Ball State University Athletics
Soccer Hosts Buffalo Friday, Akron Sunday
September 19, 2012 | Soccer
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State soccer team begins Mid-American Conference play this weekend when it hosts a pair of games at the Briner Sports Complex. The Cardinals will square off with Buffalo in their MAC opener Friday at 4 p.m. and then close the weekend Sunday at 2 p.m. against Akron.
Both matches will air live on Sports Link Radio 91.3 FM WCRD. Fans can listen online though the live events page at ballstatesports.com.
ABOUT BALL STATE
Ball State (3-3-2) is looking to bounce back from a 2-1 loss Sunday against Butler. It was the first loss in four games for a Cardinals team that was coming off a pair of 1-1 draws against Hawai'i and Detroit on its trip to Honolulu.
Sophomore forward Jasmine Moses scored Ball State's goal in the Butler game, marking her second straight outing with a goal. She is tied with fellow sophomore forward Nicole Pembleton for the team lead with two goals, while Pembleton tops the squad with five points (one assist).
Defensively, Ball State is limiting its opponents to fewer than 10 shots per game on average. Butler became the first team in seven games to score more than one goal against the Cardinals. Senior goalkeeper Aubrey Buehler has played all but 33 minutes between the posts for Ball State and owns a 1.21 goals against average and 29 saves.
SCOUTING BUFFALO
Buffalo (2-5-1) split two games last weekend, defeating Robert Morris by a 1-0 score and suffering a 2-1 defeat to St. Francis (Pa.). Both of the Bulls' wins have come by shutout as they also defeated Canisius, 2-0, in their second game of the year. Buffalo has played low-scoring contests with the Bulls and their opponents combining for just 14 goals over their eight games.
Sophomore forward Katie Roberts leads Buffalo offensively, having scored three of the team's six goals on the season. Junior Ainsley Wheldon has played every minute in goal for the Bulls and owns a 0.95 goals against average and a .795 save percentage.
SCOUTING AKRON
Akron (4-3-0) dropped its only game last weekend by a 2-0 score against Marshall. The Zips defeated Cleveland State and Canisius in their previous weekend of action. Akron will open its MAC schedule Friday at Miami University before heading on to Muncie.
Freshman forward Megan Waskowski leads Akron with three goals and three assists for a total of nine points, while senior forward Ashley Hughes has scored two goals and assisted on two others for six points. Sophomore Alex Luevano-Harden has been the Zips' top goalkeeper with a 1.08 goals against average and a save percentage of .828.
ALL-TIME VERSUS THIS WEEKEND'S OPPONENTS
Ball State leads the all-time series against each of this weekend's opponents. The Cardinals are 6-5-2 all-time against Buffalo and have lost only twice to the Bulls since 2001. The past two meetings have ended in ties, including last year's scoreless draw in Muncie.
Ball State owns a 6-2-3 record in its previous meetings with Akron. The Zips have won two of the past three meetings, but the Cardinals defeated Akron 2-1 last season by scoring twice in the final 10 minutes of play.
All-Time vs. Buffalo (6-5-2)
1999: L, 2-1 (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2000: L, 2-0 (Muncie, Ind.)
2001: L, 3-2 (OT) (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2002: W, 2-1 (Muncie, Ind.)
2003: W, 2-1 (2OT) (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2004: W, 2-0 (Muncie, Ind.)
2005: L, 1-0 (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2006: W, 3-2 (Muncie, Ind.)
2007: L, 1-0 (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2008: W, 4-1 (Muncie, Ind.)
2009: W, 1-0 (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2010: T, 2-2 (2OT) (Buffalo, N.Y.)
2011: T, 0-0 (2OT) (Muncie, Ind.)
All-Time vs. Akron (6-2-3)
2001: W, 1-0 (Muncie, Ind.)
2002: W, 3-0 (Akron, Ohio)
2003: W, 1-0 (Muncie, Ind.)
2004: T, 0-0 (2OT) (Akron, Ohio)
2005: T, 2-2 (2OT) (Akron, Ohio)
2006: W, 3-0 (Muncie, Ind.)
2007: W, 1-0 (Akron, Ohio)
2008: T, 2-2 (2OT) (Muncie, Ind.)
2009: L, 3-0 (Akron, Ohio)
2010: L, 3-1 (Akron, Ohio)
2011: W, 2-1 (Muncie, Ind.)
MOSES RETURNING TO FORM
Sophomore forward Jasmine Moses has scored goals in each of the past two games. After being held scoreless through the first six contests of the season, the 2011 MAC All-Freshman Team selection scored in the first 10 minutes of the Sept. 8 game against Detroit. She again found the back of the net in the first 10 minutes Sept. 16 against Butler. Last season, Moses tied for the team lead with seven goals.
TOP-NOTCH DEFENSE
After surrendering three goals in its season opener at Marshall, Ball State has allowed just seven goals over its past seven games. That stretch includes a Sept. 2 shutout of IPFW. Butler is the only team during the stretch to score more than one goal on Ball State.
OUT-SHOOTING THE OPPOSITION
Ball State has given itself more scoring opportunities than its opponents this season, out-shooting them by a combined total of 118-76. The Cardinals have logged more shots than their opponent in seven straight games and have limited four of their past six opponents to fewer than 10 shots.
PEMBLETON COMING UP CLUTCH
Sophomore forward Nicole Pembleton has played a part in three Ball State goals this season, and all three of them have helped to decide the outcomes of games.
Pembleton's first collegiate goal was the game-winner in the second overtime Aug. 26 against Xavier. She assisted on the game-winning goal Sept. 2 against IPFW and then scored the game-tying goal Sept. 7 at Hawai'i to help Ball State earn a 1-1 draw.
BUEHLER AND REDER ON THE ALL-TIME LISTS
Senior goalkeeper Aubrey Buehler's shutout against IPFW was the 13th of her career. It was her eighth since transferring to Ball State after playing her freshman year at UT Martin. Buehler ranks fourth in school history in wins (16) and goals against average (1.32).
Senior defender Brigit Reder is tied for seventh on Ball State's all-time goals scored list with 11 in her career. She also ranks 14th on the Cardinals' list for career points with 25 (11 goals, three assists).
CHEW PICKS UP PAIR OF HONORS
Senior defender Skylar Chew was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week by the league office and the MAC Player of the Week by College Sports Madness four weeks ago. She scored one goal and assisted on another in the Ball State Tournament (Aug. 24-26) while helping the Cardinals limit their opponents to just 10 shots on goal over two games.
BSU PRESEASON HONORS
College Sports Madness named its Preseason All-Mid-American Conference teams in August, and Ball State was well-represented with three selections. Senior defender Brigit Reder was selected to the 13-member first team, while sophomore forward Jasmine Moses was recognized on the 13-member second team. Additionally, freshman midfielder/defender Kaila Mack was picked as the league's preseason Freshman of the Year.
BSU PICKED FOURTH IN MAC WEST
Ball State was chosen fourth in the Mid-American Conference West Division in the annual preseason poll of the league's head coaches. The Cardinals will look to improve on that prediction like they did a year ago when they were picked sixth in the preseason poll but finished fourth with a league record of 4-5-2.
MORE ON THE CARDINALS
BSU is coming off a 9-9-3 campaign last year as the Cardinals improved for the second consecutive season under head coach Craig Roberts. This year's team is much more experienced with the return of 21 letterwinners and eight starters from a year ago. Two of those returners are All-MAC selection Brigit Reder and MAC All-Freshman Team selection Jasmine Moses, who both tied for the team lead last season with seven goals each.
