Ball State University Athletics
Mattingly Named MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week
October 05, 2015 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Leah Mattingly's standout performance across the entire field over the weekend was rewarded Monday when the junior was named the Mid-American Conference Co-Defensive Player of the Week.
Mattingly scored goals Friday and Sunday plus anchored a Ball State back line that locked down its opponents in a pair of road victories.
The Floyds Knobs, Ind., product scored the game-winner in Sunday's 2-1 victory at Central Michigan on a perfectly placed free kick from 22 yards out in the 82nd minute. Her strike bent around the Central Michigan wall and into the top right corner of the net to keep the Cardinals perfect in MAC play and alone atop the league standings at 4-0.
Can we get Leah Mattingly's 82nd minute game-winner on #SCtop10? Let's get some RTs! pic.twitter.com/FuQNcHTuDC
— Ball State Soccer (@BallStateSoccer) October 5, 2015
Mattingly, who has scored in three of her team's four conference games, also had a goal in Ball State's first game of the weekend with a second-half tally in a 3-1 win at Toledo.
On the back line, Mattingly helped limit Ball State's opponents to a combined six shots on goal for the week – four for Toledo and two for Central Michigan. She has played every minute this season for a defensive unit that has held all but one opponent to one goal or fewer. She also has a streak of 4,749 consecutive minutes played dating back to her freshman season.
Mattingly shares this week's defensive award with Bowling Green goalkeeper Lauren Cadel. She is the fourth Ball State player to be honored by the league this year, joining Abbie Boswell (Aug. 31, offensive), Alyssa Heintschel (Aug. 31, defensive) and Chelsy Swackhamer (Sept. 28, offensive).
Ball State returns to action this weekend with a pair of home games at the Briner Sports Complex. The start time for Friday's game with Kent State has been moved up to 4 p.m., while Sunday's contest with Ohio will kick off at 2 p.m.
