Cardinals score late goal to salvage tie at Toledo

Junior midfielder Paula Guerrero fights for ball on Sept. 15 during the Cardinals' game against Western Illinois in  Briner Sports Complex. Ball State won with one point during the first half and two points during the second. Harrison Raft, DN File
Junior midfielder Paula Guerrero fights for ball on Sept. 15 during the Cardinals' game against Western Illinois in Briner Sports Complex. Ball State won with one point during the first half and two points during the second. Harrison Raft, DN File

On a day where Ball State soccer dominated the stat sheet but saw multiple shots deflect off the goalpost, junior midfielder Lauren Roll got one to go her way in the final seven minutes with a shot that deflected off a pair of Toledo defenders into the net. 

The shot marked her first of the season to carry Ball State (3-5-2) to a 1-1 draw to Mid-American Conference foe Toledo (4-4-2).

“I felt that we dominated the 50/50 chances in the game and I was very pleased with the girls’ performance today,” head coach Craig Roberts said.

The Cardinals outshot the Rockets 21-4, but couldn’t capitalize as their shots deflected off the goalpost on three separate occasions throughout the game. 

“They have to be a little more composed and precise when we get in those situations, but that will come with maturity,” Roberts said. “It’s just a case of us continuing to work with them and develop them.”

Toledo had their share of breaks as well, as junior defender Hannah Scafaria had a pair of goals negated in the game. The first came in the 13th minute as she was called for an offside penalty. In the 50th minute, she got a strike from the left side of the box to sneak under the Cardinal’s senior goalkeeper Tristin Stuteville to give the Rockets a 1-0 lead. 

The second of her negated goals came in the 53rd minute as she found herself in scoring position again, but this time a handball in the penalty box negated what could’ve been a second goal for the Rockets leading goal scorer.

Aside from the one goal allowed early in the 2nd half, Ball State’s defense stood its ground against the Toledo offense. Stuteville wasn’t tested often in the box, as she only recorded one save on just two shots on goal from Toledo.

The Cardinal’s challenged redshirt-freshman goalkeeper Madison Perrin for the Rockets, as she made 10 saves on the day.

In the 53rd minute, Ball State looked to have an almost immediate equalizer when junior midfielder Lauren Roll sent a deep shot off the post, this time with freshman midfielder Nicky Potts in position for a rebound shot. However, she failed to move the ball past Perrin, as she made the save for Toledo.

The third missed opportunity came in the 75th minute when senior forward Allison Abbe delivered a cross to junior midfielder Amanda Shaw, who sent a header off the crossbar that deflected down, inches away from crossing the goal line.

Ball State looked to be on the fresher side in overtime, as they didn’t give up a single shot in the overtime periods. Sophomore midfielder Julia Elvbo had a chance to give the Cardinals the lead in the 98th minute as she ripped a strike toward the left side of the goal, but a diving save by Perrin preserve the tie.

“I was really pleased with some of the young players today,” Roberts said. “Nicky Potts had one of her best games, I was delighted with Sam Mattlin’s performance at the right back. Overall, it was a strong performance from the back line. No one could question the girls’ desire and passion.”

Ball State made it out of the first weekend road trip of MAC play with four points, but would’ve liked to have the whole six. This sends the Cardinals into a favorable stretch of their schedule with five of their next six games to be played at Briner Sports Complex, starting with the Ohio Bobcats on Friday at 5 p.m.

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