Roberts said. "I thought we started out the game well, and scoring some goals allowed us to get fresh legs in the game."
The Cardinals kept Bowling Green off the scoreboard to record their fourth shutout of the season. Brooke Dennis played the game's first 75 minutes and recorded four saves before giving way to freshman Alyssa Heintschel for the final 15 minutes.
Ball State will continue MAC play on the road Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at Eastern Michigan. The Cardinals then return home next weekend for games against Central Michigan and Toledo.
