It seems the 5-0 loss to Illinois August 26th opened a lot of eyes on the Ball State soccer team.
Junior midfielder Alyssa Ables said the game showed the Cardinals the level and pace needed to compete with the top teams.
Ball State had all week to prepare for Friday's game against Indiana State and the Cardinals plan to implement what they learned.
The team keyed in on shooting, ball movement and defensive pressure in practice.
Ball State was outscored 8-1 in its past two games, both losses. Ables said the team isn't working on bulk shooting as much as placement.
"We aren't practicing shooting just to shoot," Ables said. "We've been kicking it from anywhere [the past few games] just to get a shot in. We are working on putting the ball in the back of the net."
Players and coaches alike talked about how fast and precise Illinois' ball movement was after the game. Ball State coach Craig Roberts said the team is working to emulate that kind of possession game in their attack.
Most of Illinois' goals came after bad giveaways or when Ball State defenders failed to close down shooting lanes fast enough.
"We've been more focused on applying more pressure on the ball," Ables said. "All the different aspects we've worked involve defending more as a team instead of as individuals."
Indiana State is 1-3 on the season and is coming off two consecutive losses, one of those to Mid-American Conference foe Central Michigan. The non-conference section of the schedule is when teams gage where they might fall within their own leagues. Roberts said he feels confident about his team's progress.
"We've shown positive movement in improving aspects from last season," Roberts said. "Compared to MAC teams with common opponents, I think we are right in the mix of everything."
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