Two of the Mid-American Conference's best teams stand in the way of Ball State's postseason hopes in a must-win scenario this weekend for the Cardinals.
Ball State is tied with Buffalo for last in the MAC standings with two points. Picking up wins over the final three games is the only shot the Cardinals have of advancing to the conference tournament.
The team plays at home against Eastern Michigan on Friday and Central Michigan on Sunday. Both opponents are undefeated in conference play with records of 5-0-3 and 8-0-0, respectively.
"I think both will be good games. We just need to focus on not making small mistakes," freshman defender Kelsey Shapiro said. "If we fix those, we can compete."
Coach Craig Roberts said fundamental errors cost the Cardinals in their last match. Ball State started quickly against Kent State but gave up four unanswered goals in the loss.
Scoring first hasn't been the Cardinals strong suit. Opponents opened the scoring in seven of their eight MAC games this year.
"We can't go in expecting to go a goal down and then react," Roberts said. "We have to take the game to them. It is still a habit that needs to be nurtured."
Ball State's competition doesn't get any easier after this weekend. The team rounds out regular season play against first-place Toledo.
One advantage the Cardinals may have is they don't look at the bigger picture. Roberts said the team worries about what they can do better, rather than focusing on their opponents.
"It's about building on our own performance, not about evaluation other teams," he said. "We can compete with any team in the MAC if we practice and play to our full potential."
Read More
Ball State football pushes through outside noise ahead of Black Friday game against Ohio
By Kyle Smedley / 12 hours agoThe Cardinals are setback by injuries and early transfer portal entries heading into the final game of the season against the Bobcats.
Ball State falls to Richmond, finishes 2-1 in Gulf Coast Showcase
By Zach Carter / YesterdayBall State fell to Richmond as the Cardinals finished the Gulf Coast Showcase 2-1 and now have an overall record of 3-5.
Wapahani defeats Muncie Central in season opener
By Zach Carter / YesterdayWapahani junior Camden Bell led the Raiders with 18 pointers as the red and white defeated Muncie Central 51-27.
