Soccer Downs EMU 3-1 for Fifth Straight Win

Friday, September 30

Ypsilanti, Mich.

5:00 PM

Ball State University

8-2-1, 3-0-0MAC

Eastern Michigan

2-7-2, 0-3-0MAC

Team	1	2	Final F
Ball State	1	2	3
Eastern Michigan	1	0	1

Leah Mattingly

Photo by: Scott McNitt

September 30, 2016 | Soccer

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YPSILANTI, Mich. -- The Ball State soccer team ran its winning streak to five games and stayed perfect in Mid-American Conference play with a 3-1 victory Friday at Eastern Michigan.

Julia Elvbo, Leah Mattingly and Lauren Roll accounted for the goals in Ball State's first road conference game of the season. The Cardinals improved to 8-2-1 (3-0-0 MAC) with the win, while Eastern Michigan dropped to 2-7-2 (0-3-0 MAC).

After Friday's action, Ball State and Kent State are the only remaining 3-0-0 teams in MAC play. The Cardinals will continue their road weekend Sunday with a 1 p.m. contest at Central Michigan, which improved to 10-1-0 (2-1-0 MAC) with an overtime win Friday over Miami.

"I felt that we were consistent offensively and followed the game plan of what we needed to do in the second half to come away with a well-deserved win," Ball State coach Craig Roberts said. "I thought we battled really well. It wasn't an easy game by any means. Eastern Michigan played a very organized game and competed well. But it was a complete team effort for us."

Ball State saw its four-game shutout streak come to an end in the 24th minute when Eastern Michigan jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Sabrina McNeill's goal. The Cardinals were slow tracking back on the play, but that was the only goal they conceded.

Elvbo scored the equalizer for Ball State 10 minutes later, firing a shot from 30 yards out past EMU goalkeeper Kaylin Williams. The teams went to halftime deadlocked.

"It took some time for us to adapt to the field," Roberts said. "It was very wet, and we were getting used to the grass surface. We came out in the second half and started to get a lot more offense going."

The Cardinals earned one of their five corner kicks in the 68th minute and took advantage of it. Paula Guerrero's kick deflected off Elvbo, and Mattingly was there to head it home to give BSU its first lead with what proved to be the game-winner.

Ball State tacked on another goal in the 78th minute when Roll scored to push the lead to 3-1. It was her team-leading fourth goal of the year.

The Cardinals placed eight of their nine shot attempts in the game on frame, while Eastern Michigan did so only two of its eight shots. Alyssa Heintschel played the full 90 minutes in goal for Ball State to earn the win.