Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
1-0
Eastern Kentucky
0-1
Outside Mids Propel Soccer Past EKU in Opener
August 20, 2016 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. -- A pair of youthful outside midfielders provided some scoring punch for the Ball State soccer team in Friday's 3-1 victory over Eastern Kentucky.
Sophomores Emily Scott and Lauren Roll tallied goals from that position, and senior defender Lorina White added a third as the Cardinals opened their season at the Briner Sports Complex.
"I thought we did very well offensively," Ball State coach Craig Roberts said. "We came forward, and I think the depth of our team really showed today. I think Eastern Kentucky was very well organized, but if you have to keep dealing with pressure, it's just a matter of time before you break down."
Roll started at outside mid and played the first 23 minutes of the game before Scott came on for her as part of a wave of substitutions. Less than one minute later, Scott weaved around what seemed like the entire Eastern Kentucky defense and fired a shot into the lower left corner for the Cardinals' first goal of the season.
"We talk about our team being a unit," Roberts said. "We're not necessarily just looking at the starting 11. On that right side, Lauren Roll had done a great job of making her defender work hard, and then we brought Emily in. When you have someone with immense speed like Emily going at you, it's very hard to deal with."
Not to be outdone, Roll took advantage of her scoring opportunity in the second half. Leah Mattingly tossed a throw-in from the left sideline that led Roll toward the top of the box. She took it on the second bounce and beat the EKU goalkeeper up top for her first collegiate goal in the 82nd minute.
Sandwiched in between those two was a goal for White, the reigning Mid-American Conference Defensive Player of the Year. She hammered home a free kick from Gabby Veldman in the 57th minute that staked the Cardinals to a 2-0 lead at the time.
Eastern Kentucky clawed within one on a goal from Jordan Foster in the 70th minute, but Roll's tally 12 minutes later put the game out of reach.
Roll led Ball State offensively with four shots, including two on goal, as the Cardinals outshot Eastern Kentucky 18-7. Tara Claus paced the Colonels with three shots.
Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Heintschel played the full 90 minutes in goal for Ball State and made a pair of saves on her way to the win.
Friday's game was delayed by more than an hour because of inclement weather and lightening in the area, but the action was never stopped once it started.
Ball State will continue its season-opening four-game homestand Sunday at 2 p.m. against IUPUI.
Team Stats
SCOTT, Emily (1)
worked past several defenders and found
24:41
WHITE, Lorina (1)
Assisted By: VELDMAN, Gabby
off free kick entry
56:28
FOSTER, Jordan (1)
beat keeper to top left corner
69:01
ROLL, Lauren (1)
Assisted By: MATTINGLY, Leah
off throw in from sideline
81:37
