A year removed from a loss in the first round of the Mid-American Conference tournament, the Ball State University soccer team has something to prove this weekend.
Last year the Cardinals won the regular season MAC championship for the first time in school history but lost to Miami University 2-1 in the first round of the conference tournament.
"We have unfinished business," junior goalkeeper Rachael Murphy said. "We need to prove we can win the marathon."
The Cardinals won their second consecutive regular season title this year. They then avenged their loss to Miami with a 1-0 win Sunday in the first round of the MAC tournament.
The team wants to show that it can not only win the regular season title but also the tournament championship, Murphy said.
The regular season is about consistency, she said. Tournament play is about what teams can step up, Murphy said.
Coach Michelle Salmon said a strength of Ball State this season has been its consistency. However, the rest of the season does not matter and every team is 0-0 right now, she said.
"One of the things we like about tournament play is every game is a new season," Salmon said.
Ball State won its second tournament game in program history Sunday against Miami. Prior to the win the Cardinals had lost four consecutive quarterfinal games in the MAC tournament.
In 2002 the Cardinals won their first round game 3-1 against Western Michigan University. However, they lost to Ohio University 1-0 in the semifinals.
Friday Ball State will look to advance to the conference championship game and win the tournament for the first time in school history.
"It's time for more," Murphy said. "We want more. We want that tournament championship."
To get the championship the Cardinals will first have to beat Bowling Green State University at 2 p.m. Friday at the Ball State Soccer Field.
Ball State beat the Falcons 3-2 in double-overtime earlier this year. With the two goals, the Falcons snapped the Cardinals' program record seven game shutout streak, including six the MAC.
The two goals scored against the Cardinals was the one time a MAC opponent scored multiple times on the Ball State defense this season.
Murphy said the Cardinals have something to prove defensively because of the goals it allowed against the Falcons.
Salmon said Bowling Green has a good group of forwards that makes its' offense good.
"They're going to be very dynamic and get forward," she said.
While the Bowling Green offense is good, Salmon said, the Cardinals' defense dealt with good offenses well all year. Ball State has to focus on its game to stop the Falcons, she said.
The three goals the Cardinals scored against Bowling Green was their most in a MAC game this season.
Junior forward Emily Rein scored two of the goals including the game winner.
Rein is questionable for Friday's game after she was injured against Miami Thursday, Salmon said. Senior forward Sarah Leibel was also injured against Miami and is also questionable, Salmon said.
However, Ball State has depth that can step up if Rein and Leibel cannot play, such as in Sunday's win, Salmon said.
"We're not one dimensional," she said. "We have several players that can step up."
One advantage Ball State will have this weekend is playing at home, Salmon said. The players' comfort level of sleeping in their own beds and having their fans at the game will help the team, she said.
Ball State led the MAC in attendance this season with an average of 343 fans at each of its games.
Salmon said the team's love for soccer causes fans to get excited for Ball State soccer.
"We're practicing, it's cold, it's windy and our players have smiles on their faces," Salmon said.
Fans will be charged admission this weekend. It is $5 for adults and $2 for students with IDs and youth.
However, the first 250 Ball State students with their IDs will get in free because of a donation from a Ball State soccer donor.
Friday's tickets are good for both the Ball State game and the 11 a.m. game of the University of Toledo and Northern Illinois University.
The winner of the Toledo-Northern Illinois game will play the winner of the Ball State-Bowling Green game at 1 p.m. Sunday at the Ball State Soccer Field.
Murphy said the team is excited about the possibility of winning its first MAC tournament.
"It would absolutely be a highlight of a career," she said.
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