Soccer Begins MAC Play Against Ball State and Miami

Soccer vs. Ball State \| Soccer vs. Miami
Date	Thursday, Sept. 23 - 4 p.m. \| Sunday, Sept. 26 - 1 p.m.
Venue	Muncie, Ind. - Briner Sports Complex \| Ypsilanti, Mich. - Scicluna Field
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| EMU Program
Watch	ESPN+ (Ball State)
Live Stats	Live Stats
Twitter	@EMUSoccer \| @EMUAthletics

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University soccer team will begin its Mid-American Conference schedule with a road match at Ball State University Thursday, Sept. 23, and a home contest against Miami University Sunday, Sept. 26, in the first week of MAC play.
   The contest against the Cardinals is set to begin at 4 p.m. ET, while kickoff versus Miami will begin at 1 p.m. ET at Scicluna Field. Fans can follow the match against Ball State on ESPN+ and via live stats while the match against the RedHawks will be accessible via live stats. Additionally, updates will be posted from the team's Twitter account, @EMUSoccer, for both matches.

LEADING THE EAGLES: The Green and White attack has been diverse to start the season as five individuals lead the squad in goals (1); redshirt juniors Chloe Chatzis and Madeline Olson, sophomore Amanda Cripps, and freshmen Jamie Lefebvre and Maddie O'Farrell. Senior Lindsey Shira and freshman Lexy Alston lead the Eagles with one assist apiece on the season. Shira and Alston also pace EMU in shots (11).
   In net, senior Chelsea Abbotts leads the Eagles in saves (24) and recorded the win, 2-1, for Eastern against Morehead State, Sept. 5.

OPENING 2021: Eastern Michigan finished non-conference play with an overall record of 1-5-1. In the Eagles' season-opener, the team fell to Illinois State by a score of 4-0, Aug. 19, at Scicluna Field. In EMU's most recent contest, the Green and White fell to Western Illinois, 2-1, in the final minute on a penalty shot goal, Sept. 17.
In the loss, sophomore Amanda Cripps netted the Green and White's lone goal on a crossing chance from senior Lindsey Shira. Cripps' score was her first of the 2021 season in her first appearance since returning from an offseason injury. The goal is Cripps' 11th of her career and her 24th career point as an Eagle.
   Shira's assist was her first of her senior campaign. The defender now has 26 career points for EMU. Sophomore keeper Rebecca Przybylo made her fourth career start for Eastern and tallied a career-high seven saves on 24 total shots faced on Friday. The keeper now has 18 saves on the season.

RETURN OF THE MAC: Since 2012, Eastern Michigan has an overall record of 49-43-5 in Mid-American Conference play, outscoring the opposition 145-137 in that span.
   Head coach Scott Hall enters the 2021 campaign with a 131-92-26 career conference record. Hall's teams have qualified for the MAC Tournament 15 times and captured one tournament title, three regular season titles, three appearances in the MAC title game, and nine top-five regular season finishes.

ALL FOR ABBOTTS: Senior keeper Chelsea Abbotts has faced a total of 72 shots to start her senior campaign. Abbotts currently has 98 career saves and needs just two for the mark of 100 career saves.

A LOOK AT BALL STATE: The Cardinals finished non-conference play with a record of 2-4-0. In the team's most recent outing, Ball State fell to Butler, 3-0, Sept. 12. The Cardinals come into Mid-American Conference action on a two-game losing skid.
   Ball State's attack netted eight goals (1.33 gpg) thus far, but have been outscored, 13-8, and out-shot, 76-71, by their opposition.

HISTORY VS. BALL STATE: This will be the 25th meeting between Eastern and Ball State. The Cardinals lead the all-time head-to-head series by a record of 14-8-2.

A MEETING IN MUNCIE: Ball State is 1-1 when playing at the Briner Sports Complex in Muncie, Ind. this season. The last time the Eagles and Cardinals met in Muncie, BSU defeated EMU by a score of 2-1 on April 11, 2021.

A LOOK AT MIAMI: The RedHawks concluded their non-conference slate with an overall record of 3-2-3. In Miami's last contest, the RedHawks defeated Eastern Kentucky, 2-0, to extend their winning streak to two games. Miami has won three of its last five contests and has not dropped match since losing to Tennessee, 2-0, on Aug. 22.
   Miami's attack ranks second in the Mid-American Conference in total shots, 104, and forward Haley Anspach currently ranks secon in the MAC in shots on goal, 12. The RedHawk defense has held their opponents to just seven total goals in eight games (0.88 gpg) and have scored a total of 10 goals (1.25 gpg).
   The MAC announed a Miami sweep of weekly women's soccer honors, Sept. 21, as midfielder Julia Hoffman and keeper Izzie Vaccari each won the MAC WSOC Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week honors, respectively.

HISTORY VS. MIAMI: This will be the 28th meeting between EMU and Miami. The RedHawks currently lead the all-time head-to-head series 14-12-1. Miami has taken four of the last five from the Eagles, but the last time the two programs met in Ypsilanti, Eastern handedly defeated the RedHawks, 3-0, on Oct. 18, 2018.

ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will host Western Michigan, Sept. 30, to round out the month of September and travel to DeKalb, Ill. to compete against Northern Illinois, Oct. 3, to begin October.

For updates on all things Eastern Michigan soccer, continue to check EMUEagles.com and be sure to follow the team on Instagram and Twitter, @EMUSoccer.

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Players Mentioned

Chelsea Abbotts

Lexy Alston

Chloe Chatzis

Amanda Cripps

Jamie Lefebvre

Maddie O'Farrell

Madeline Olson

Rebecca Przybylo

Lindsey Shira

Eastern Michigan Athletics