Sunday, April 11
Muncie, Ind.
2:00 PM ET
Ball State University
2
vs
1
Eastern Michigan
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Dombrowski’s Brace Powers Cardinals to West Title, MAC Championship Berth
April 11, 2021 | Soccer
BSU celebrates Senior Day with 2-1 victory in must-win game versus Eastern Michigan
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State soccer team is headed to the MAC Championship game.
Jenna Dombrowski scored both goals Sunday as the Cardinals held off Eastern Michigan 2-1 in the regular season finale to claim the MAC West Division championship.
Ball State will play Saturday at East Division champion Bowling Green for the conference title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
"Eastern Michigan is a team that's battle-hardened," BSU head coach Josh Rife said. "They're a veteran team, they're always in position. To close out the year against a squad like that, you know it's going to be a tough ask. But I think our group all year long has been ready and answered a lot of challenges that have come their way. Today was no different."
For the second straight game, it was do or die for the Cardinals (6-2-1). A loss or a draw and Eastern Michigan (6-3-0) would be on its way to the championship game instead.
But the Cardinals prevailed by the same score as they did last month at Eastern Michigan to sweep the season series from the Eagles. BSU overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit in the first one. This one followed a completely different script.
Dombrowski put Ball State on the board in the 19th minute. Nicky Potts' cross into the box was deflected to her feet, and she sent it past EMU keeper Chelsea Abbots.
She added a second shortly after halftime on a well-executed set piece. Lexy Smith delivered a 50th-minute corner kick into the box where Shelby Kean got a head on it and directed it to Dombrowski. She finished it off to stake the Cardinals to a 2-0 lead.
"I was just really happy I could put it in the back of the net today," Dombrowski said. "We really had been struggling with scoring off corners, so that was really exciting on the second one. It was just a really great team effort today from start to finish."
Ball State had chances to stretch the lead to three, but Abbots stood strong to keep her team in the game. Eastern Michigan went into attack mode and finally broke through in the 82nd minute when Sabrina McNeill found some space at the top of the box.
The Eagles spent the final eight minutes frantically seeking an equalizer, but Ball State held strong and Maitane Bravo made some key plays to preserve the win.
Now the Cardinals move on to face Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game for the second time in three years. The teams played to a draw through two overtimes in the 2018 MAC Tournament finals before the Falcons emerged in penalty kicks.
Jenna Dombrowski scored both goals Sunday as the Cardinals held off Eastern Michigan 2-1 in the regular season finale to claim the MAC West Division championship.
Ball State will play Saturday at East Division champion Bowling Green for the conference title and a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.
"Eastern Michigan is a team that's battle-hardened," BSU head coach Josh Rife said. "They're a veteran team, they're always in position. To close out the year against a squad like that, you know it's going to be a tough ask. But I think our group all year long has been ready and answered a lot of challenges that have come their way. Today was no different."
West Division Champs!!!#ChirpChirp pic.twitter.com/hAZ4wsDlSz— Ball State Soccer (@BallStateSoccer) April 11, 2021
For the second straight game, it was do or die for the Cardinals (6-2-1). A loss or a draw and Eastern Michigan (6-3-0) would be on its way to the championship game instead.
But the Cardinals prevailed by the same score as they did last month at Eastern Michigan to sweep the season series from the Eagles. BSU overcame a 1-0 halftime deficit in the first one. This one followed a completely different script.
Dombrowski put Ball State on the board in the 19th minute. Nicky Potts' cross into the box was deflected to her feet, and she sent it past EMU keeper Chelsea Abbots.
She added a second shortly after halftime on a well-executed set piece. Lexy Smith delivered a 50th-minute corner kick into the box where Shelby Kean got a head on it and directed it to Dombrowski. She finished it off to stake the Cardinals to a 2-0 lead.
"I was just really happy I could put it in the back of the net today," Dombrowski said. "We really had been struggling with scoring off corners, so that was really exciting on the second one. It was just a really great team effort today from start to finish."
SHE DID IT AGAIN! @jennadomm strikes to put @BallStateSoccer up 2-0! ??
??: https://t.co/EbE5R330bx | #WeFly pic.twitter.com/5pBJN685bL— Ball State Sports Link (@bsusportslink) April 11, 2021
Ball State had chances to stretch the lead to three, but Abbots stood strong to keep her team in the game. Eastern Michigan went into attack mode and finally broke through in the 82nd minute when Sabrina McNeill found some space at the top of the box.
The Eagles spent the final eight minutes frantically seeking an equalizer, but Ball State held strong and Maitane Bravo made some key plays to preserve the win.
Now the Cardinals move on to face Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game for the second time in three years. The teams played to a draw through two overtimes in the 2018 MAC Tournament finals before the Falcons emerged in penalty kicks.
?? "The pressure is something we embrace."@jennadomm who scored both goals in today's division-clinching victory, the team's second straight must-win game. pic.twitter.com/dvqa0o9IcX— Ball State Soccer (@BallStateSoccer) April 11, 2021
?? "Our group all year long has been ready and answered a lot of challenges that have come their way. Today was no different."@BSUCoachRife on the win over EMU, sending this team to the MAC Championship game. pic.twitter.com/WbU1fRQdp4— Ball State Soccer (@BallStateSoccer) April 11, 2021
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