Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
9-2-2 (5-0MAC)
Kent State
7-4-2 (3-2MAC)
| Team | 1 | 2 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kent State | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Ball State | 0 | 3 | 3 |
Shutout of Kent State Lifts Soccer to 5-0 MAC Start
October 09, 2015 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State soccer team moved to 5-0 in the Mid-American Conference for the first time in program history Friday and did it by shutting out the league's top offensive team.
The Cardinals (9-2-2) scored three goals in the final 17 minutes -- one from Chelsy Swackhamer and two from Abbie Boswell -- for a 3-0 home victory over Kent State (7-4-2, 3-2 MAC).
Boswell tied the school's freshman scoring record, and Ball State extended its overall winning streak to six games as it maintained solo possession of first place in the conference standings. It was a good way for Ball State coach Craig Roberts to celebrate his birthday.
“We're delighted with the win,” Roberts said. “Kent State is always a very strong team, but we stuck to the game plan of what we wanted to do. We did have to make some adjustments at halftime, and the girls stepped up in the areas we talked about. We created the opportunities we needed, and we ended up scoring.”
Ball State controlled the action throughout the afternoon, holding a 20-4 advantage in total shot attempts. Kent State was coming off a seven-goal performance and was averaging 2.25 goals per game, but the Golden Flashes couldn't find much room to operate Friday.
“I just think defensively, we were very consistent, very patient,” Roberts said. “We made good decisions on the ball. They have a great offense; they've scored a lot of goals this season. The girls did a tremendous job of seeing the game through to make sure they shut Kent State out.”
Kent State goalkeeper Ashleah McDonald kept her team in the game, turning away 11 of Ball State's looks at the goal and keeping the Cardinals off the scoreboard until the 74th minute.
That's when Swackhamer took a pass from Kelcy Fiser, beat her defender and snuck one past McDonald for the first time. It was Swackhamer's fifth goal of the season, and it seemed to open the floodgates.
Boswell scored on a shot from the top of the box in the 79th minute and then added a second just four minutes later from a few yards closer to put the game out of reach.
The freshman from Woodridge, Ill., ran her season total to seven goals, tying Dee Nocero (2001), Emily Rein (2007) and Jasmine Moses (2011) for the most goals ever by a Ball State freshman. It was her second two-goal game of the year.
“Abbie's a really talented player,” Roberts said. “Sometimes freshmen perhaps don't want to take those shots, but we want her to take those opportunities. The goals she netted were very good goals, and she's very capable of doing that at any time.”
Sophomore keeper Alyssa Heintschel played the full 90 minutes in goal to record the Cardinals' fourth shutout of the season.
Ball State's 9-2-2 overall record is its best through 13 games since the 2006 team started with the same record. The Cardinals' six-game winning streak is also their best since 2006.
Ball State will be home again Sunday, hosting Ohio for a 2 p.m. contest at the Briner Sports Complex.
Team Stats
SWACKHAMER, Chelsy (5)
Assisted By: FISER, Kelcy
beat keeper to right post
73:49
BOSWELL, Abigail (6)
shot from top of the box
78:14
BOSWELL, Abigail (7)
beat keeper to right side of net
82:30
