After setting school records and earning second team All-Mid-American Conference honors last year, Rachael Murphy's starting position was thrown up for grabs - and she liked it.
With Michael Lovett in his first season as the Ball State University soccer coach, sophomore Amy Cleeter was given the opportunity to earn the Cardinals' starting goalkeeper position. Murphy said she liked that she was forced to work to keep her starting position.
"I love it," Murphy said. "I love competition, and I feed off it. It's really nice to have. I think it makes you work hard day in and day out for every single ball, every single practice. It just promotes a really good training environment. There's nothing but positives that come from competition at a spot."
Murphy, a fifth-year senior, has been Ball State's starting goalkeeper the past two seasons. During the two-year span, she started at goalkeeper for 39 of the Cardinals' 40 games. The one game she missed was last year against the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, when she was injured with a concussion.
In Murphy's absence, Cleeter came in relief and got her first collegiate start.
"It was great to get the chance," Cleeter said. "I was obviously worried about Murph's health at the same time. She had a concussion so that was not good. At the same time, being a backup keeper it's kind of your role to just go in there and do what you have to do when the other keeper is hurt."
After Murphy returned from the injury the next game she did not leave the field the rest of the season.
Murphy went on to finish with a MAC-best 0.53 goals against average, which is second best in Ball State history. She had a MAC-best 10 shutouts, which was a Ball State record. She also had a 664:28 minute shutout streak, which was a Ball State record and second best in MAC history.
Although Murphy had one of the best seasons in Ball State history, Lovett said it was important that she be challenged for her starting position. He also said both goalkeepers have risen to the challenge.
"It's been a great competition," the first-year coach said. "Both of them came in ready to start. Rachael told me she wasn't really used to competition, and she's loving that Amy has stepped up and wanted that role."
In this year's regular season opener at Valparaiso University, Murphy and Cleeter split time in the goal, with Murphy playing the first half and Cleeter playing the second half. After that game, Lovett named Murphy as the Cardinals' goalkeeper.
"I had great joy for her," Cleeter said. "Rachael Murphy and I are friends so either way we both said we would back each other up completely."
Although Murphy earned the starting position, Lovett said that does not mean she is guaranteed the position for the entire season.
"Like I told both of them, the best goalkeeper is going to play and with goalkeeping that kind of goes in streaks," Lovett said. "Murphy's playing well right now; Murphy starts. If she hits a wall, and Cleeter's playing well from there, Cleeter starts."
Since Murphy took the full-time position, she has played every minute in goal for the Cardinals. On the season she has a 1.14 goals against average and has made 12 saves while allowing four goals.
To make sure she maintains her starting position, Murphy said, she must give 110 percent every day. She also said she only compares herself to her own play and does not worry about how her competition is performing.
"I don't compare myself when I'm thinking about competition," she said. "For me competition is can I top my best, can I get to my best."
While Murphy wants to maintain her position, she said, she wants whatever is best for the team first, even if that means Cleeter takes her place in the goal.
"If you're not on your game and someone else's best is better than your best for that game you have to make a decision what is best for the program, what is best for the team, and that's fine," Murphy said. "We're all team players here. We ultimately want what's best for the program. Whoever is going to give our team the best chance of winning and the best chance of success is going to be in goal, and I completely support that."
If it would come to the point when Cleeter was needed in the goal, Lovett said he has full confidence in her.
"She's still working as hard as ever," Lovett said. "She's fighting to earn that starting spot, and you know it's great competition because Murphy knows that if she slips or she stops competition for one day Cleeter's right there. Kind of like she told me, she has not had that in the past. This is her fourth or fifth year. She's not had that in the past. It's always been you're the goalkeeper. When you know that going in you can kind of get complacent and not worry as much. She is not at all. She has had a reality check, and she's actually happy about that because she's become a better goalkeeper in the past three weeks than she has been in the past three years."
While Lovett, a former collegiate and professional goalkeeper, is happy to have two goalkeepers capable of starting for the Cardinals, he said, he would rather have more players competing for the starting position.
"That's a position we don't have enough depth in my opinion, which I hope to change in the future," he said.
When judging the current goalkeepers and looking at potential recruits, Lovett said, he will look for athleticism, technique, kicking ability and height."
"It's funny when I'm looking for height I would pick Murphy over Cleeter," said Lovett of the 5-foot-6-inch Murphy and the 5-foo-10-inch Cleeter. "Just seeing them, one's taller and one's shorter, but Murphy's heart and athleticism makes her play that much taller."
Given the healthy competition between his two top goalkeepers, Lovett said, he is pleased with how the battle has played out.
"You have to make the most of what you have," he said. "Rachael has made the most of what she has. Amy has definitely made the most of what she has."
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