MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State soccer team will begin a four-game home stand on Friday afternoon as the Cardinals host Mid-American Conference foe Northern Illinois at the BSU Soccer Field. Game time is set for 4 p.m. and admission is FREE.
“We are excited to face a very good Northern Illinois team at home Friday,” second-year head coach Michelle Salmon said. “We expect another tough and physical MAC game. We look forward to the challenge in front of us and are excited to return home to play in front of our fans.”
The Cardinals enter the game with a 7-4-0 overall record and are 4-0-0 in MAC action as they are tied for the top spot in the conference. Ball State, the defending MAC regular season champions, has opened MAC play with four straight victories for the second straight season.
The Cardinal defense has been at the top of the MAC so far this season with its stingy play as it has allowed a conference-low eight goals against. Ball State has not allowed a goal against in MAC play, while junior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) is second in the conference with a 0.54 goals against average.
Offensively, the Cardinals have scored 15 goals in 11 games this season as seven different players have found the back of the net. Juniors Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills), Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) and Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn) are tied for the team lead with three goals apiece.
Friday's contest between Ball State and Northern Illinois is the ninth meeting all-time between the two schools. The Cardinals own a 4-2-2 overall record against the Broncos, including a 4-0-1 record over the past five seasons.
Last season, the Cardinals took home a 1-0 victory at Northern Illinois. The physical contest saw 29 total fouls between the two teams. Senior forward Sarah Leibel (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula) scored the game's only goal in the 17th minute. Leibel turned in a brilliant individual effort as she received the ball 20-yards out, beat a couple of NIU defenders and rifled a left-footed shot into the back of the net.
Northern Illinois enters the game with a 5-4-2 overall record, including a 2-2-0 mark in conference play. The Huskies have scored 12 goals on the season and have allowed 11 goals against. NIU posted a 1-1-0 mark last weekend in MAC play as it fell in double overtime to Kent State, before picking up a 2-1 victory over Buffalo.
The Huskies are led offensively by forward Karen Enockson as she has scored four goals on the season, including two off of penalty kicks. Two goalkeepers, Lindsey Curnock and Audrey Holmer, have split time this season in goal for Northern Illinois and have combined for a goals against average of 0.94.
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