A week of preparation and anticipation has preceded the much-awaited Mid-American Conference (MAC) opener between Bowling Green (3-2-1) and Ball State (5-2) on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 4 p.m. at Briner Sports Complex in Muncie, Indiana.
The Falcons will be looking to bounce back after a 0-0 draw at Cochrane Stadium against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies(1-6-2) left the offense with their confidence stifled after 17 shots failed to reach the back of the net.
Ball State hasn’t had similar offensive struggles, scoring 13 goals in their last two games in a 7-1 win over Queens and a 6-2 win over IU Indy last Thursday.
The potent Cardinal offense leads the MAC with 22 goals and an average of 3.1 goals per game to complement their consistently productive defense that allowed 1.43 goals per game in non-conference play, good for 3rd best in the MAC.
Bowling Green’s defense has been their strong point, much to the benefit of their non-conference schedule that featured only two out of six teams with a winning percentage above .4 on the year.
The Falcons stand third best in the MAC with only four goals allowed in six games, and despite only having eight goals on the year, third least in the MAC, they have 87 shots, seventh out of 12 midwestern foes.
Scouting the Past
BG and BSU’s prolific matchups go back to 1999 when a 2-2 tie went all the way to double overtime without a winner being crowned.
A 7-16-5 record for Bowling Green gives Ball State the upper hand in the all-time record, with the most recent match ending in a 2-1 win for the Falcons in October of 2023.
Bowling Green hasn’t had a season below .500 in conference play since 2016 when they went 3-7-1, while you only must go back to 2021 to find Ball State’s latest MAC losing season, when they went 4-5-1.
The Cardinals are looking for their first MAC title in program history despite their recent success, and with the way they’re looking heading into conference play, this could be a year where they make a deep run.
Falcons to Watch
The Falcon goalkeeper has been consistent and reliable throughout non-conference play, and she will need to keep it up if she hopes to keep a Cardinal team that leads the MAC in nearly every offensive category off the board.
The junior has allowed .67 goals per game this season while posting back-to-back shutouts against Cleveland State and Oakland, and she has been an anchor behind an extremely composed backline that has carried their weight and supported Vukas when needed.
Vukas coming out energized and confident on Thursday afternoon will pay dividends for a Falcon team that needs confidence and activity going into Muncie.
While scoring troubles have plagued the Falcons, especially last week against Oakland where they posted 17 shots without a goal, Hochstadt has been a midfielder that’s been becoming more and more comfortable as she fits into her role.
Having a midfielder who can facilitate and create chances while still being aggressive and willing to take their shots is vital especially when a team is trying to get going offensively, and Hochstadt is the anchor of shot creation in an attacking midfield position where she has thrived in the last couple weeks.
The Falcons will need to create chances off the rip with fast-paced looks and confidence throughout the forward line, and Hochstadt will be the one giving those strikers the chances that they need to score goals against Ball State on Thursday afternoon.
Cardinals to Watch
Last week’s MAC Offensive Player of the Week has been debatably the best offensive player in the conference up to this point, leading in points while being second in goals and third in assists.
Her name won’t come as unfamiliar to Falcon fans who have been watching in the last couple of years, as Caldwell was the 2022 MAC Freshman of the Year and an All-Mac Second Team member.
She’s already amassed 40 points in her career, putting her seventh on the Cardinals’ all-time career points list despite being only a junior.
Caldwell and the Ball State offense have been near unstoppable for any team this season, and they will be looking to continue their insane momentum after scoring 13 goals in a two-game span only a week ago.
The junior transfer from Louisville has been the other piece to the puzzle for the Cardinal’s offense, complimenting Caldwell’s six goals and 5 assists with five goals and six assists of her own.
Both players rank first and second in the MAC in points, and Chester stands fourth in the MAC with 3.4 shots per game.
