Soccer tops Western Michigan, maintains seven-game unbeaten streak

Freshman forward Sam Kambol moves the ball upfield at the game against Western Michigan at Briner Sports Complex on Oct. 6. Kyle Crawford // DN
Freshman forward Sam Kambol moves the ball upfield at the game against Western Michigan at Briner Sports Complex on Oct. 6. Kyle Crawford // DN

Cardinal Game Leaders:

Goals: Leah Mattingly and Emily Scott (1)

Assists: Sam Kambol (1)

Shots: Kambol and Peighton Cook (3)

Ball State soccer head coach Craig Roberts doesn’t refer to his substitute players as "subs." He calls them game changers.

So when freshman forward Sam Kambol was asked, “do you consider yourself a game changer?” and timidly began to answer, Roberts interrupted and answered for her.

“Oh, she’s a game changer all right,” he said.

Kambol has been a game changer for the Cardinals this season. Her three goals and one assist off the bench have helped propel the team to its 9-2-2 overall record with a 4-0-1 record in Mid-American Conference play.

The Cardinals' most recent win came Oct. 6 against Western Michigan (8-5, 2-3 in MAC). Ball State shutout the high powered offense of Western Michigan with a final score of 2-0.

Roberts said he doesn't think the game plan went to perfection, but it was done well.

 “There should have been areas that we could have done better, and I felt we corrected a lot of those in the second half," Roberts said. "I thought that we threatened the goal on several occasions where we could have gotten more goals as well.”

The first goal was a header from sophomore forward Emily Scott off of a Kambol assist. The second was from senior defender Leah Mattingly, who took a 30-yard strike off of a free kick to clinch the game for Ball State.

Kambol said she thought this game was one of her stronger performances.

"I feel like I am doing the things the coaches are telling me ... I’m learning every day,” Kambol said. “I came in and did what coach [Roberts], Steve [Shelton] and Lauren [Arnold] have been telling me. I feel like I’m getting a better understanding of everything.”

Junior goalkeeper Alyssa Heintschel collected her fourth shutout of the season. This marked seven shutouts on the season for the Cardinals, which is the most of all the MAC teams. Ball State also leads the MAC in percentage of goals allowed per game (.692).

As conference play continues, the team heads to Dekalb, Illinois, to play Northern Illinois (4-6-2, 3-2 in MAC) Oct. 9.

“Our team is a very confident team, we believe in ourselves and what we can do," Roberts said.

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