<p><strong>HUNTINGTON, W.Va. --</strong> Freshman striker <a href="http://www.herdzone.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/simmons_erin00.html">Erin Simmons</a> gave the Thundering Herd a goal and an assist in her first collegiate soccer match and helped Marshall&rsquo;s women&rsquo;s soccer team defeat Ball State 3-1 in the regular season opener Friday at Huntington High School.&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;I thought the team played very well to start off the season,&rdquo; said Marshall head coach <a href="http://www.herdzone.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/long_kevin00.html">Kevin Long</a>.&nbsp; &ldquo;We weren&rsquo;t sure we had enough time to fix some of the holes that Longwood exploited in our exhibition, but the team did a great job through training this week, and I am thrilled to see them get to such a great start.&rdquo;&nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>Simmons broke the deadlock in the 28th minute when she made a nice finish after dribbling through the Cardinal defense.&nbsp; The freshman&rsquo;s shot, bent toward the far post, went off Ball State goal-keeper Aubrey Buehler&rsquo;s outstretched hand before clanking the inside iron and finding the back of the net to give Marshall a 1-0 lead.&nbsp;</p> <p>Sophomore <a href="http://www.herdzone.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/cathey_alyssa00.html">Alyssa Cathey</a> added to the Herd lead in the second half (56&rsquo;) when senior <a href="http://www.herdzone.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/maiden_chelsey00.html">Chelsey Maiden</a> played her through on the left side and set up another great finish.&nbsp; Cathey added a few touches to Maiden&rsquo;s pass before lifting her shot over Buehler and into the side netting.&nbsp;</p> <p>Marshall (1-0) goal-keeper <a href="http://www.herdzone.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/kerns_lindsey00.html">Lindsey Kerns</a> was put to work over the ensuing 20 minutes, needing several clearances and close-range blocks from her defense to keep the lead at two.&nbsp;</p> <p>&ldquo;Ball State had a lot of weapons,&rdquo; continued Long, &ldquo;but I think our defense showed great strides from a week ago, and equally important, we were able to create outstanding chances on the offensive side of the ball.&rdquo;</p> <p>In the 70th minute, Ball State (0-1) scored off the foot of Shaniece Thorpe from inside the box.&nbsp; Aubrey Hauenstein had the assist.&nbsp;</p> <p>Herd junior <a href="http://www.herdzone.com/sports/w-soccer/mtt/lemons_lizzy00.html">Lizzy Lemons</a> answered for Marshall just 12 minutes later, playing a one-two from Simmons in the box and sliding a shot past Buehler to extend the lead back to two.&nbsp;</p> <p>Kerns made three saves for the Herd, which out-shot Ball State 14-11 (10-7 in the second half).&nbsp;</p> <p>Buehler made seven saves while allowing the three goals.</p>