Soccer Falls In OT At Ball State

Friday, March 26

Muncie, Ind.

3 p.m.

Central Michigan University

4-2-0, 4-2-0

Ball State

4-1-1, 4-1-1

Central Michigan

Ball State

Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf

3/26/2021 6:40:00 PM | Soccer

Box Score

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MUNCIE, Ind. – Ball State scored in the 98^th minute on Friday, handing the Central Michigan soccer team a 2-1 overtime loss in a Mid-American Conference game at the Cardinals' Briner Sports Complex.

Ball State improved to 4-1-1 and moved ahead of the Chippewas (4-2-0) and into first place in the MAC West. CMU saw its win streak end at four games.

"It was a big opportunity for us," said CMU coach Jeremy Groves, whose team is scheduled to play host to Eastern Michigan on Thursday, April 1 (3 p.m.). "If we would have won today, we could have been in real command of the No. 1 spot on our side of the standings."

Tatiana Mason scored the game-winner, beating CMU freshman goalie Allison LaPoint.

"We gave the ball away and they hit us on the counterattack pretty quickly," Grove said. "They had numbers over us and (Mason) placed it really well. Talking to Allison she was disappointed that she didn't save it, but (Mason) took it well. It was a good finish."

Chelcy Ralph scored in the 19^th minute to put the Cardinals in front, 1-0. The Chippewas had gone 276-plus minutes without surrendering a goal. Maria Kaschalk tied it in the 62^nd minute with her first career goal, unassisted.

LaPoint made four saves. Ball State finished with a 10-9 edge in shots and a 6-4 advantage in shots on goal in an evenly played game.

"I don't think we did enough, really, to win," Grove said, "but I don't think we did anything to lose either. In the opening five, 10 minutes of the game we had three or four really good opportunities. I'm really proud of my team; we fought back, got it to 1-1, and obviously got it to overtime. Just disappointed we ended up losing it. Didn't think that we deserved to lose it."

Groves said the Chippewas can take plenty away from Friday's result, including the fact that CMU split the season series – twice going to overtime -- with one of the MAC's most-consistent programs.

"They're a good team historically," he said. "Over the past eight, 10 years, they have been one of the better teams in the MAC so I think it shows the progress that we've made.

"I think it's a change in our mentality from where we've been to where we're at. We've come to a place like this and we're disappointed that we come away with a loss. That's a change in the mentality of the team, which is good."

The Chippewas are scheduled to play three of their final four games at home. Ball State is slated to play three of its final four on the road.

"It's the old adage that you've always got to take care of your games at home and you'll be fine," Groves said. "I think we have the easier run-in, but the thing is now we have to hope that they slip up and drop another game, either a tie or a loss."