Top Stories of 2018-19: Soccer’s run to MAC Championship Game
June 11, 2019 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. – Another athletic year quickly flew by for the Cardinals. Ball State student-athletes, coaches and teams accomplished several notable feats in 2018-19.
Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top storylines of the year. We are revealing the storylines once a week throughout the summer months of June and July.
The stories are being revealed in chronological order, beginning with the fall season and running through the spring. We start out with a look back at the soccer team's run through the league schedule to reach the Mid-American Conference title game.
Soccer Makes a run to the MAC Championship Game, Picking up Several Honors and Records Along the way
Ball State soccer has had no shortage of success since its inaugural season in 1999, winning multiple Mid-American Conference championships and division titles. But the 2018 team reached new heights with its accomplishments including a school record nine-match winning streak, the conference freshman of the year, multiple all-league performers and ultimately an appearance in the MAC championship game at season's end.
The Cardinals raced through the opening portion of their schedule with a 6-1-1 record and 1-0 start to league play. What looked like a promising start to another stellar season suddenly hit a crossroads when eventual league champion Bowling Green defeated Ball State in Muncie by a margin of 3-0. BSU was somewhat shocked as it had dropped only one home contest since the completion of the 2014 season. That shock carried over in a road stretch that included a 1-0 defeat at Kent State and 1-1 draw at Ohio.
Desperate to right the ship and get their season back on track, the Cardinals traveled to Northern Illinois for yet another road match. The game started well as senior captain Lauren Roll found the back of the net in the 12th minute to put BSU up early, 1-0. The lead did not last though as NIU scored with just over 20 minutes to play and evened things up at one apiece. Things were looking bleak with just moments remaining in regulation before senior Amanda Shaw stepped up and beat the keeper one-on-one with a shot to the bottom-left corner of the goal to break Ball State out of its winless slump with a 2-1 victory in DeKalb, Illinois.
Little did Ball State know that win would be the start of a program record nine-game winning streak. The win was also far from the most dramatic for BSU as they were later coined the cardiac Cardinals. Through the remainder of the regular season, Ball State won every match, giving the Cardinals seven straight victories heading into the MAC Tournament. Wins against Akron, Central Michigan and Miami all came down to overtime goals for BSU. The tournament was no different as each of Ball State's three matches were decided in overtime.
The first was a home contest against Buffalo in the quarterfinals on a Sunday afternoon featuring rain and winds over 30 mph. The match, knotted at one goal apiece, dragged late into double overtime and came closer and closer to penalty kicks. Senior Paula Guerrero ensured that would not be the case as she struck a free kick off the crossbar and into the back of the net to send Ball State through to the semifinals where Western Michigan awaited. The game against the Broncos was quite similar as the Cardinals found themselves in a heated, scoreless contest late in double overtime. In the 105th minute, Roll crossed the ball into the box where it bounced off a Bronco defender and into the net to send Ball State to the championship match. That win was the program record ninth in a row.
A 10th consecutive win was unfortunately not to be for BSU as the Cardinals fell 5-4 in penalty kicks after a long, hard-fought match against MAC regular season champion Bowling Green. After conceding a goal in the first half, Emily Simmons headed in a score for Ball State in the second to send the match to overtime. After no goals in extra time, the Cardinals' run came to a close in PK's. Roll, along with fellow seniors Tristin Stuteville and Taylor Pooley were named to the all-tournament team at the conclusion of the match.
While the season came to a disappointing end, there was still more to celebrate for the Cardinals. True freshman Tatiana Mason was named the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after a stellar rookie campaign. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native scored a team-high six goals on the year, five of which were game winners. Those game winners were the most among all players in the conference. Mason also added three assists for a total of 15 points on the season. She was also named to the All-MAC second team, joining Guerrero, Stuteville and Simmons on that squad. Guerrero was later named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region third team and went on to sign a contract to play professionally in Spain.
Ball State soccer's success continues to grow year after year. The Cardinals boast the most wins of any Indiana school over the past three seasons with 39. That mark is also the best in the Mid-American Conference over the same span.
