Indiana University paid a visit to Muncie to take on the Cardinals in a women’s soccer clash on Tuesday. Both teams were fresh off of season-opener victories, with the Cardinals downing Purdue Fort Wayne 4-0 and the Hoosiers shutting out Tennessee 1-0.
From kickoff, the Cardinals found their back against the wall. The Hoosiers controlled possession, poking at the Cardinals back line. In the fifth minute, Hoosiers freshman Layla Sirdah pounced on a giveaway and found Kennedy Neighbors who slotted it into the Cardinals’ net.
Things quickly went from bad to worse, with the Hoosiers keeping their foot on the gas. A seventh minute header by freshman Haden Vlcek doubled the Hoosier lead and put the Cardinals in a hole.
If there was any hope of staying with IU, the Cardinals would need to find a goal quickly. Slowly, the Cardinals worked their way back into the game. They found offense through the air, crossing the ball into the box and challenging the IU back line.
Eventually, they found a breakthrough. After some wonderful buildup through the midfield, Ainsley Schaufele’s cross found the foot of Addie Chester who quickly turned and fired a shot. The ball snuck just under IU goalkeeper Jamie Gerstenberg’s right hand, and the Cardinals were back in the game.
With the home crowd re-energized, the momentum was with the Cardinals. The Hoosiers bunkered down until halftime, desperate to not give up an equalizer. With 5 seconds left in the half, a shot by Addie Chester was deflected up into the air. Aleyna Quinn closed the space quicker than Indiana goalie, heading the ball just wide of goal. Despite the missed chance to equalize, the momentum was with the Cardinals going into the half.
As the second half began, the Cardinals kept the pressure on but couldn’t create any real threats. The Hoosiers focused their attention on striker Avery Fenchel, double-teaming her from the halftime whistle. Delaney Caldwell fell to ground after a collision holding her left ankle in the 67th minute, a devastating blow to the Cardinal attack.
The Hoosiers searched for a knockout blow, but were thwarted on multiple occasions by goalkeeper Abby Jenkins. Caldwell returned to the game in the 80th minute, and won a corner in the 84th. Sensing the urgency of the set piece, the Cardinals sent all 9 players into the box. Still, IU was able to clear it away, and Ball State never got any closer.
A last minute header by Aleyna Quinn fell well wide of goal, and IU escaped the upset bid, leaving Muncie with their undefeated record (2-0-0) intact. Ball State fell to 1-1 on the young season. They will travel to Indianapolis to take on Butler on August 29.