After two big wins against Mid-American Conference opponentslast weekend, the Ball State soccer team (8-2-4 overall, 4-2-4 MAC)heads into this weekend continuing its fight for tournamentpositioning.
Standing in their way, though, is IPFW and MAC-rival Miami,which holds a 3-1-1 lead in the series.
IPFW enters the weekend 5-8 after a 2-1 victory over YoungstownState last Sunday, when YSU accidentally scored the game-winninggoal in its own net.
On that play, the Mastadons' Ankia Apar drove on the right sideof the field and shot inside the penalty box. YSU goalkeeper KatieDurpey attempted to clear the shot, but instead cleared it into herown goal. IPFW dominated the Penguins shot-wise, 26-8.
Sunday, the Cardinals will have Senior Day and Kids Day againstthe RedHawks, who are among the pack of teams fighting forpostseason positioning. Currently, Miami is seventh in the MAC witha record of 4-3-1 (6-6-1 overall).
Ashley Swinehart leads the RedHawks with nine goals and 20points, including the team's lone goal in a 3-1 loss to Toledo.Miami also was shut out by Bowling Green last Friday, 2-0, when theRedHawks could muster only one shot the entire game. Swinehartcurrently stands second league-wide in shots, fourth in goals, andfifth in points.
Megan Ortner and Leigh Terry have shared time as goalkeepers forMiami, with Ortner starting seven of the team's 12 games. Raineysaid this is likely because both have done the job for Miami, anddoesn't see any disadvantage in it.
"It's probably just a situation where they have two goalkeepersand they have confidence in both, and both have equal playingability," he said.
Two wins in conference competition last weekend boosted theCardinals to third place in the league, but the final standingsremain well in doubt.
The team did a good job of getting the ball into dangerous areasof the field, Rainey said, and as a result Dee Nocero was able toscore three of the team's four goals over the weekend. For herperformance, Nocero was named MAC Player of the Week.
"We know (MAC) games are going to be close, but we lifted ourlevel on the offensive end and the defensive end," Rainey said.
In order to continue that success, he said the team mustcontinue to improve on their technical play and play faster. Healso said the team must play to its strengths against both IPFW andMiami, which are winning balls, getting the ball to the inline, andgetting runs into the box to have scoring chances.
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