SOCCER: Coach seeks increased physicality after 1st home loss

Sophomore goal keeper Brooke Dennis clears the net during Ball State
Sophomore goal keeper Brooke Dennis clears the net during Ball State

Even though the Ball State soccer team suffered its first home loss of the season to Toledo on Oct. 5, head coach Craig Roberts isn't looking at it as a negative. 

"We weren’t outmatched skill wise, just when things got physical. We will look at that this week and find out what we can do when we face other teams with that kind of physicality,” Roberts said.

Ball State opened its two-match weekend home stand with a 2-0 win over Central Michigan on Oct. 3. The Cardinals played a ball control offense, attacking when given an opportunity. The defense, led by sophomore goalkeeper Brooke Dennis' seven saves, held ground, giving the Cardinals their fifth shutout of the year. 

Ball State was unable to muster any sort of offense Oct. 5, however, falling to a Toledo squad who entered on a six-match losing streak.

“The game was very physical, and physically we were outmatched,” Roberts said.

The loss was the Cardinals first since dropping a 2-0 contest to Purdue on Aug. 29.

By splitting its weekend matches, Ball State falls into a three-way tie with Eastern Michigan and Central Michigan for second place in the Mid-American Conference West Division. 

Next weekend, Ball State will not have the luxury of home field advantage, with road matches against MAC opponents Ohio and Kent State set for Oct. 10 and Oct. 12 respectively. 

Upcoming Matches

Date: Opponent: Location: Time:
10/10 Ohio Athens, OH 4:00 p.m.
10/12 Kent State Kent, OH 1:00 p.m.
10/17 Western Michigan Muncie, IN 4:00 p.m.
10/19 Northern Illinois Muncie, IN 2:00 p.m.
10/24 Buffalo Buffalo, NY 5:00 p.m.
10/26 Akron Akron, OH 12:00 p.m.
10/30 Miami Muncie, IN 3:00 p.m.

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