Cardinals close out non-conference play with emotional weekend

Paula Guerrero, a midfielder for the Ball State soccer team, moves the ball downfield during the game against Morehead State on Sept. 16 at the Briner Sports Complex. Ball State won 4-0. Grace Ramey // DN
Paula Guerrero, a midfielder for the Ball State soccer team, moves the ball downfield during the game against Morehead State on Sept. 16 at the Briner Sports Complex. Ball State won 4-0. Grace Ramey // DN

Team stat leaders:

Goals: Lorina White (3)

Assists: Leah Mattingly, Kelsey Wendlandt and Gabby Veldman (2 each)

Shots: Leah Mattingly (16)

Shots on goal: Allison Abbe (10)

It was an emotional week for Ball State soccer, with two goalkeepers competing for playing time and a surprise visit for one of the seniors on Senior Day.

Ball State beat Morehead State 4-0 on Sept. 16 to improve to 5-2-1, but head coach Craig Roberts said the Cardinals still have to make a few adjustments before Mid-American Conference play starts next weekend.

“We still need to make progress and build on what we’ve got,” he said. “I think we have a very, very good team and we’re going to have to make sure we do continue to finish the opportunities we create in the attacking third. So now I’m going to need my freshmen to start stepping up a little bit more in regards to their finishing in that final third.”

Senior Lorina White was one of the players who took advantage of her opportunities against Morehead State. She scored an unassisted goal and played all 90 minutes in the win, which was the first game her mother, Laura Jackson, has ever seen during her college career.

Jackson flew in from Poughkeepsie, New York, after teammate Tristin Stuteville, one of the two junior goalkeepers fighting for the starting job, reached out to her.

“Just as much as we’re a family here, we all have our respective families at home who we don’t always get to see," Stuteville said. "And we knew going into this that it had been a long time since [White has] seen [her family], so we wanted to make that happen for her."

Ball State outshot Morehead 27-2 with 14 shots on goal compared to the one shot on goal for Morehead. The Cardinals also had nine corner kicks to the Eagles' zero.

After the game, Roberts drew some similarities between Morehead State and Buffalo, Ball State's next opponent. The Cardinals will begin MAC play against the Bulls at the Briner Sports Complex on Sept. 23.

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