For only the second time this season, the Ball State University soccer team gave up more than one goal in a game, and it cost them a win.
Akron scored two goals in the first half and Ball State could only match the number, ending the game in a 2-2 tie in double-overtime, the first tie of the season for the Cardinals. Akron (3-10-2 overall, 1-6-1 MAC) picked up its first Mid-American Conference win of the season on Friday, and Ball State coach Ron Rainey said the win gave Akron momentum heading into Sunday's game.
"They took some of that confidence from that win on Friday into today and really came out stronger than us in the first half," Rainey said.
Junior Amy Holst scored four minutes into the game for Ball State, but it was the only shot for the Cardinals in the first half. Ball State's defense also allowed Akron two goals by halftime.
The team's out-of-character offense and defense led to players changing strategy and re-energizing themselves for the second half.
"We didn't come out as good as we should've," sophomore Sarah Leibel said. "We wanted to really open up our attack after halftime, and that helped us rebound and tie the game."
The Cardinals (12-3-1 overall, 5-2-1 MAC) relied heavily on getting corner kicks for the rest of the game, finishing with a 15-2 advantage.
The Cardinals had 12 corner kicks in the second half, more than they've had in any game this season.
Leibel tied the game in the 58th minute off of a corner kick, but both teams would go scoreless for the next 52 minutes of play.
Rainey said Akron's goalkeeper Krystin Wilson played a big part in stopping Ball State from scoring.
"Their goalkeeper did a good job by clearing the ball well and getting rid of some of the dangerous chances we had," Rainey said. "She wasn't afraid to come out of the box and go after the ball for her team."
The two goals junior goalkeeper Alison Becker allowed were the most scored by an opponent since the second game of the season against Butler. Akron is also only the second of eight MAC opponents to score against the Cardinals.
"You have to give Akron some credit because we haven't given up two goals since Butler, and I thought our defense had a pretty good day," Rainey said.
Ball State does have something to cheer about. The team went 16 games this season before getting its first tie after setting the MAC record in 2004 with seven. Rainey said the team wasn't happy, but merely content with a tie on Sunday.
"To go through a weekend on the road and grab a win and a tie is pretty successful," Rainey said. "If you can't get the win, you get the tie, and you just move on."
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