Coming off of two scoreless draws to open the 2022 season, Indiana women’s soccer returns to Bloomington for its home opener against Ball State University on Thursday night.
Ball State also began its season on the road for the first two games and is 0-1-1, losing 0-3 to the University of Kentucky last Thursday, followed by a 0-0 result against Queens University of Charlotte on Sunday. Queens began its transition from Division II to Division I just this year.
In 2021, Ball State finished 6-9-2 overall and 4-5-2 in the Mid-American Conference. The Cardinals had 14 seniors on the roster last season. Similar to the Hoosiers, there is plenty of overturn for now fourth-year head coach Josh Rife. Rife played under legendary Indiana men’s soccer head coach Jerry Yeagley — the Hoosiers’ home turf namesake — from 2000-2001.
[Related: Indiana sophomore Jamie Gerstenberg named Big Ten Co-Goalkeeper of the Week]
The teams are 1-1-1 against each other in just three meetings all-time, with all contests occurring in Bloomington. In 2004, Ball State took the first meeting 1-0, but Indiana got revenge three years later with a 2-1 victory. In the most recent meeting in 2015, the team played to a 1-1 tie after 110 minutes.
Indiana holds a strong 19-3-2 record all-time against teams from the MAC, including three straight wins. The most recent matchup against a MAC team was a 2-1 comeback victory against Western Michigan University at home last season.
[Related: Indiana women's soccer plays to 0-0 draw at Virginia Tech]
Players to watch for the Cardinals include fifth-year midfielder Jenna Dombrowski, sophomore forward Lexi Fraley, and sophomore goalkeeper Bethany Moser. Dombrowski is the team’s active leader in career goals at 6, career assists at 5, career points at 17 and career shots on goal with 33. Fraley was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team after four goals her freshman campaign, and Moser has made 11 saves in 176 minutes in net this season.
Due to poor pitch conditions at Bill Armstrong Stadium, the Hoosiers will kick off at 6 p.m. on the women's soccer practice field. The game will be streamed on BTN+.
