2008 Woodie Awards
SOCCER: Cardinals play with chips on their shoulders
BSU tries to focus on this season after tough loss last year
Kyle Shaner
Although it is focused on looking forward, the Ball State University soccer team still has some hard feelings from last year.
After 110 scoreless minutes in the semifinals of the 2007 Mid-American Conference Tournament, Bowling Green State University advanced to the finals with a 3-0 advantage in penalty kicks against Ball State. For the first time since that game the Cardinals will play the Falcons at 4 p.m. in Bowling Green, Ohio.
"We think about it a little bit going into it, especially if they have a lot of the same players," Sarah Schumacker said. "But each year is a new year, and obviously we bring on new players onto our team and so do they. So you've got to take it year by year. You can't harp on the past too much."
Both Schumacker and coach Michael Lovett emphasized the fact that this year's teams are different than last year's. However, they both said some of the pains remain from last year as the Cardinals watched the Falcons celebrate on the Ball State Soccer Field.
"This isn't last year's team, but at the same time the upperclassmen know the history," the first-year Ball State coach said. "The upperclassmen have felt those pains, and I know that they have a chip on their shoulder, wanting to go out and celebrate the same on their field Friday night."
After advancing past Ball State, Bowling Green lost in the MAC championship game last year to the University of Toledo, the Cardinals' opponent Sunday.
This year the Rockets (7-4, 2-2 MAC) were predicted to win their third-consecutive tournament championship by the MAC coaches in the conference's preseason poll. For the regular season, Toledo was also predicted to finish first.
The two-time defending regular season MAC champion - Ball State (7-5, 3-1 MAC) - was predicted to finish second and Bowling Green (7-3-3, 2-1-1 MAC) was slated for third by the coaches.
Given the history of success for this weekend's opponents, Lovett said this will be the Cardinals' toughest conference weekend to date and possibly for the year.
After 110 scoreless minutes in the semifinals of the 2007 Mid-American Conference Tournament, Bowling Green State University advanced to the finals with a 3-0 advantage in penalty kicks against Ball State. For the first time since that game the Cardinals will play the Falcons at 4 p.m. in Bowling Green, Ohio.
"We think about it a little bit going into it, especially if they have a lot of the same players," Sarah Schumacker said. "But each year is a new year, and obviously we bring on new players onto our team and so do they. So you've got to take it year by year. You can't harp on the past too much."
Both Schumacker and coach Michael Lovett emphasized the fact that this year's teams are different than last year's. However, they both said some of the pains remain from last year as the Cardinals watched the Falcons celebrate on the Ball State Soccer Field.
"This isn't last year's team, but at the same time the upperclassmen know the history," the first-year Ball State coach said. "The upperclassmen have felt those pains, and I know that they have a chip on their shoulder, wanting to go out and celebrate the same on their field Friday night."
After advancing past Ball State, Bowling Green lost in the MAC championship game last year to the University of Toledo, the Cardinals' opponent Sunday.
This year the Rockets (7-4, 2-2 MAC) were predicted to win their third-consecutive tournament championship by the MAC coaches in the conference's preseason poll. For the regular season, Toledo was also predicted to finish first.
The two-time defending regular season MAC champion - Ball State (7-5, 3-1 MAC) - was predicted to finish second and Bowling Green (7-3-3, 2-1-1 MAC) was slated for third by the coaches.
Given the history of success for this weekend's opponents, Lovett said this will be the Cardinals' toughest conference weekend to date and possibly for the year.
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