The soccer team heads to the field this weekend to start its regular season against two in-state rivals. Ball State University travels to Indiana State University today and will host Butler on Sunday.
The Cardinals have played against both teams each year since 2002. Ball State won both games last year, a 3-0 exhibition win against Indiana State and a 2-1 regular season victory over Butler.
Ball State coach Ron Rainey said he enjoys playing both teams because of his familiarity with the players and coaches.
“We’ve played both of these teams a few times, so you really start to know certain players and fields very well,” Rainey said. “I’m also excited because Indiana State has been better each year we’ve played them.”
Rainey finalized his starting lineup on Thursday. He announced that junior Alison Becker will start at goal keeper for both games this weekend. Becker, who led the Mid-American Conference in shutouts (9) and goals against average (.74) in 2004, was chosen to start over sophomore Rachael Murphy.
“We have two good goal keepers, and it’s important with that position for it to be an open position,” Rainey said. “They have both been evaluated a lot and we feel that Alison [Becker] is ahead.”
Rainey said when the preseason began that the starting goal keeper position was up for grabs between the two players.
Today’s game against Indiana State will be the first regular-season game for nine freshmen on the Ball State squad, one of the largest freshmen classes in Ball State soccer history. Rainey said he hopes that his new players will not be nervous.
“With our first game, there’s going to be a lot of butterflies but a lot of excitement as well,” Rainey said.
The Cardinals lost their only exhibition match of the preseason to Dayton, 3-1. Rainey came away from the game pleased with how his team performed but said there is still work to be done.
“We have to keep working on our shape defensively,” he said. “Dayton did some things to us that exposed how we were playing defensively.
“We need to work on our movement off the ball and on our attacking.”
Rainey let the team have two days of rest after their preseason game last Saturday to allow for recovery time from injuries.
“We had some minor muscle pain and aches,” Rainey said. “With some days off with some therapy and treatment from our trainers, hopefully they can get us as close to 100 percent as we can be.”
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