Ball State University Athletics
Thursday, September 17
Muncie, Ind.
4 PM
Ball State University
vs
UMass
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Photo by: Becky Meek Photography
Soccer Begins Conference Action at Home on Thursday vs UMass and at Western Michigan on Sunday
September 16, 2026 | Soccer
The Ball State soccer team begins the Mid-American Conference schedule with a pair of conference opponents coming up in contests at home against UMass on Thursday and at Western Michigan on Sunday.
The match vs the Minutewomen is set for 4 p.m., while Sunday's game at Western Michigan is at 1 p.m. Links to the broadcasts and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
The Cardinals (3-3-1) most recently fell 1-0 at Dayton on Sunday. Ball State registered eight shots, including one shot on goal, but could not find the back of the net.
The Minutewomen (6-1) have won their last three matches, most recently beating Northeastern 3-0 on Sunday after a 5-1 decision over Yale last Thursday. Other notable results for the team include a 2-1 win at St. John's on Aug. 13 and a 4-3 victory at Harvard on Aug. 24.
UMass is in its ninth season under head coach Jason Dowiak and was picked to finish ninth in the MAC preseason poll after going 5-8-4 (3-6-2 MAC) last year.
The Broncos' (2-2-3) notable results include a 3-1 victory at Hawaii on Aug. 20 and a 2-0 victory vs Valparaiso on Aug. 30. Most recently, they suffered a 3-1 loss at Xavier on Sunday and drew a scoreless tie at Detroit Mercy on Sept. 6.
Western Michigan is in its fifth season under the direction of head coach Lewis Robinson. The Broncos won both the MAC regular season and conference tournament last year with a 16-4-1 (10-1-1 MAC) record.
Ball State's next match after this weekend is set for Sept. 27 against Miami in Oxford.
CARDINALS LOOK TO START CONFERENCE ACTION: Ball State is set to begin MAC play with two matches against UMass and Western Michigan. The Cardinals are coming off of Sunday night's 1-0 loss at Dayton. The Flyers scored a late goal on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute and prevented any potential Ball State offense at the end.
MATCHING UP WITH THE MAC: Thursday's match against UMass will be the second in series history with the Minutewomen.
Ball State leads in the series 1-0 after capturing a 1-0 victory in 2025 in the last meeting on Sept. 14 in Amherst.
Sunday's contest will be the 35th meeting all-time between the Cardinals and the Broncos. Western Michigan has a 17-12-5 lead overall, including a 1-0 victory over Ball State in the MAC Championships last season on Nov. 4.
BACKLINE IS BACK: The Cardinals bring back plenty of experience in its back line as senior defenders Delaney Ahearn (43 starts at Ball State) and Audrey Goodyear (48) and sophomores Jordyn Klaasen (27) and Grier Isaacson (24) have been mainstays in the defensive backfield. Junior goalkeeper Kate Pallante returns after being the primary goalie in 2025.
BEATING EXPECTATIONS: Ball State was picked sixth in this year's MAC preseason coaches poll but significantly outperformed its preseason prognostication in 2025, finishing fourth in the final MAC standings after being picked 11th leading up to the campaign.
TEN TIMES: Last year's Ball State soccer team reached 10 wins for the program's first 10-win season since 2019.
That season's Cardinals went 15-5 and posted a 9-2 record in the Mid-American Conference.
The match vs the Minutewomen is set for 4 p.m., while Sunday's game at Western Michigan is at 1 p.m. Links to the broadcasts and live stats can be found above and on the schedule page.
The Cardinals (3-3-1) most recently fell 1-0 at Dayton on Sunday. Ball State registered eight shots, including one shot on goal, but could not find the back of the net.
The Minutewomen (6-1) have won their last three matches, most recently beating Northeastern 3-0 on Sunday after a 5-1 decision over Yale last Thursday. Other notable results for the team include a 2-1 win at St. John's on Aug. 13 and a 4-3 victory at Harvard on Aug. 24.
UMass is in its ninth season under head coach Jason Dowiak and was picked to finish ninth in the MAC preseason poll after going 5-8-4 (3-6-2 MAC) last year.
The Broncos' (2-2-3) notable results include a 3-1 victory at Hawaii on Aug. 20 and a 2-0 victory vs Valparaiso on Aug. 30. Most recently, they suffered a 3-1 loss at Xavier on Sunday and drew a scoreless tie at Detroit Mercy on Sept. 6.
Western Michigan is in its fifth season under the direction of head coach Lewis Robinson. The Broncos won both the MAC regular season and conference tournament last year with a 16-4-1 (10-1-1 MAC) record.
Ball State's next match after this weekend is set for Sept. 27 against Miami in Oxford.
CARDINALS LOOK TO START CONFERENCE ACTION: Ball State is set to begin MAC play with two matches against UMass and Western Michigan. The Cardinals are coming off of Sunday night's 1-0 loss at Dayton. The Flyers scored a late goal on a penalty kick in the 83rd minute and prevented any potential Ball State offense at the end.
MATCHING UP WITH THE MAC: Thursday's match against UMass will be the second in series history with the Minutewomen.
Ball State leads in the series 1-0 after capturing a 1-0 victory in 2025 in the last meeting on Sept. 14 in Amherst.
Sunday's contest will be the 35th meeting all-time between the Cardinals and the Broncos. Western Michigan has a 17-12-5 lead overall, including a 1-0 victory over Ball State in the MAC Championships last season on Nov. 4.
BACKLINE IS BACK: The Cardinals bring back plenty of experience in its back line as senior defenders Delaney Ahearn (43 starts at Ball State) and Audrey Goodyear (48) and sophomores Jordyn Klaasen (27) and Grier Isaacson (24) have been mainstays in the defensive backfield. Junior goalkeeper Kate Pallante returns after being the primary goalie in 2025.
BEATING EXPECTATIONS: Ball State was picked sixth in this year's MAC preseason coaches poll but significantly outperformed its preseason prognostication in 2025, finishing fourth in the final MAC standings after being picked 11th leading up to the campaign.
TEN TIMES: Last year's Ball State soccer team reached 10 wins for the program's first 10-win season since 2019.
That season's Cardinals went 15-5 and posted a 9-2 record in the Mid-American Conference.
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