Craig Roberts doesn't like the word aggressive because people associate it with dirty play. He prefers to call his team intense.
The style Ball State women's soccer coach wants to play is simple: hard man pressure until the ball is won, then a steady possession game to get as many shots as possible.
In its exhibition game against Cincinnati August 12, Ball State applied this style and won 1-0. They outshot a Big East team 11-7. Roberts saw that as a step in the right direction.
Ball State hopes to do the same Friday when it opens the regular season on the road against Murray State.
"We've got the ability to play different approaches," Roberts said. "Whether it's a short, possession game or a little bit more direct, we want to be an unpredictable team so we can bring whatever type of approach we need to do."
Junior forward Paige Stroinski said Murray State is a physical team, so a skilled approach may be the best style of attack.
Of the 31 players on the roster, Roberts said 21 would be traveling with the team to Kentucky to play Murray State on Friday as well as Western Kentucky on Sunday.
With talented freshmen like Hannah Chadick - who scored the lone goal against Cincinnati - joining Stroinski up front, the Cardinals are starting to form a lethal scoring side.
"We had some captain's practices before [the freshmen came in] and I think that just integrated them into the team," Stroinski said. "I think we have great team chemistry after our first game and they [the freshmen] are all strong. Competition is really high."
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