Although Ball State University made a run to the Mid-American Conference title game last season, they only defeated one league opponent in both regular-season meetings. That opponent was Missouri State University.
The Cardinals will try to keep that success going against Missouri State, who finished last in the MAC with just one league win last year. The Bears visit Muncie on Saturday for what will be Ball State's second to last home game this season.
Although the Bears have just one win this season so far, an overtime victory against Robert Morris College, Ball State prefers to focus on their own efforts to get a league victory for the first time in 2007.
"A MAC game is a MAC game," Ball State coach Annette Payne said. "They're all the same."
Senior midfielder Lauren Cruz agreed that the team won't dial down their intensity just because the Bears are struggling.
"Of course, because it's a MAC game, we'll be really intense about winning," Cruz said. "We play them every year. We know how they play and we know how we play against them."
Ball State is off to a 0-4 start in league play. The first three of those losses were by one goal each, one of which was an overtime defeat at the hands of then 11th-ranked Ohio University.
The Cardinals have not outshot an opponent all season, coming the closest when they had an equal amount of shots as their second opponent, La Salle University.
Senior forward Amanda Pavone said the team needs to find its comfort zone.
"I think we just need to find a place," Pavone said. "We need to find where our momentum is and just keep going with it. We need to have a lot of passion in practice and work hard."
Ball State will have its rematches with Ohio and Kent State University next weekend after both teams edged the Cardinals in Muncie in their first games, and Cruz said the team is not concerned with them yet.
"We're not worried about any other teams," Cruz said. "Just the next one."
Pavone said the Cardinals must build on whatever they can to get their first league win.
"Anything that gives us more desire or momentum coming into the next game," Pavone said. "We know this is a great opportunity to get a win in the MAC if we play as well as we know we can."
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