Ball State University Athletics
Soccer Set for Final Regular Season Road Trip
October 23, 2014 | Soccer
The Ball State soccer team hits the road for two games this weekend, starting with a Friday showdown at Mid-American Conference leader Buffalo.
Game time is set for 5 p.m. Friday at UB Stadium as the Cardinals put their three-game winning streak on the line. They will then travel to Akron for a noon contest Sunday.
Not only has Ball State (9-4-2, 5-3 MAC) defeated three straight opponents, the team has not yielded a single goal during the stretch. It is the first time the Cardinals have posted three consecutive shutouts since an amazing streak of seven in a row during the 2007 season.
With three regular season games remaining, teams are jockeying for position in the MAC Tournament. Buffalo (20 points) holds a slim lead over Miami (19) for the top spot in the league standings, while Ball State (15) and Eastern Michigan (15) are tied for third.
Friday's game at Buffalo appears on paper to be a defensive struggle. The Bulls (10-2-3, 6-0-2 MAC) lead the league with 11 shutouts this season, while Ball State owns eight. Last year's meeting came down to the wire with Nicole Pembleton's goal in the final minutes of the second overtime breaking a scoreless tie to lift Ball State to a 1-0 win.
Akron (6-9-1, 2-6 MAC) is looking to rebound from a pair of 3-0 losses last weekend at Toledo and Central Michigan. The Zips will play Friday against Miami before Ball State comes to town.
Ball State enters the weekend one victory away from a second consecutive 10-win season, something the Cardinals have not accomplished since 2006-07. The team is also seeking a sixth league victory, something it has not done since 2007.
For a complete preview of this weekend's games, check out This Week in Ball State Soccer.
For the most up-to-date news on Ball State soccer, follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateSoccer on Twitter.
