Entering this weekend Michael Lovett was excited to return to Muncie for some home games. At the end of the weekend, the coach was even more excited as the Ball State University soccer team picked up two wins.
With a pair of 2-0 wins against Eastern Illinois University (0-6-1) and Southern Methodist University (1-4-1), the Cardinals (3-3) improved their record to .500 for the first time this season.
Lovett, who picked up his first home wins as the Ball State coach, said it was huge for the team to even their record.
"We started out rough," he said. "We've played really well the past five games and luckily have three wins to show for it."
Ball State took a 1-0 lead against Eastern Illinois on Friday about 17 minutes into the game off an Annie Aiello penalty kick. It is the sixth goal in the past two seasons for the midfielder, all of which have come off penalty kicks.
Bailey Decker then added the second goal of the game in the 51st minute off a rebound from an Emily Rein shot.
In Sunday's game, freshman walk-on Olivia Ramirez recorded her first collegiate career goal about 10 minutes into the game.
In the second half, Rein recorded her first goal of the season off a rebound to give the Cardinals the 2-0 win.
"I was satisfied," Lovett said of the team's offense. "I wasn't going to be satisfied with 1-0 victories for either game."
The Cardinals' defensive backfield also stepped up during the weekend as Ball State recorded its second and third shutouts of the season.
Goalkeeper Rachael Murphy saw 18 shots on the weekend against her compared to the 38 generated by the offense.
"The defense that was out here these last two games did a great job," Murphy said. "They're the hardest workers, and they just throw their bodies in front of the shots."
With Friday's shutout, Murphy gained sole possession of the school's career shutouts record. She increased her total to 20 shutouts with Sunday's win.
The shutouts record previously belonged to Alison Becker, who had 18 from 2003 through 2005.
"It's neat I guess, but I'm sure in a few years there will be a goalkeeper that comes along and just knocks that right off the board," Murphy said.
5 things to take away1. Michael Lovett won his first regular season home game as the Ball State coach Friday and is 2-0 at the Ball State Soccer Field.
2. Rachael Murphy set the career shutouts record Friday. She is one win from the career wins record.
3. All three of the Ball State wins this season were shutouts.
4. Ball State is .500, 3-3, for the first time this season.
5. It rained before Friday's game and during Sunday's game. Murphy said the weather did not affect Ball State but its opponents had problems.
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