Although its season ended Sunday with a loss in the Mid-American Conference tournament, the Ball State University soccer team was proud of its play in the final game and proud of its season.
The Cardinals (9-10-1, 5-5-1 MAC) lost 1-0 to Central Michigan University (12-4-3, 6-2-3 MAC) in the quarterfinals of the conference tournament Sunday. Even though they lost the game, coach Michael Lovett said the Cardinals were outstanding and outplayed the Chippewas.
"It was nothing to be ashamed of, nothing to be mad about, nothing to hang your head about," he said.
After losing to Central Michigan 3-0 earlier this season, Ball State's worst loss of the season, the Cardinals played much better in the tournament, goalkeeper Rachael Murphy said.
Ball State tied Central Michigan with 11 shots, four saves and eight fouls in the game. The Cardinals had one more corner kick, with six compared to the Chippewas' five.
The game just did not go the Cardinals' way, Murphy said, although they fought to the end.
"The game could have gone either way," she said. "We played our hearts out. It was a full team effort."
Central Michigan scored the game's one goal with a little more than 30 minutes to play in the second half. A flip throw into the box resulted in a scramble in front of the goal that the Chippewas knocked across the line.
"It was one of those plays like a goal line stance in football," Lovett said. "The ball barely crossed over the line, but it was a goal nonetheless."
The loss brought the Cardinals' season to an end at 9-10-1. It was their first losing season since 2000, the second year of program history.
Lovett said the team's record was deceiving; the Cardinals outplayed their opponents in many games this season.
"It was a season of inconsistency but when we played well we were the best team on the field, and it did not matter who was the competition," he said.
The loss also brought an end to the careers of the team's seven seniors - Annie Aiello, Katelyn Alexander, Bailey Decker, Murphy, Emily Rein, Sarah Schumacker and Jen Vilkoski - all of whom were starters this season.
"Your career has to end sometime," Murphy said. "I'm just so grateful for the opportunity to play at this level and the chance to meet these girls."
Murphy said her soccer career is pretty much done along with most of her classmates. Decker said she plans to go into coaching along with her future career in physical education.
Lovett said he is excited about the group of players Ball State is returning and the incoming freshmen who will also be able to contribute next year.
With a deceiving record this year, teams might overlook the Cardinals next year compared to the past couple seasons after they won regular season MAC championships, he said.
"Next year we're going to be back better than ever," Lovett said. "We're not going to rebuild. We're going to reload."
5 things to take away1. Ball State tied Central Michigan in saves, shots and fouls. The Cardinals had more corner kicks than the Chippewas but lost 1-0.
2. Ball State is 2-4-2 all-time in MAC tournament quarterfinal games and 2-5-3 all-time in the MAC tournament. The team failed to advance on penalty kicks in each of the ties.
3. Ball State's 9-10-1 overall record gave the Cardinals their first losing season since 2000, the second year of program history. That year the Cardinals finished 7-10-2.
4. The end of the season marked the end of the Ball State soccer careers for the Cardinals' seven seniors: Annie Aiello, Katelyn Alexander, Bailey Decker, Rachael Murphy, Emily Rein, Sarah Schumacker and Jen Vilkoski. All seven seniors were starters this season.
5. Rein was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V Second Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America Friday. The pre-business student with a 3.83 grade-point average led the team with five goals and six assists.
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