2008 Woodie Awards
SOCCER: Cardinals look to improve to .500
Out-of-region wins could be big for BSU for NCAA tourney
Kyle Shaner
Even though the Ball State University soccer team thought it played well against the University of Oklahoma last week, it still lost the game.
This weekend the Cardinals (0-2) will look to get some positive results from their good play as they travel to Colorado to play Air Force (0-3) and Colorado College (3-0).
"I think it's very important [to get our first win]," coach Michael Lovett said. "Our goal for this weekend, coming off an outstanding performance last week against Oklahoma, is to leave this weekend with an even record, a .500 record of 2-2. It's a legitimate possibility.
"I honestly feel that we are going to have a very productive weekend with both Air Fore and Colorado College."
With losses to begin the season against Valparaiso University and Oklahoma, Ball State is 0-2 on the season for the first time in program history.
The Cardinals' first chance to get their first win of the season is at 8 p.m. against Air Force, which is also looking for its first win of the season. The Falcons' three losses came to the University of Northern Colorado, 2-1 in overtime; Idaho State University, 1-0; and Valparaiso, 1-0.
While both Ball State and Air Force both lost to Valparaiso, the Cardinals' next opponent, Colorado College, beat the Crusaders 1-0 this season. The Tigers also beat Oklahoma 3-1.
Although Colorado College beat both of the teams Ball State lost to, goalkeeper Rachael Murphy said, the Cardinals are not worried about Colorado College being too good to beat.
"I think they definitely play at a level that we can top, we can beat," Murphy said. "We were sorting out a lot of stuff against Valparaiso and Oklahoma. We made some changes, and we're playing good soccer right now."
Lovett said the Cardinals are evenly matched with Colorado College, which has competed in national championship games. Although the Tigers have gone through spurts of being highly ranked and unranked since their appearances in the title games in the 1980s, having such a tradition would make for a great win for Ball State regardless of what Colorado College's record is, he said.
This weekend the Cardinals (0-2) will look to get some positive results from their good play as they travel to Colorado to play Air Force (0-3) and Colorado College (3-0).
"I think it's very important [to get our first win]," coach Michael Lovett said. "Our goal for this weekend, coming off an outstanding performance last week against Oklahoma, is to leave this weekend with an even record, a .500 record of 2-2. It's a legitimate possibility.
"I honestly feel that we are going to have a very productive weekend with both Air Fore and Colorado College."
With losses to begin the season against Valparaiso University and Oklahoma, Ball State is 0-2 on the season for the first time in program history.
The Cardinals' first chance to get their first win of the season is at 8 p.m. against Air Force, which is also looking for its first win of the season. The Falcons' three losses came to the University of Northern Colorado, 2-1 in overtime; Idaho State University, 1-0; and Valparaiso, 1-0.
While both Ball State and Air Force both lost to Valparaiso, the Cardinals' next opponent, Colorado College, beat the Crusaders 1-0 this season. The Tigers also beat Oklahoma 3-1.
Although Colorado College beat both of the teams Ball State lost to, goalkeeper Rachael Murphy said, the Cardinals are not worried about Colorado College being too good to beat.
"I think they definitely play at a level that we can top, we can beat," Murphy said. "We were sorting out a lot of stuff against Valparaiso and Oklahoma. We made some changes, and we're playing good soccer right now."
Lovett said the Cardinals are evenly matched with Colorado College, which has competed in national championship games. Although the Tigers have gone through spurts of being highly ranked and unranked since their appearances in the title games in the 1980s, having such a tradition would make for a great win for Ball State regardless of what Colorado College's record is, he said.
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