After splitting its final two non-conference games of the season, coach Michael Lovett described the Ball State University soccer team's performance as a tale of two games this weekend.
After falling behind 1-0 Friday against the University of Loyola Chicago (3-7), Ball State (4-4) responded with three goals to pick up a 3-1 win. After falling behind 1-0 Sunday against the University of Dayton (6-3), the Cardinals allowed a second goal within two minutes and lost 2-0.
"[Friday] we stayed so positive and stayed such a team on the field that the second was sure to come," Lovett said. "[Sunday] I just didn't feel that we put in a full 90-minute effort and what it takes to win games of this caliber."
Ball State fell behind Loyola after the Ramblers broke a scoreless tie seven minutes into the second half.
Instead of allowing Loyola to take the momentum of the game, Lovett said, Ball State responded and stole the momentum from the Ramblers.
Less than five minutes after the game's first goal, Jacki Eft tied it back up for the Cardinals. It was the first goal of Eft's collegiate career.
The sophomore struck again less than 16 minutes later to give Ball State a 2-1 lead.
"Those balls were perfect," Eft said. "You'd have to be stupid not to be able to finish those. They were perfect balls."
Cortney Coombs added an insurance goal to give Ball State the 3-1 win. The win was the 100th in the program's 10-year history.
Sunday the Cardinals once again took a scoreless tie into halftime. However, Dayton took the 2-0 lead after Cardinals' goalkeeper Rachael Murphy saved a shot, which deflected off the crossbar and set up the Flyers' second goal of the game on the rebound.
Eft, who was the one Cardinal to score multiple goals in non-conference play this season, said Ball State came out slow in the second half against Dayton and had a breakdown.
"That was a five-minute breakdown, and they scored two goals in it," she said. "That can kill a team, which it did to us [Sunday]."
Five things to take away1. Ball State is 4-4 as it enters MAC play next weekend.
2. Ball State had a three-game winning streak before the loss to Dayton.
3. Jacki Eft was the one Ball State player to score multiple goals during non-conference play.
4. Friday's win was the first time Ball State won a game this season while allowing a goal.
5. Eft said Sunday's loss could actually benefit Ball State as it shows the team what can happen when it has a quick breakdown.
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