Sunday, September 5
Muncie, Ind.
1 p.m.
Ball State University
2-2-0, 0-0-0
3
vs
1
Purdue Fort Wayne
1-2-3, 0-0-0
1
2
F
Purdue Fort Wayne
0
1
1
Ball St.
1
2
3
Home Sweet Home; Soccer Scores 3-1 Win at Briner Sports Complex
September 05, 2021 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. - - A little home cooking was just what the Ball State soccer team needed Sunday afternoon, as it snapped a two-match losing streak with a dominating 3-1 victory over Purdue Fort Wayne at the Briner Sports Complex.
"One of the things we took away from Purdue is that we have to show up and play for 90 minutes," head coach Josh Rife said. "That's one of the things we've really harped on, you have to bring a certain level of energy and intensity each time you step on the field. It was great to see them put that into practice against Cincinnati, even though we were unlucky not to get a result there, and to continue that into today was great. Our pressure from everyone who stepped on the field was pretty amazing."
That pressure was evident as soon as the Cardinals (2-2-0) took to the Briner pitch. Ball State drew a pair of corner kicks in the opening five minutes and never looked back.
In all, the Cardinals tallied 28 shots, including 13 on goal, over the 90 minutes of action. BSU also held a commanding 9-1 advantage in the final corner kick tally, while limiting the Mastodons (1-2-3) to just five shots.
A total of 23 different fielders saw action for the Cardinals, with 13 recording at least one shot. Senior Alex DeRuvo earned the win in goal, playing the entire 90 minutes in net.
"A huge strength of our team is that we have some depth," Rife continued. "We have some young players who are hungry. It's the environment we want to create, that this is going to be competitive for everybody."
After 11 shots, four of which were saved and three of which were blocked, Ball State's pressure finally paid off in the 36th minute when sophomore Avery Fenchel notched her first career goal to give BSU a 1-0 edge. Fenchel ripped a shot from just outside the box, beating the Purdue Fort Wayne keeper to the high left.
While the Cardinals continued to pour on the pressure, a little bit of bad luck struck early in the second half. Ball State was called for a handball in the box in the 48th minute, setting up a Purdue Fort Wayne penalty kick. The 'Dons Zoe Greenhalge would proceed to score on the PK, tying the score at 1-1.
That was the only shot on goal for the Mastodons in the match, however, as the Cardinals ratcheted back up the pressure.
A little over 10 minutes after the equalizer, Ball State senior Chelcy Ralph gave the Cardinals the lead for good with her second goal of the season. In the 59th minute, she took a crossing pass from freshman Maya Millis, who in turn was set up by senior Tatiana Mason, and used a toe poke to deposit the ball into the goal from roughly 19-yards out. It was Ralph's third career goal and Millis' first career assist.
Ball State would then tally an insurance goal in the 80th minute when Mason drew a foul in the box after blasting a shot off the goal post. That sent redshirt senior Nicky Potts to the penalty spot. Potts did not disappoint, scoring her second penalty kick goal of the season, putting a slow roller past the Mastodon goalie.
With the goal, Potts is now tied with Mason as BSU's active career goal scorer with 12 career goals.
The Ball State soccer team is back in action Thursday, when it returns to Cincinnati, Ohio, this time to face Xavier in a 6 p.m. contest.
"One of the things we took away from Purdue is that we have to show up and play for 90 minutes," head coach Josh Rife said. "That's one of the things we've really harped on, you have to bring a certain level of energy and intensity each time you step on the field. It was great to see them put that into practice against Cincinnati, even though we were unlucky not to get a result there, and to continue that into today was great. Our pressure from everyone who stepped on the field was pretty amazing."
That pressure was evident as soon as the Cardinals (2-2-0) took to the Briner pitch. Ball State drew a pair of corner kicks in the opening five minutes and never looked back.
In all, the Cardinals tallied 28 shots, including 13 on goal, over the 90 minutes of action. BSU also held a commanding 9-1 advantage in the final corner kick tally, while limiting the Mastodons (1-2-3) to just five shots.
A total of 23 different fielders saw action for the Cardinals, with 13 recording at least one shot. Senior Alex DeRuvo earned the win in goal, playing the entire 90 minutes in net.
"A huge strength of our team is that we have some depth," Rife continued. "We have some young players who are hungry. It's the environment we want to create, that this is going to be competitive for everybody."
After 11 shots, four of which were saved and three of which were blocked, Ball State's pressure finally paid off in the 36th minute when sophomore Avery Fenchel notched her first career goal to give BSU a 1-0 edge. Fenchel ripped a shot from just outside the box, beating the Purdue Fort Wayne keeper to the high left.
While the Cardinals continued to pour on the pressure, a little bit of bad luck struck early in the second half. Ball State was called for a handball in the box in the 48th minute, setting up a Purdue Fort Wayne penalty kick. The 'Dons Zoe Greenhalge would proceed to score on the PK, tying the score at 1-1.
That was the only shot on goal for the Mastodons in the match, however, as the Cardinals ratcheted back up the pressure.
A little over 10 minutes after the equalizer, Ball State senior Chelcy Ralph gave the Cardinals the lead for good with her second goal of the season. In the 59th minute, she took a crossing pass from freshman Maya Millis, who in turn was set up by senior Tatiana Mason, and used a toe poke to deposit the ball into the goal from roughly 19-yards out. It was Ralph's third career goal and Millis' first career assist.
Ball State would then tally an insurance goal in the 80th minute when Mason drew a foul in the box after blasting a shot off the goal post. That sent redshirt senior Nicky Potts to the penalty spot. Potts did not disappoint, scoring her second penalty kick goal of the season, putting a slow roller past the Mastodon goalie.
With the goal, Potts is now tied with Mason as BSU's active career goal scorer with 12 career goals.
The Ball State soccer team is back in action Thursday, when it returns to Cincinnati, Ohio, this time to face Xavier in a 6 p.m. contest.
Team Stats
PFW
BSU
Goals
1
3
Shots
5
28
Shots on Goal
1
13
Saves
10
0
Corners
1
9
Fouls
9
8
Scoring Plays
Avery Fenchel (1)
GOAL by BSU Fenchel, Avery.
35:58
Zoe Greenhalge
PFW Zoe Greenhalge PENALTY KICK GOAL.
47:16
Chelcy Ralph (2)
Assisted By: Maya Millis , Tatiana Mason
GOAL by BSU Ralph, Chelcy Assist by Millis, Maya and Mason, Tatiana.
58:17
Nicky Potts (1)
BSU Nicky Potts PENALTY KICK GOAL.
79:09
Game Leaders
Players
Shots
3
SOG
2
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
3
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
1
SOG
1
Goals
1
Assists
0
Shots
4
SOG
1
Goals
0
Assists
1
Players Mentioned
GK
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