The Cardinals are looking to put the advantage back into home field.
After losing its first three games during its five-game home-stand, the Ball State University field hockey team will plays host Pacific University on Thursday.
"There is no doubt in my mind that we can pick up a home win in at least one of these next two games," forward Lindsay Quay said. "We're a little on edge because we've been playing well and have come so close, and we're ready to have one come our way."
The Cardinals enter today's game winless in their first three games of the season and have been outscored 10-5 during this current home-stand.
"We are here at home and just really excited about it," coach Annette Payne said. "These guys are hungry and the want to know what the other side of the coin tastes like."
One reason for Ball State's sense of optimism is because of the Cardinals' near victory over No. 10 Indiana University last Saturday.
During the game, Ball State remained tied with the Hoosiers for a majority of the contest before Indiana scored the game-winning goal with 12 minutes left in regulation.
"After the way we played against Indiana, I'm very excited," Quay said. "If we take what we did against Indiana, then I think that we can be very successful against Pacific."
Pacific comes into Friday's game having won three of its last four games, with its only two losses this season coming against No. 1 Maryland 6-0 and No. 2 Wake Forest 5-1.
Offensively, the Pacific Tigers have been led by senior Vianney Campos. In the first five games of the season, Campos has a team-high seven goals and 31 shots on goal.
"As a team, defensively, we are ready for [Campos]," Payne said. "The girls understand the significance of the players, and we don't want to change a whole lot and make so many adjustments that it is not us playing."
Payne is confident partly because of the play of freshman keeper Caroline Lehman.
Lehman has started all three regular season games for the Cardinals this season and currently leads all Mid-American Conference goaltenders in saves and saves per game.
"There is definitely room for improvement and things I know that I can work on, but I'm really confident about my play," Lehman said.-á "It's all about finding the right mix with the defense, and that is coming together."
Offensively, the only two Cardinals players to have scored goals this season have been Quay and forward Katie Kloeckener.-áIn addition, Ball State has been out-shot 59-27 in its first three games and is 0-20 in converting penalty corners.
"We just have to be a little better in finishing," Payne said. "We look good on penalty corners, and the unit understands that it's a big opportunity to put the ball in the back of the net."
Thursday's 3 p.m. game will be only the second time that Ball State and Pacific have played each other in their history.-á Their one previous meeting occurred in 1993 with the Cardinals defeating Pacific.
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