The Ball State University women's soccer team did not just keep Illinois State University from scoring a goal Friday, the Cardinals did not allow a shot in the first half.
Ball State (3-4) outshot Illinois State (4-3) 12-0 in the first half, en route to a 1-0 win.
"I think, especially in the first half, we just shut them down," senior Angie Heyer said. "We knew where to go, and they didn't really have anything on us in the first half."
The Cardinals had lost four of their previous five games, including the three going into Friday's game.
The win ended the losing streak as the Cardinals closed out the non-conference portion of their season.
"It was a really big game," senior Sarah Leibel said. "We wanted to end the non-conference on good note, and anytime you can come off a three-game losing streak and win at home is a good thing. We just needed to get our confidence back."
While Leibel said the win will help Ball State regain some confidence, coach Michelle Salmon said the team's confidence has not wavered.
The team played great in the losses and was the victim of some unlucky breaks, she said.
"We knew that if we worked hard enough, we could switch that luck around, and today it happened." Salmon said. "We never lose sight of our confidence. We know we are a good team."
The win was good for the team's confidence and the shutout is big for the defense's confidence, Heyer, a defender, said.
The shutout was the first of the season for the Cardinals and the eighth of goalkeeper Rachael Murphy's career.
"It's exciting," Heyer said. "It's definitely good to get the defense's confidence going into the conference."
Murphy recorded three saves on seven shots in the game.
Illinois State's goalkeeper Kati Grill-Donovan had more shots than Murphy to worry about.
Ball State had 20 shots in the game with 12 in the first half and eight in the second.
Leibel connected from six yards out 18:53 into the first half to score the lone goal of the game. Senior Lindsay Martin and junior Sarah Schumacker assisted the forward's second goal of the season.
"It's a great team win," Salmon said. "Probably not our prettiest win but at the end of the day a win is a win, and I'll take it."
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