The women's soccer team (3-2-1) continues its Mid-AmericanConference schedule as Northern Illinois (1-4) and Western Michigan(2-3-1) enter Muncie this weekend.
Friday, Ball State faces Northern Illinois. The Huskies only wincame against Creighton, which head coach Ron Rainey called anNCAA-Tournament-quality team. He said the Creighton win would givethe Huskies a lot of confidence coming into Muncie.
Last year Ball State went to Northern Illinois and won 1-0, andRainey said he expected Friday's game to be as close as the pastcouple of matches. Rainey said Ball State defense will keep a closeeye on senior Katie Klaas. The all-conference player leads the teamin shots on goal but does not have a goal or an assist thisseason.
Ball State attackers will get a crack at two Northern Illinoisgoalies on Friday. Carrie Dvorak and Leigh Steigerwald have splittime for the Huskies throughout the season. Ball State has alsoused this approach to goalkeeping this year, but the team will bewithout freshman Alison Becker, who is out with a concussion and isquestionable for Sunday.
Rainey said one of the most difficult things about having twogoalies splitting time is that the fullbacks must get accustomed tohearing two different voices behind them.
Western Michigan is the second MAC team the Cardinals will facethis weekend. The Broncos defense held Buffalo to one goal lastweekend, and Rainey said it would take intelligent attacking forBall State to penetrate the Broncos' defensive unit.
"We have to make runs before the ball is played," he said. "Whenyou react after the ball is played it comes down to speed.
"We have to read the game and see passes ahead of time."
The Broncos defense is anchored by goalie Kate Perez, who owns a1.45 goals against average. Five of the nine goals surrendered cameagainst Michigan State.
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