With less than one week left before the start of the Mid-American Conference Tournament, the Ball State University field hockey team has two more chances to improve its standing.
The Cardinals will visit Central Michigan University on Saturday before heading south Miami University to close out their regular season Sunday. The team is currently tied for fifth with Missouri State University. Each team has a 1-7 MAC record.
"These games are huge," coach Annette Payne said. "They're two totally different teams."
Missouri State also has two games this weekend, playing Kent State University and Ohio University at home. The Golden Flashes clinched the MAC championship with their 3-1 win Sunday against Ball State. The Bobcats are currently tied for third, and both teams defeated the Bears earlier this year.
Since Ball State split its two games with Missouri State this season and the Bears entering the weekend with an advantage in both overall record and MAC goal differential, it is imperative for the Cardinals come out of the weekend with at least one win.
"Our philosophy all season has been one game at a time and one day at a time," Payne said. "That's not something we're going to change now."
Central Michigan and Miami both defeated Ball State 3-1 in Muncie two weeks ago. Payne said the team has made some adjustments since those games.
"We've been working on a couple of details all week long," Payne said. "Hopefully we'll see those come through in both games this weekend. We have to play them differently than we did the first time."
The Cardinals might get used to seeing Missouri State, as a match up in the first-round of the MAC tournament is possible.
"Usually the tournament works out like that," Payne said. "Usually for us it seems to either be Central Michigan or Ohio University, but we're pretty used to doing it."
One thing the Cardinals don't want to change is the play of junior goalkeeper Tiffany Shifflett. Shifflett combined for 24 saves against Miami and Central Michigan this year and has 107 saves this year.
"Tiffany's been great," Payne said. "She's had a great attitude. I can't think of a position that fits her personality any better."
Shifflett has 256 saves for her career, 21 short of fifth place all-time at Ball State.
Payne said the attack will be key to the Cardinals' success this weekend. In the last three games seven different players have scored, led by senior forward Casey Hunsicker with two goals.
"We need to come out and be successful on attack," Payne said. "We need to set up our attack through the defense."
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