Failure to convert opportunities prevented the Ball State soccer team from picking up significant ground in the Mid-American Conference Tournament chase.
In Friday night's game against Buffalo, Ball State posted a 2-2 tie in double overtime. It is the Cardinals' second consecutive tie.
With four matches left on the schedule, the Cardinals need three points from a win to catapult themselves into the field.
Luckily for Ball State, all seven teams within three wins in the MAC standings either lost or tied in Friday's action. So, mathematically, Ball State didn't lose any ground.
Sophomore defender Brigit Reder netted both goals for the Cardinals. She was the recipient of passes of a corner and free kick. The goals were her second and third of the season, tying her for the most on the team.
"We have worked on adjusting our tactics off corner kicks and it was very beneficial tonight," coach Craig Roberts said.
Despite the improvements off of restarts, the Cardinals still struggled in putting away their offensive chances. Twice in the first half senior midfielder Missy Gordon had a one-on-one with the opposing goalkeeper and couldn't put the ball in the net.
"It is the same old story out there," Roberts said. "We had clear cut opportunities and we didn't score. We took it to them in the second half and both overtimes and dominated the statistics. We just couldn't score on those opportunities."
The coaching staff can only do so much about the attacking blunders. Roberts said tactics and adjustments can only take you so far.
"It is down to the players to step up and perform out there," Roberts said. "They need to be technically proficient at the right time. I can't put the ball in the net for them."
Despite the lack of results, players are still encouraged by the chances created. They think it is only a matter of time until the offense yields its true potential.
"We don't have the mindset where we don't think we can score," said Reder. "There is no question the heart and effort is there. We looked good out there today, we just have to overcome the obstacles."
Ball State travels to Kent State on Sunday in its final road game of the season. Winning is pivotal for the Cardinals with their upcoming schedule. The significance of the game is not being missed.
"We came into the weekend knowing we needed to gain ground in the MAC," Reder said. "We need to go out there Sunday and put Kent away early. Sunday is going to be a battle, but we need to produce results."
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