Ball State Soccer opened its season looking familiar — sort of.
Though the starting eleven of Head Coach Josh Rifes' squad houses four new faces, the team's overall flow and strategy remained the same in its first game of the 2024-2025 season with a 4-0 victory against Purdue Fort Wayne (PFW).
“I hope [this win] gives our girls confidence,” Rife said.
New additions freshmen Aleyna Quinn and Ava Napieralski each made impacts in their respective positions of forward and defender.
Quinn created multiple opportunities for herself and her teammates after being subbed into the game. Though she put one in the back of the net late in the second half, her shot was taken off the board due to an offside ruling. Another potential goal of hers was taken away late into the match due to a diving save by PFW’s goalkeeper Jordan Imes.
Napieralski played well within the already-established defensive line, which seems to have grown more confident in the offseason. Sophomore defender Audrey Goodyear picked off where she left off and provided a consistent defensive presence for the Cardinals.
Senior team captain Maya Millis showcased this and more.
Millis's defensive presence within her position was immense, producing multiple clears and setting up a variety of offensive opportunities from the backline. Millis also consistently pushed upward into a forward/midfield position. She finished the contest with an assist and one shot on goal.
“I think having a familiar back line is a great thing … it's easy to pick up where you left off and stay strong,” Millis said. “I think that the new people who have joined our back line have done a really great job of holding the same values that we do and they're great, strong players.”
In terms of her increased, veteran role, Millis said she could not be more excited to step into that position and be back with the team.
“I love to be able to support my team however I can and it's such a great feeling to come back for another year and have some of the same people around me, but also to have such a great incoming group,” she said. “There's nothing I'd rather be doing.”
In goal, senior Abby Jenkins made her first collegiate start and walked away with two saves. Junior Grace Konopatzki subbed in for the second half and also collected two saves.
While the collective defensive efforts of Ball State were great and led to a shutout, the team's offensive efforts shined equally bright.
Junior transfer Addie Chester donned a captain band in her first start with the team and played more than deserving of it. Chester made her mark in the midfield, producing five shots and picking up an assist.
Outside of the box score stats, Chester also consistently took the ball away from her opponents and began to run the offense from the backline. She set up opportunities for forwards junior Delaney Caldwell and sophomore Kaelyn Valleau.
Valleau, who subbed into the game late, scored one goal on three shots. Freshman LG Moncrief, who also subbed in late, scored off a penalty kick with the clock winding down in the second half.
Caldwell walked away with two goals on six shots, picking off right where she left off last season at right wing.
“It was awesome being back here, I think all of our work we put in the last two and a half weeks really showed today,” Caldwell said. “Everyone got a good amount of minutes in, and we all played really great, so it was awesome to see all of that.”
The Cardinal's shutout of the Masadons at home is a huge way to start the season, a significance Rife acknowledged.
“From top to bottom, it was a really, really good win today with good contributions from everybody,” he said. “We've been really impressed by just the entire group and how well they've adjusted to things.”
Rifes right. At forward, his veteran-heavy, yet fresh-faced lineup worked well and produced. Familiar faces in the midfield, juniors Emily Roper and Tori Monaco, meshed well with Chester and the pair of freshmen forwards.
Holding PFW scoreless looked easy, but Caldwell said the team has the potential to do more and reach Mid-American Conference (MAC) Championship heights.
“[The win] sets the tone for what we're expecting out of the season,” she said. “I think if we can continue to have dominant performances like this, it’ll give us a lot of confidence to eventually get to that MAC Championship and finish what we started last year.”
Ball State Soccer returns home Tuesday, Aug. 20 at 5:30 p.m. to face Indiana.
Contact Trinity Rea via email at trinity.rea@bsu.edu or on X @thetrinityrea.
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