Soccer Kicks off Long-Awaited Season This Week

Game 1 | Thursday, March 4 (3 p.m.)
Ball State vs. Toledo
Muncie, Ind. (Briner Sports Complex)
Watch (ESPN+) | Live Stats

Game 2 | Sunday, March 7 (Noon)
Ball State at Central Michigan
Mount Pleasant, Mich. (CMU Soccer Complex)
Watch | Live Stats

Because of concerns surrounding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, general public attendance will not be permitted at the Briner Sports Complex this season.

It's been a long time, so you may have to think back.

But the last season the Ball State soccer team played, in the fall of 2019, the Cardinals lost only two MAC games. They were 9-2-0 to be exact. And 15-5-0 overall in Josh Rife's first season as head coach, matching the school record for wins.

Now, some 16 months later, after the traditional fall season was pushed to the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ball State is finally set to take the field again.

This is a program perennially at or near the top of the league, finishing first or second in each of the past five seasons. And these Cardinals are ready to chase a title again.

First up, a little chance at revenge. Remember those two league losses in 2019, both by a single goal? Well, they're the first opponents on tap for this year's Cardinals.

Ball State opens its delayed 2020-21 season at home Thursday against Toledo and then treks up to Central Michigan to play Sunday, as the 10-game MAC schedule gets underway.

The Cardinals will play five times at home and five on the road over the next 40 days, facing each traditional MAC West Division opponent twice, as each team makes a sprint for the April 17 MAC Championship Game.

All-MAC midfielder Nicky Potts returns as the Cardinals' top goal scorer, leading a wave of 18 returning letterwinners. All nine of her career goals came in 2019 when she ranked third in the MAC in that category and led the league with five game-winners.

Tatiana Mason is next among current BSU players with eight career goals, including six during her MAC Freshman of the Year campaign in 2018.

The Cardinals return a veteran back line, including two-time All-MAC selection Emily Simmons, from a team that surrendered only 17 goals last year, the fewest in the MAC. Maitane Bravo is set to take over the goalkeeper duties after the departure of BSU career wins leader Tristin Stuteville.

Ball State is scheduled to play three of its first four games at home before going on the road four times in the next five games and then closing out the regular season at home April 11.

For the latest on Ball State soccer, follow @BallStateSoccer on Twitter and Instagram.

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Players Mentioned

Maitane Bravo

Tatiana Mason

Nicky Potts

Emily Simmons

Tristin Stuteville