Ball State University Athletics
Ball State University
Buffalo
Highly Rated Soccer Set to Open MAC Play at Home
September 21, 2016 | Soccer
Game 9
Ball State vs. Buffalo
Friday, Sept. 23 (5 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Briner Sports Complex)
Game 10
Ball State vs. Akron
Sunday, Sept. 25 (2 p.m.)
Muncie, Ind. (Briner Sports Complex)
Entering Mid-American Conference play this week with a 5-2-1 record, the Ball State soccer team cracked the top 50 in the NCAA's first RPI release of the season.
The Cardinals checked in at No. 49 out of 334 Division I teams in the country. That's 19 spots better than their highest rating during last year's MAC championship campaign and 19 places higher than the program has ever finished a season (No. 68 in 2004).
Ball State will put that rating to the test with a pair of highly charged games to open league play. The Cardinals host two-time defending MAC East Division champion Buffalo on Friday. Two days later, they welcome an Akron team that ended their season in heartbreaking fashion a year ago.
Ball State and Buffalo have played some classic games in recent years with the past four meetings decided in overtime. The Cardinals are 2-2 in those games, including a 1-0 victory last season in Muncie. Chelsy Swackhamer's goal in the 94th minute won the game and went a long way toward the Cardinals winning the regular season championship.
Buffalo brings a 3-3-2 record into this year's matchup, but two of those losses have come to Power 5 conference teams – West Virginia (RPI No. 4) and Syracuse. The Bulls are led offensively by Carissima Cutrona, who ranks second in the MAC with six goals. Defensively, Buffalo is tied with Ball State for the second-best goals against average in the league (0.95).
Akron is 3-5-0 on the year and is coming off a 2-0 loss at Duquesne in its final non-conference game. The Zips will open league play Friday at Miami before traveling to Muncie. Chloe Allen leads Akron offensively with five goals.
Ball State defeated Akron in the regular season last year, but the Zips eliminated the top-seeded Cardinals from the MAC Tournament in penalty kicks after the teams played to a scoreless draw in the quarterfinal round.
Ball State enters conference play fresh off a 4-0 victory over Morehead State. Senior defender Lorina White leads the Cardinals with three goals, including one in each of the past two games. The victory over Morehead State was the 99th of Craig Roberts head coaching career. The Cardinals will look to win No. 100 for him this weekend.
Movie in the Scheu
Ball State Athletics will host "Movie in the Scheu" on Friday at Scheumann Stadium. Finding Dory will begin at approximately 7:15 p.m., or 30 minutes following the conclusion of the soccer match. The movie will be shown on the south end zone video board in the stadium.
Finding Dory is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated comedy-drama adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. The film is a sequel and spinoff of 2003's Finding Nemo. Finding Dory focuses on the amnesiac fish Dory, who journeys to be reunited with her parents. Along the way, she is captured and taken to a California public aquarium, from which Marlin and Nemo attempt to rescue her. (Trailer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKJA-VLpiCo )
Admission is FREE.
Fans may bring blankets to enjoy the movie on the turf, however lawn chairs, food and beverages will not be allow on the field.
Fans are asked to enter through Gate 4 at the southwest corner of Scheumann Stadium.
