MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State soccer team will hit the road for the first time in the 2007 Mid-American Conference season on Friday afternoon as the Cardinals take on Ohio at Chessa Field at 4 p.m.. The game is a battle between two teams tied for first place in the MAC after one weekend of play with 2-0-0 records.
“We are excited to face a very good Ohio team on Friday,” second-year head coach Michelle Salmon said. “Anytime that you go on the road in the MAC it is always a tough task. This is a crucial early season match up and we look forward to the challenge it presents.”
The Cardinals (5-4-0, 2-0-0 MAC) are coming off of a strong showing in their MAC opening weekend as they picked up wins over Central Michigan and Eastern Michigan at the BSU Soccer Field. Ball State posted back-to-back shutouts to open conference play and the defense has turned in three straight shutout performances overall on the season.
The Cardinal defense has been strong this season as it has allowed just eight goals through the first nine games. Ball State has also limited opponents to a conference low 62 shots on the season, while the BSU offense has posted 156. Junior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) has been the benefactor of the strong defense as she owns a 0.69 goals against average on the year.
Offensively, the Cardinals have scored 13 goals and dished out 12 assists through the first nine games. Ball State has used a balanced scoring attack as seven different players have tallied goals, including five players with at least two goals on the season. Junior forward Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) leads the team with three goals on the season, including the game-winner against Eastern Michigan last weekend.
Four Cardinals, Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills), Sarah Leibel (Cincinnati, Ohio/St. Ursula), Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) and Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn), are tied for second in scoring with two goals apiece. Rein tallied the game winning goal against Central Michigan last weekend, while Aiello converted her second penalty kick of the season against EMU.
Friday's contest between the Cardinals and the Bobcats is the 11th meeting all-time between the two conference foes. Ball State trails the all-time series by a 2-7-1 mark against Ohio, although it is 1-0-1 over the past two seasons versus the Bobcats.
Last season, the Cardinals and Bobcats battled to a 0-0 tie. Ohio is one of three teams last season that Ball State did not defeat in MAC action on its way to the MAC regular season title. Both teams battled through high winds that dictated the pace of the action. The Cardinals out-shot the Bobcats by a 24-9 margin, including a 16-4 advantage in the second half. Ball State also was dominant in corner kicks as it held a 13-2 edge in that category.
Ohio enters the weekend with a 2-5-2 record overall after a tough non-conference schedule, but the Bobcats are tied for the MAC lead with a 2-0-0 mark. Ohio is playing its third straight home game on Friday after defeating Kent State in overtime and Buffalo, both by 2-1 margins.
The Bobcats have scored eight goals so far this season and have allowed 13 goals by their opponents. Forward Erika Schmitt leads the way offensively with three goals and an assist. Schmitt, the reigning MAC Player of the Week, scored both of the game-winning goals last weekend. In goal, Jess MacLean has a 1.08 goals against average and has played all but one half in net for Ohio.
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