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MUNCIE, Ind. ? The Ball State soccer team returns home to the friendly confines of the BSU Soccer Field this weekend as the Cardinals host Mid-American Conference foe Ohio Friday at 4 p.m. and Akron Sunday at 1 p.m. The Cardinals will partake in the Think Pink initiative this weekend to promote breast cancer awareness.
“Every team in the MAC is still gunning for Ball State and each team is going to give us its best game,” head coach Michael Lovett said. “We have to rise to the occasion this weekend and continue to play the high level of soccer we have played the past couple of weekends. We are ready for the challenge that this weekend presents and we are excited to be back in front of our home crowd.”
The Cardinals enter the weekend with a 7-7-0 overall record and a 3-3-0 mark in MAC play after dropping back-to-back 1-0 losses last weekend at Bowling Green and at Toledo. Senior forward Emily Rein (Cincinnati, Ohio/Oak Hills) leads the team in scoring with 11 points as she has tallied three goals and dished out a team-high five assists. Sophomore forward Jacki Eft (Fishers, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) is second on the team in scoring with eight points on the strength of three goals and two assists.
Junior midfielder Megan Ridley (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) adds three goals and one assist. All three of her goals have been of the game-winning variety. Also, senior defender Sarah Schumacker (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield) is tied for third in scoring with two goals and three assists.
Senior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy (Zionsville, Ind./Zionsville) owns a 0.95 goals against average as she has played all but one half in goal this season.
Friday's game marks the 12th meeting all-time between Ball State and Ohio. The Cardinals trailed the series by a 3-7-1 mark but have gone unbeaten (2-0-1) in the last three meetings.
Last year, the Cardinals picked up a 1-0 victory at Ohio. Ball State was out-shot 10-4 and Ohio held a 9-0 advantage in corner kicks in the game. The Cardinals scored the game's only goal in the 77th minute as midfielder Katelyn Alexander (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) found forward Rein with a through ball. Rein beat one Ohio defender and ripped a shot past the Bobcat goalkeeper for the game-winning goal.
Ohio enters the weekend with a 2-8-3 overall record and a 1-3-2 mark in MAC play to sit in 11th place in the league. The Bobcats have gone winless in their last four contests, posting an 0-2-2 mark. Last weekend, Ohio dropped a 3-2 contest at Northern Illinois before tying Western Michigan, 1-1.
Ohio has scored 10 goals through the first 14 games of the season, while allowing 23 goals against. The Bobcats are being out-shot 201-128 this season. Leading the way offensively for the Bobcats is forward Amy Lower. Lower leads the team with 12 points on the strength of six goals as she is the only Bobcat to score multiple goals this season.
Sunday's game marks the eighth meeting all-time between Ball State and Akron. The Cardinals are 5-0-2 all-time against the Zips and have posted victories in the last two seasons. In the series, BSU has out-scored Akron by an 11-2 margin.
Last season, Ball State took home a 1-0 victory at Akron. The Cardinals held an 11-5 advantage in shots and received the game's only goal early in the contest. Rein was pulled down in the penalty box in the fifth minute to secure a BSU penalty kick. Midfielder Annie Aiello (Granger, Ind./Penn) stepped forward and nailed her kick form the penalty spot to give the Cardinals the only goal.
Akron enters the weekend with a 7-6-0 overall record and a 2-4-0 mark in MAC play as the Zips are currently tied for eighth spot in the MAC. The Zips will face Miami Friday to open the weekend. Akron has lost three straight games since opening conference play with a 2-1-0 record. The Zips have been shutout in their last three games while being out-scored 6-0.
Akron has scored 19 goals through 13 games this season while allowing 27 goals against. Forward Britni Back leads the team in scoring with 17 points, on the strength of seven goals and three assists. Jordan Baranowski is second on the team with eight points as she has a team-high four assists
Also, prior to Sunday's game the Cardinals will recognize their 2008 senior class with senior day festivities. The Cardinals will honor seniors Annie Aiello, Katelyn, Bailey Decker (Granger, Ind./Penn), Rachael Murphy, Emily Rein, Sarah Schumacker and Jen Vilkoski (Hamilton, Ohio/Fairfield).
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