Ball State University Athletics
Soccer Hosts EMU for MAC Opener Friday on ESPN3
September 23, 2015 | Soccer
Game 9
Ball State vs. Eastern Michigan
Friday, Sept. 25 (5 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Briner Sports Complex)
ESPN3 | Live Stats
Game 10
Ball State at Bowling Green
Sunday, Sept. 27 (1 p.m.)
Bowling Green, Ohio (Cochrane Stadium)
Live Audio | Live Stats
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State soccer team is set for its long-awaited return to the Briner Sports Complex and the start of Mid-American Conference play.
The Cardinals will host Eastern Michigan Friday at 5 p.m. in a game that will air on ESPN3, produced by Ball State Sports Link.
It is the team's first home game in a month and just the second of the season. All the time on the road seemed no big deal for the Cardinals (4-2-2), as they matched Kent State for the best non-conference record among all MAC teams.
Ball State won't get too comfortable at home, though. After Friday's game, the team will immediately head back out on the road to close the opening weekend of conference play Sunday afternoon at Bowling Green.
The Cardinals will look to carry some momentum from their final non-conference game into the start of league play. They have been a strong attacking team all season but had recently seen their goal scoring dry up a little bit.
That all changed in a hurry Sunday at Morehead State with three goals in the final 20 minutes. Abbie Boswell's third goal of the season opened the floodgates, and the Cardinals' hard work in the offensive third started to pay off in a tangible way.
The back line was its usual self in Sunday's win, limiting Morehead State to only three shots for the entire game. Defenders Leah Mattingly and Lorina White have still yet to come off the field this season.
Friday's meeting with Eastern Michigan features a battle of teams that have been evenly matched throughout their history. The all-time series is deadlocked at 7-7-2 after the Eagles pulled out an overtime win last year on their home field.
Against Bowling Green, Sunday's opponent, Ball State is 5-0-1 over the past six meetings. The Falcons' last victory in the series came in 2008.
Both opponents this weekend have played well of late. Eastern Michigan (3-4-1) started the season with three straight losses against stiff competition but has since lost only one game. Bowling Green (4-3-1) has lost only once in its past four games and will open MAC play Friday against Miami.
For a complete preview of this weekend's games, check out This Week in Ball State Soccer.
