Central Michigan (4-5-4, 2-1-3 MAC) takes their first loss in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) this season.
Ball State (7-4-2, 2-2-2 MAC) set up their strategy out of the back line. Forwards made the runs through the ball and an assist from midfielders in the box to set up the shots.
“We want to have a mindset of being on the front foot…we want to make teams feel uncomfortable from pressure [on their defensive line],” head coach Josh Rife said.
Once Central Michigan started to back off the Cardinals were able to play on their feet.
Ball State connected its passes and held a strong offensive force, which led to junior midfielder Addie Chester scoring in the 18’ minute. This win brought the Cardinals from ninth to sixth place in the MAC rankings.
Chester found herself stepping up to bring home the win, but couldn’t have done it without her pre-game routine --- “a great nap, the same Panera order (a barbecue sandwich, an apple, and a cookie), and worship music on the bus ride to the game,”.
The Chippewas used fast defensive movements, intercepting the Cardinals, but their offense lacked the ability to hold possession in the first half. They came in with a different energy after half-time, shooting 10 of their 13 shots. Unable to capitalize on these moments, they walked away with a loss dropping their MAC ranking to fifth.
Ball State started to drop back and resort to clearing the ball as Central Michigan started to throw numbers forward.
“It was never a strategy of ours to sit back and absorb that pressure, but it happens,” Rife said.
“Great work by our backs, great work by [Junior goalkeeper] Grace Konopatzki, great work by the team as a whole. That’s four shutouts in a row.”
The Cardinals are back at the Briner Sports Complex for another game Sunday, Oct.13 against Ohio University at 1 p.m. Ball State will be in new warm-up shirts to show support and recognize breast cancer awareness.
“Unfortunately that is something that affects so many people… we want to continue to highlight that and bring awareness to it,” Rife said. “Hopefully one day we can get to the point where we can eliminate anybody else having to battle those things.”
Although Chester is focused on a win for Sunday’s game, she is proud to play for something more and bigger than the game itself.
Contact Meghan Sawitzke via email at meghan.sawitzke@bsu.edu or on X @MSawitzke.
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