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Two Early Goals Lift Ball State Over Ohio, 2-1


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Two early goals from Ball State (8-3-1, 3-1-0) were enough to seal the victory over the Ohio Bobcats (5-4-3, 1-2-1) in Sunday’s soccer match in Muncie, Ind., as the Cardinals won, 2-1.

Ball State wasted no time to put pressure on Ohio goalkeeper Mattie Liston (5 saves). With just 51 seconds off the clock in the first half, Cailey Starck took a corner kick and found Victoria Jacobs for the score, whose third goal of the season put the Cardinals up, 1-0.

And Ball State wasn’t done.

They continued to pressure Liston, with five shots in the first seven minutes, and at the 6:17 mark, Nicole Pembleton had a shot blocked and the reflection found Maimee Morris, who knocked it in for Ball State’s second goal of the game.

The Bobcats have been struggling all season to start the first half with intensity and play all “90 minutes,” as head coach Aaron Rodgers often says. The last and only time the Bobcats allowed two goals in the first half this season, they lost to Central Michigan. In less than 10 minutes against Ball State, Ohio dug itself into a 2-0 hole.

Ohio entered Sunday coming off a 1-1 tie with Miami, and during that game, Rodgers kept referencing “eight minutes,” which stood for the Bobcats’ game against Niagara where they scored two goals in the final eight minutes to win. Ohio showed that fight against Ball State, but it wasn’t enough.

In the 72nd minute, freshman Allison Cislo beat Ball State keeper Brooke Dennis (6 saves) to the right and scored her second goal of season to cut the Cardinals’ lead to 2-1.

Ohio continued to battle for the final 18 minutes, but Holly Harris and Maggie Murnane had their shots on goal saved by Dennis, while Lexi Milesky’s shot was wide of goal.

Harris had a game-leading four shots on goal, and the Bobcats outshot Ball State, 10-6, in the second half.

The Bobcats’ road trip continues next weekend when they travel to Akron on Friday, Oct. 11, and Buffalo on Sunday, Oct. 13. Kickoff at Akron is at 7:30 p.m.