The Ball State soccer team’s will be on the move at 3 a.m. on Sept. 11, when the Cardinals’ flight leaves to Washington, D.C., a day before the Navy Tournament.
On Sept. 12, Ball State faces a Delaware team that has dropped three straight matches, after opening the season with back to back wins. Delaware sophomore Nikki Adams, who has scored three goals so far this season, leads the Blue Hens.
After an off day on Sept. 13, the Cardinals finish play against Navy at noon Sept. 14. Navy is 2-2-2 entering the tournament.
Though Ball State will face tough competition, sophomore goalkeeper Brooke Dennis said the team is welcoming the challenge, as it will help prepare the team for the Mid-American Conference tournament at the end of the season.
“We have overcome plenty of adversity already this season,” Dennis said. “We just handle it as a team and go through to the next challenge.”
The Navy Tournament will be the longest time Ball State spends on the road this season, while also being the farthest the Cardinals have been away from campus.
“It will be a test of how well we work together, and we will be out of our comfort zones,” sophomore Gabby Veldman said. “This gives us a chance to challenge ourselves and see how we handle the different circumstances.”
Since Ball State's last match against Valparaiso was canceled due to weather, the Cardinals will have not played for almost two weeks.
Veldman thinks the additional time has helped her team, giving them more preparation to work on the little things before the tournament.
“We all have individual skills that need improving, this is what every good team should do to get better,” Veldman said.
While in D.C., the Cardinals plan to take sometime for themselves and see as many monuments and historical places as they can.
“Not every team gets the opportunity we are about to get,” Veldman said. “We will get to make memories and have experiences that we get to share as a team.”
Upcoming Matches
| Date: | Opponent: | Location: | Time: | |||
| 9/12 | Delaware | Annapolis, MD | 4:00 p.m. | |||
| 9/14 | Navy | Annapolis, MD | 12:00 p.m. | |||
| 9/20 | Jacksonville State | Muncie, IN | 2:00 p.m. | |||
| 9/26 | Bowling Green | Muncie, IN | 5:00 p.m. | |||
| 9/28 | Eastern Michigan | Ypsilanti, MI | 1:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/3 | Central Michigan | Muncie, IN | 5:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/5 | Toledo | Muncie, IN | 2:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/10 | Ohio | Athens, OH | 4:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/12 | Kent State | Kent, OH | 1:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/17 | Western Michigan | Muncie, IN | 4:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/19 | Northern Illinois | Muncie, IN | 2:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/24 | Buffalo | Buffalo, NY | 5:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/26 | Akron | Akron, OH | 12:00 p.m. | |||
| 10/30 | Miami | Muncie, IN | 3:00 p.m. |
