Thursday, September 18
Muncie, Ind.
4 PM
Ball State University
vs
Central Michigan
Photo by: Bobby Ellis (Ball State Creative Services)
Soccer Hosting Central Michigan Thursday and Kent State Sunday at the Briner Sports Complex
September 17, 2025 | Soccer
The Ball State soccer team returns home to host Central Michigan on Thursday and Kent State on Sunday for the start of its home Mid-American Conference slate.
Thursday's match at the Briner Sports Complex is set for a 4 p.m. kickoff, while Sunday's contest will begin at 1 p.m. Links to the video streams and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
The Cardinals (4-2-1, 1-0 MAC) topped UMass 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in Amherst in the conference opener. Lexi Watkins scored an early goal to give Ball State a lead it would not relinquish in the first-ever MAC contest for UMass in any sport.
Central Michigan (0-7, 0-1 MAC) fell 1-0 at home to Ohio on Sunday afternoon in the conference opener for the Chippewas, who have yet to score a goal this season while taking 55 shots (28 on goal).
Head coach Jeremy Groves is in his seventh season leading CMU, as the Chippewas were picked to finish 12th in the 13-team MAC preseason coaches poll.
Central leads the league and ranks No. 38 in NCAA Division I in saves per game (5.71), but the Chippewas are 11th in the MAC in goals-against average (1.714). Junior goalkeeper Brylee Borgman is second in the conference with 5.50 saves per game and fourth in save percentage (.815).
Kent State (2-3-3, 0-1 MAC) fell 2-1 at Bowling Green on Sunday to open league play. The Golden Flashes get a midweek bye to prepare for the Cardinals.
Head coach Rob Marinaro is in his 25th season in charge of the Golden Flashes and sports a 223-182-60 record. This year's team was picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason poll.
The Golden Flashes lead the league in total goals with 12 while ranking second in shot accuracy (.533) and third in corner kicks per game (6.0). Junior goalie Leah Shaffer is second in the MAC in total saves (39) and third in saves per game (4.88).
Ball State will next travel to Buffalo for a 6 p.m. match on Thursday, September 25.
WATKINS STRIKES FAST: Redshirt freshman Lexi Watkins scored just over two minutes into Ball State's match on Sunday at UMass, and it would prove to be the only scoring of the day in a 1-0 win for the visiting Cardinals.
The score off a cross from Addie Chester was the first collegiate goal for Watkins, who has taken five shots (three on goal) this year.
FIRST HALF SHUTDOWN: The Ball State defense hasn't yielded a first half goal in a month and has allowed only two in the first seven matches this season.
Purdue scored two goals in the first half of the season opener on Aug. 17, but the Cardinals shut down the next six opponents in the opening 45 minutes of each game.
CHESTER CHURNING OUT GOALS: Senior forward Addie Chester added to her Mid-American Conference leading goals total with a pair in the 2-2 draw with Butler on Sept. 7 to increase it to six goals on the season. The Muncie native was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks thanks to the performance.
Chester is only the sixth MAC women's soccer player in the last 15 seasons (since 2011) to score six goals in her team's first five matches of the season. She begins this week ranking No. 16 in NCAA Division I in goals per game (0.86) and No. 14 in points per game (2.00).
The Muncie native has improved her Ball State career totals to 16 goals, 10 assists and 41 points with the strong start to the season. Chester is T-8th, T-11th and T-9th in those categories, respectively, in school history.
Chester paces the Mid-American Conference in goals (six), points (14) and game-winning goals (two) so far this season.
CALDWELL CAREER MILESTONE LOOKOUT: Senior forward Delaney Caldwell recorded an assist in the season opener vs Purdue on Aug. 17 and is within striking distance of setting a program record in helpers.
Caldwell is three assists away from tying Ehren Reagor's program record of 18 in a career, while she is three points and four goals away from cracking the Top 5 in those career categories as well.
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Thursday's match at the Briner Sports Complex is set for a 4 p.m. kickoff, while Sunday's contest will begin at 1 p.m. Links to the video streams and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
The Cardinals (4-2-1, 1-0 MAC) topped UMass 1-0 on Sunday afternoon in Amherst in the conference opener. Lexi Watkins scored an early goal to give Ball State a lead it would not relinquish in the first-ever MAC contest for UMass in any sport.
Central Michigan (0-7, 0-1 MAC) fell 1-0 at home to Ohio on Sunday afternoon in the conference opener for the Chippewas, who have yet to score a goal this season while taking 55 shots (28 on goal).
Head coach Jeremy Groves is in his seventh season leading CMU, as the Chippewas were picked to finish 12th in the 13-team MAC preseason coaches poll.
Central leads the league and ranks No. 38 in NCAA Division I in saves per game (5.71), but the Chippewas are 11th in the MAC in goals-against average (1.714). Junior goalkeeper Brylee Borgman is second in the conference with 5.50 saves per game and fourth in save percentage (.815).
Kent State (2-3-3, 0-1 MAC) fell 2-1 at Bowling Green on Sunday to open league play. The Golden Flashes get a midweek bye to prepare for the Cardinals.
Head coach Rob Marinaro is in his 25th season in charge of the Golden Flashes and sports a 223-182-60 record. This year's team was picked to finish sixth in the MAC preseason poll.
The Golden Flashes lead the league in total goals with 12 while ranking second in shot accuracy (.533) and third in corner kicks per game (6.0). Junior goalie Leah Shaffer is second in the MAC in total saves (39) and third in saves per game (4.88).
Ball State will next travel to Buffalo for a 6 p.m. match on Thursday, September 25.
WATKINS STRIKES FAST: Redshirt freshman Lexi Watkins scored just over two minutes into Ball State's match on Sunday at UMass, and it would prove to be the only scoring of the day in a 1-0 win for the visiting Cardinals.
The score off a cross from Addie Chester was the first collegiate goal for Watkins, who has taken five shots (three on goal) this year.
FIRST HALF SHUTDOWN: The Ball State defense hasn't yielded a first half goal in a month and has allowed only two in the first seven matches this season.
Purdue scored two goals in the first half of the season opener on Aug. 17, but the Cardinals shut down the next six opponents in the opening 45 minutes of each game.
CHESTER CHURNING OUT GOALS: Senior forward Addie Chester added to her Mid-American Conference leading goals total with a pair in the 2-2 draw with Butler on Sept. 7 to increase it to six goals on the season. The Muncie native was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second time in three weeks thanks to the performance.
Chester is only the sixth MAC women's soccer player in the last 15 seasons (since 2011) to score six goals in her team's first five matches of the season. She begins this week ranking No. 16 in NCAA Division I in goals per game (0.86) and No. 14 in points per game (2.00).
The Muncie native has improved her Ball State career totals to 16 goals, 10 assists and 41 points with the strong start to the season. Chester is T-8th, T-11th and T-9th in those categories, respectively, in school history.
Chester paces the Mid-American Conference in goals (six), points (14) and game-winning goals (two) so far this season.
CALDWELL CAREER MILESTONE LOOKOUT: Senior forward Delaney Caldwell recorded an assist in the season opener vs Purdue on Aug. 17 and is within striking distance of setting a program record in helpers.
Caldwell is three assists away from tying Ehren Reagor's program record of 18 in a career, while she is three points and four goals away from cracking the Top 5 in those career categories as well.
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Players Mentioned
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This Week in Ball State Sports Podcast // Guests: Mike Uremovich, Addie Chester, and Jeff Mitchell
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Soccer // Season Preview
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