The soccer team (5-2-1, 3-0) will witness two contrasting stylesin its games on Friday and Sunday.
Friday's opponent, Central Michigan (2-3-1,1-2-1), is led by itsdefense and goalie Anne Decker, who shut out a high-powered Buffalooffense Friday. It is one of three teams in the conference that hasallowed less than 10 goals this year. Ball State and Kent State arethe other two.
Meanwhile, Eastern Michigan, who the Cardinals face on Sunday,is a team that is built for speed and aggressiveness.
Head coach Ron Rainey said Central Michigan's defensive unitwould get better and better throughout the course of the season asit becomes more familiar with the other teams in the MAC. TheCardinals will counter Central Michigan's back line with seniorgoalie Megan Swafford, who leads the conference in goals againstaverage.
Freshman goalie Alison Becker is still recovering and battlingheadaches from her concussion sustained at Miami on Sept. 14.Rainey will make a decision on her playing status later in theweek. Becker must be symptom free for a full seven days before shecan play in a match, Rainey said.
Ball State enters the match riding a four-game winning streak,but Rainey said there are areas where his team needs improvement.He said the coaching staff is constantly asking the players toevaluate their play, looking for ways to improve technically andtactically.
Sunday the tempo will kick into high gear at Eastern Michigan.Scicluna Field has seen the Cardinals fly in and steal twovictories from the Eagles in the last two meetings.
Rainey said the Eagles would come out and try to move the ballup and down the field quickly, and he said his team has the abilityto counter with capable attacking players.
"With our team it is good to play at a high pace because we havethe personnel to play at that level," he said.
Eastern Michigan enters the weekend match with Nikki Allen, whois one of the weakest goalies in the league with a 1.65 goalsagainst average. Rainey said one thing he stresses to his forwardsis the ability to create chances by pressuring the opposing team'sfullbacks.
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