Rodrigues, Sheridan Team Up Twice In 2-1 Win Over Ball State

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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – In what seemed like a must-win in terms of league postseason positioning, the Eastern Michigan University women's soccer team downed Ball State University, 2-1, in Mid-American Conference play, using a pair of goals by senior Ashley Rodrigues at Scicluna Field Sunday, Oct. 11.

Rodrigues scored one in each half while the Eagles dominated control of the ball and out-shot the Cardinals 23-15 in the match. EMU pushed its record to 7-3-4 overall, 3-1-2 in MAC play. Eagle goalkeeper, Maggie Manville, made seven saves for her fourth win of the season, having a shutout streak of 273 consecutive minutes snapped in the process.

In the 38th minute, Eastern looked determined to score its first goal of the match as they locked the ball deep into Ball State territory. Katie Lozar headed one towards the goal with the keeper out of position, but Ball State's Amanda Dreyfus was standing on the goal line to head it out of harms way. The crowd gave a collective gasp as EMU was turned away on its best opportunity of the afternoon.

However, less than two minutes later, Rodrigues would score her first goal of the game. She took a neatly placed cross in the six-yard box from Paige Sheridan and one-touched it passed the keeper for the first score. The Eagles would take a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The second half was much of the same for Eastern Michigan. In the 68th minute, Sheridan saw an opening and took a hard shot with her right foot from the left side of the goal that Ball State keeper, Nicole Wood, was able to deflect, but Rodrigues was there to clean up the rebound.

It was the senior's team-leading sixth goal of the season, and for Sheridan, her team-leading fourth assist of the year. Less than five minutes after the Eagles took a 2-0 lead, the Cardinals responded with Missy Gordon taking a lead pass from Megan Ridley to spring the forward past the defense for a one-on-one opportunity with the keeper.

Gordon converted for her second goal of the season in the 73rd minute and made the game a lot more interesting in the final 17 minutes of action. The Eagle defense stepped up to deny Ball State of any more opportunities and sealed the win down the stretch.

The Green and White will play its next two conference matches on the road, traveling to Western Michigan Friday, Oct. 16 before heading southwest to take on Northern Illinois Sunday, Oct. 18.

Kickoff between the Eagles and Broncos is slated for 3 p.m. in Kalamazoo, Mich.

Eastern Michigan Athletics

Rodrigues, Sheridan Team Up Twice In 2-1 Win Over Ball State

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