Through much discussion, BallStateSports.com has identified the top storylines of the year. We are revealing the storylines once a week throughout the summer months of June and July.
The stories are being revealed in chronological order, beginning with the fall season and running through the spring. We start out with a look back at the soccer team's run through the league schedule to reach the Mid-American Conference title game.
Soccer Makes a run to the MAC Championship Game, Picking up Several Honors and Records Along the way
Ball State soccer has had no shortage of success since its inaugural season in 1999, winning multiple Mid-American Conference championships and division titles. But the 2018 team reached new heights with its accomplishments including a school record nine-match winning streak, the conference freshman of the year, multiple all-league performers and ultimately an appearance in the MAC championship game at season's end.
The Cardinals raced through the opening portion of their schedule with a 6-1-1 record and 1-0 start to league play. What looked like a promising start to another stellar season suddenly hit a crossroads when eventual league champion Bowling Green defeated Ball State in Muncie by a margin of 3-0. BSU was somewhat shocked as it had dropped only one home contest since the completion of the 2014 season. That shock carried over in a road stretch that included a 1-0 defeat at Kent State and 1-1 draw at Ohio.
Desperate to right the ship and get their season back on track, the Cardinals traveled to Northern Illinois for yet another road match. The game started well as senior captain Lauren Roll found the back of the net in the 12th minute to put BSU up early, 1-0. The lead did not last though as NIU scored with just over 20 minutes to play and evened things up at one apiece. Things were looking bleak with just moments remaining in regulation before senior Amanda Shaw stepped up and beat the keeper one-on-one with a shot to the bottom-left corner of the goal to break Ball State out of its winless slump with a 2-1 victory in DeKalb, Illinois.
Little did Ball State know that win would be the start of a program record nine-game winning streak. The win was also far from the most dramatic for BSU as they were later coined the cardiac Cardinals. Through the remainder of the regular season, Ball State won every match, giving the Cardinals seven straight victories heading into the MAC Tournament. Wins against Akron, Central Michigan and Miami all came down to overtime goals for BSU. The tournament was no different as each of Ball State's three matches were decided in overtime.
The first was a home contest against Buffalo in the quarterfinals on a Sunday afternoon featuring rain and winds over 30 mph. The match, knotted at one goal apiece, dragged late into double overtime and came closer and closer to penalty kicks. Senior Paula Guerrero ensured that would not be the case as she struck a free kick off the crossbar and into the back of the net to send Ball State through to the semifinals where Western Michigan awaited. The game against the Broncos was quite similar as the Cardinals found themselves in a heated, scoreless contest late in double overtime. In the 105th minute, Roll crossed the ball into the box where it bounced off a Bronco defender and into the net to send Ball State to the championship match. That win was the program record ninth in a row.
A 10th consecutive win was unfortunately not to be for BSU as the Cardinals fell 5-4 in penalty kicks after a long, hard-fought match against MAC regular season champion Bowling Green. After conceding a goal in the first half, Emily Simmons headed in a score for Ball State in the second to send the match to overtime. After no goals in extra time, the Cardinals' run came to a close in PK's. Roll, along with fellow seniors Tristin Stuteville and Taylor Pooley were named to the all-tournament team at the conclusion of the match.
While the season came to a disappointing end, there was still more to celebrate for the Cardinals. True freshman Tatiana Mason was named the Mid-American Conference Freshman of the Year after a stellar rookie campaign. The Ann Arbor, Michigan, native scored a team-high six goals on the year, five of which were game winners. Those game winners were the most among all players in the conference. Mason also added three assists for a total of 15 points on the season. She was also named to the All-MAC second team, joining Guerrero, Stuteville and Simmons on that squad. Guerrero was later named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Midwest Region third team and went on to sign a contract to play professionally in Spain.
Ball State soccer's success continues to grow year after year. The Cardinals boast the most wins of any Indiana school over the past three seasons with 39. That mark is also the best in the Mid-American Conference over the same span.
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