Soccer to Host Puerto Rico for April 22 Contest

MUNCIE, Ind. -- It's not every day a national team in any sport makes an appearance in central Indiana.

But the Ball State soccer team has made quite a habit of hosting opponents from the world stage.

The Cardinals will welcome the Puerto Rico Women's National Team to the Briner Sports Complex for a 1 p.m. contest Saturday, April 22.

It's the fourth time in five years Ball State has hosted a national team as part of its spring schedule. The Cardinals played Haiti three straight years from 2013-15, posting two wins and one draw.

Puerto Rico is in the midst of preparations for the Caribbean zone Women's World Cup qualifiers and will be playing a trio of college teams. Ranked among the top 10 in the CONCACAF rankings, Puerto Rico will visit Ball State in between trips to Notre Dame and St. Bonaventure.

"Although the Puerto Rico National Team is being revamped, I still believe they will provide our team with an amazing opportunity to compete against players that will appear on the national stage and in the next World Cup," Ball State coach Craig Roberts said.

"This experience will challenge our players and promote their development, which is a core value of our program. Being given the opportunity to play against a second national team is sure to provide our players with a unique experience. We look forward to the challenge and the event."

Puerto Rico is coached by Shek Borkowski, who notably led FC Indiana to a pair of Women's Premier Soccer League (WPSL) championships. He is in his first year with Puerto Rico after five years guiding the Haiti Women's National Team.

Roberts serves on Borkowski's staff with Puerto Rico, as he did with Haiti. But the Cardinals' seventh-year head coach will be at his usual post on the Ball State bench for this matchup.

Roberts guided Ball State to its second straight Mid-American Conference regular season championship last fall. The Cardinals went 14-3-3 overall (9-1-1 MAC) and reached an all-time high of No. 40 in the NCAA RPI.

The matchup with Puerto Rico will mark the final game of Ball State's spring schedule as the Cardinals prepare for another championship run in the fall.

Related Videos