Owls Grounded by Cardinals, 2-1

Friday, September 7

Boca Raton, Fla.

7:30 PM

Florida Atlantic

1-2-0

Ball State

2-1-0

Ball State

FAU

9/7/2007 12:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

Sept. 7, 2007

Box Score

BOCA RATON, FL - Allyssa Eramo scored her first goal of the season but it wasn't enough to erase second-half deficit as the Florida Atlantic University women's soccer team fell 2-1 to Ball State at FAU Field on Friday.

Eramo's first goal of the year drew the Owls within one after Ball State had taken a 2-0 lead on a pair of second-half tallies.

The first half saw both teams take turns controlling the play, with no real scoring threats by either side. Each team registered two shots, with the only shot on goal during the first half belonging to the Owls Natalie D'Oria.

Ball State lost starting goalkeeper Rachel Murphy in the 37th minute in a collision with FAU's Alicia Tirelli. Murphy played every second in net for the Cardinals in 2006. Amy Cleeter took over between the pipes and finished the game.

Just three minutes into the second half Ball State was awarded a penalty shot after BSU's Sarah Leibel was drug down inside the box. Annie Aiello converted the chance for her first goal of the season and a 1-0 Cardinal lead.

In the 55th minute Monique Cabrera had a scoring chance off a great pass into the box by Susanna Lehtinen that would have tied the game, but the shot sailed just over the crossbar.

Ball State responded to the scoring chance with its second goal of the game just minutes later on a lofted shot from the left side over the outstretched arms of FAU goalkeeper Jessica Badders. Beth Meyer lifted the ball from the left side and tucked the ball just inside the right post for her first goal of the season and a 2-0 BSU lead with 32:01 remaining in regulation.

In the 68th minute the Owls would cut the lead in half on Allyssa Eramo's first goal of the season. The junior headed a free kick down past the keeper off a free kick by Michele Fazzari.

The Owls pressured the Cardinal end the final 10 minutes of regulation, but couldn't produce the equalizer.

Badders faced four shots for Florida Atlantic, while Murphy made one save before leaving with an injury on two shots and Cleeter made one save on nine shots after coming on for Ball State (2-1-0).

FAU (1-2-0) will now turn its attention to Northwestern, as they face the Wildcats in the final game of the FAU Classic on Sunday at FAU Field. NU defeated UNC-Greensboro 3-2 in the opening game of the FAU Classic on Friday.