Thanks to solid play last weekend, the field hockey team sitsatop of the Mid-American Conference. Ball State (2-7, 2-0 MAC) willlook to remain undefeated in conference play Saturday when CentralMichigan visits Turf Field at 1 p.m.
Central Michigan kicks off a seven game road trip Saturday witha visit to Muncie. The Chippewas (3-3, 1-1 MAC) beat Miami 1-0 lastweekend before losing to Louisville 4-1.
The Cards and Chippewas split matches last year with the hometeam winning both times. Ball State leads the all-time series34-12.
The Cardinals 2-0 start in conference play is reminiscent oflast year when they beat Louisville and Miami on the road. BSU alsostarted 2-0 in 1999 when it finished tied for first in the regularseason MAC standings.
Head coach Annette Payne said she was relieved that the team wasable to break through in the win column last weekend.
"The girls have been working really hard," Payne said. "The winsare a result of their hard work."
Central Michigan, which had only two shutouts last year, alreadyhas three shutouts in six games this year. Freshman goalkeeperSarah Mancuso recorded her first win and shutout against Miami inonly her second start.
Midfielder Erica Takach leads the offensive attack for theChippewas. Takach leads the conference in game-winning goals(three) and ranks second in points (1.83) and goals (0.83) permatch.
The Cardinals leader in points this season is Lindsay Quay. Thesophomore has netted three goals, including one in each of theCards conference wins. Quay also has two assists and ranks secondin the conference in shots (3.33) per game.
Senior forward Chantelle Isaac is next on the team in scoring,totaling seven points thus far in the season. Issac scored herfirst two goals of the season in a 4-1 victory over Miami and hadtwo assists in the 2-1 win over Louisville. These performancesearned Isaac MAC Offensive Player of the Week.
"That was great," Payne said. "She showed some really goodthings on the field. The award is a compliment to that."
In order for the Cardinals to remain unbeaten in the MAC, theteam will need to play two solid halves.
"We just have to go out there ready to compete," Payne said. "Weneed to play smart, solid hockey."
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