Ball State University soccer coach Michelle Salmon had a good feeling heading into the opening weekend of Mid-American Conference play.
The Cardinals had jumped out to a 5-1-2 record during non-conference play, and her team was also riding an attractive four-game winning streak. So going 2-0 through the opening weekend was a realistic possibility.
Ball State certainly started on the right foot. The Cardinals earned a convincing 3-1 victory over Kent State University on Friday afternoon at Ball State's field.
"I thought the first fifteen minutes was the best soccer we've played [this year]," Salmon said. "When we came out I thought we dominated the game. Kent State's a good team. They're one of the better teams in the conference. At the end of the day, the breaks went our way."
Throughout the early part of this season, Ball State has been a team that likes to come on strong at the end of games. Being so, it's main goal has been to start off more aggressive out of the gate. They were able to do so against the Golden Flashes.
Vandi Ogden opened the scoring with a goal in the ninth minute off of a Sarah Schumacker assist. After a Kent State goal by Lisa Kurz in the 22nd minute, a Megan Ridley penalty kick put the Cardinals in the lead for good.
"I think it's great for a team's confidence when you can come out from the gate and start well," Salmon said. "I think you'll always come out one of two ways. You're either going to come out really flat and gun shy, or you're going to come out ready to go. Today we came out of the gates ready to go."
The highlight of Ball State's early dominance was a high-pressured attack on both offense and defense. Behind sophomore Emily Rein's four shots, the Cardinals out-shot the Golden Flashes 20-9 on the game.
"A lot of times our goal is to keep the pressure high on the opposing team," Rein said. "When we have our three forwards constantly pressuring the goal we usually have the momentum."
Though the first half was thoroughly controlled by Ball State, the Cardinals found themselves only up one goal with a little less than twelve minutes left in regulation. However, Sarah Schumacker put the game away with a goal off a Katelyn Alexander corner kick in the 79th minute.
"It was a great cross over," Schumacker said of Alexander's corner kick assist. "The ball just happened to deflect right in front of me. We really needed that to close the door and not feel the pressure of having them being able to tie the game with just one goal. To have a two-goal lead was really beneficial."
Though it was a good conference-opening win for Ball State, its mission was only half accomplished. With a Sunday match against Buffalo University looming around the corner, there was still work to be done. Accordingly, the Cardinals' celebration was tempered after the victory against Kent State.
"It's very important we come out strong against Buffalo," Schumacker said. "A lot of times teams are looking for teams that have won a game. They're looking for that ego boost. So, it's very important that we come out strong, tough and don't undermine any of the teams we play."
That's precisely what the Cardinals were able to do Sunday in their second game of the weekend against Buffalo University. For the second straight match, Ball State jumped out to the early lead.
This time it was Emily Rein taking advantage of Bulls' goalkeeper Amy Coron's mistake. With the ball laying in front of Coron's feet, Rein ran up and stole the ball away, practically dribbling it into the net.
"It was honestly a huge mistake by [Coron]," Rein said. "She should have cleared the ball out the second she saw me coming. I don't know if she didn't see me, or what happened. But she basically passed the ball to me and I dribbled it into the net."
Regardless of their strong play, the Cardinals once again were unable to put the match away. However, after the Bulls were able to even it up at a goal apiece, Ball State got a huge lift when Vandi Ogden scored an unassisted goal in the 36th minute. Ogden was just one of three midfielders that Salmon said played extremely well Sunday.
"I thought if there was an MVP of this game it was our midfield," Salmon said. "Amy Holst, Vandi Ogden and Katelyn Alexander did an outstanding job, and I though the last 30 minutes of the second half was the best half we played all year."
While Salmon gave the credit to Ogden and Co., the senior midfielder was quick to give it to her teammates playing in front of her. For the second straight game Ball State had an enormous lead in total shots, this time out-shooting Buffalo 22-5.
"[Our offensive pressure] was crucial today," Ogden said. "Because of our forwards we were able to win this game. Defense starts with our forwards, and their hard work paid off. That's why we were able to come out on top in this game."
In the style the Cardinals seem to be most comfortable in, the match got too interesting in the final minute. Ball State was called for a foul with 31 seconds left on the clock, giving Buffalo a indirect kick only 25 yards from the goal. Fortunately for the Cardinals no harm was done.
"I don't know if nervous is an appropriate word for it," Salmon said. "But I was definitely concerned with the ending of the game. But this team is resilient. They have great leadership, so I was never too worried about them. They know how to pull close games out."
The Cardinals are now 7-1-2 on the year, but perhaps the two biggest wins of the season were their last two. With a 2-0 start in the MAC, coupled by pre-season consensus conference No. 1 Central Michigan University losing to Ohio University, Ball State is in a position to control its own destiny.
"Getting two wins is definitely a good way to start off the MAC season," Salmon said. "It doesn't matter who you play in this conference, it's always going to be a tough game. So we need to just get a win however we can get it. This week we need to make sure we prepare for our game against Bowling Green on Friday and Toledo on Sunday."
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