Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ball State
Soccer Looking to Stay Undefeated in MAC Play at Ball State, vs. Kent State
9/30/2026 5:42:00 PM | Soccer
Eastern is 2-0-1 in MAC play
| Soccer at Ball State, vs. Kent State | |
| Date | Thursday, Oct. 1 at 4 p.m. | Sunday, Oct. 4 at 1 p.m. |
| Venue | Briner Sports Complex | Muncie, Ind. | Scicluna Field | Ypsilanti, Mich. |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes (PDF) |
| Watch | Watch at Ball State | Watch vs. Kent State |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| @EMUSoccer | @EMUAthletics | |
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan University women's soccer travels to Briner Sports Complex to take on Ball State University Thursday, Oct. 1, at 4 p.m., carrying a four-game shutout streak, a seven-game unbeaten run and a pair of MAC Player of the Week honorees into a critical conference road match.
ON THE AIR: Thursday's match at Ball State will be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats will be available at stats.statbroadcast.com.
» Eastern Michigan enters 4-1-4 overall and 2-0-1 in MAC play — the program's best conference start since 2013.
» The Eagles have recorded four consecutive shutouts, tying the program record set in 1999.
» Ella Holland and Christie Fransen both earned MAC Player of the Week honors Sept. 29.
» Fransen has won MAC Defensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks (Sept. 22 and Sept. 29).
» Ball State enters 3-4-3 overall and 0-1-2 in the MAC, winless in four straight (0-2-2).
» Eastern Michigan is 4-8-3 all-time in road matches played in Muncie, with the last visit resulting in a 0-0 draw on Sept. 29, 2024.
DEFENSIVE DOMINANCE: Eastern Michigan's back line has been the story of the 2026 season. The Eagles have not conceded a goal in four consecutive matches — at Milwaukee (Sept. 10), at Bowling Green (Sept. 17), vs. Central Michigan (Sept. 20) and at Buffalo (Sept. 27) — tying the program record for consecutive shutouts first set in 1999. The unit has allowed just three goals through nine matches this season, and the team's seven-game unbeaten run (3-0-4) dating to Aug. 27 is the program's longest since 2010.
MAC-LEADING GOALKEEPER: Redshirt senior Ella Holland (Dunwoody, Ga./Dunwoody/Samford) was named MAC Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 29 after recording her 21st career shutout in the 2-0 victory at Buffalo. Holland leads the MAC with a 0.33 goals-against average and has been in net for every minute of the current four-game shutout streak. The program record for consecutive shutout minutes stands at 513:48, set during the 2009 season — a mark Holland and the Eagles' defense are chasing heading into Thursday.
FRANSEN'S BACK-TO-BACK HONORS: Redshirt junior Christie Fransen (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster/Bowling Green) earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors for the second consecutive week on Sept. 29, adding to the recognition she received Sept. 22. Fransen leads the team with four goals this season, including penalty kick conversions in each of the last two MAC wins — a goal and an assist in the 3-0 win over Central Michigan and a penalty goal in the 2-0 victory at Buffalo. Her combination of defensive excellence and attacking production from the back line has been central to Eastern's surge.
SIPSOCK'S MILESTONE: Senior forward Olivia Sipsock (Medina, Ohio/Medina) surpassed 4,000 career minutes during the match at Buffalo on Sept. 27, a mark of durability for one of Eastern Michigan's most experienced attackers. Sipsock posted a season-high two shots on goal in the 0-0 draw at Bowling Green and has been a consistent presence in the Eagles' attack throughout the unbeaten run.
THE SERIES: Eastern Michigan trails the all-time series against Ball State University, 8-16-5. The Eagles are 4-8-3 in road matches played in Muncie, with the most recent visit resulting in a 0-0 tie on Sept. 29, 2024. Ball State won the last meeting between the two programs, 1-0, on Oct. 9, 2025, in Ypsilanti. The Cardinals have gone unbeaten in five straight against the Eagles, with Eastern Michigan's last victory over Ball State coming in the 2019 MAC Tournament.
STANDINGS AND CONTEXT: Eastern Michigan sits second in the MAC standings with seven conference points (2-0-1), while Ball State enters 10th with two points (0-1-2). The Cardinals have scored one goal or fewer in each of their three MAC matches — a 1-0 loss to UMass on Sept. 17, a 1-1 draw at Western Michigan on Sept. 20 and a 1-1 draw at Miami on Sept. 27. Ball State has been shut out once in conference play and has not won since a 1-0 victory over Eastern Illinois on Sept. 6.
CARDINALS TO WATCH: Ball State University's offense has been spread across several contributors. Forward Annika Klauss scored the winner in the Cardinals' 1-0 victory over Cincinnati on Aug. 30 and assisted on the equalizer at Miami on Sept. 27. Forward Kaelyn Valleau scored the lone goal in a 1-0 win over Eastern Illinois and assisted on LG Moncrief's 89th-minute equalizer at Western Michigan. Moncrief provided late-game heroics in that Sept. 20 draw, and freshman Anna Kate Robillard scored her second goal of the season in the most recent outing at Miami. Goalkeeper Kate Pallante has been the Cardinals' most consistent performer, recording nine saves in the conference opener against UMass and four saves in each of the two subsequent draws.
KEYS TO THE GAME: Eastern Michigan's defense has been nearly impenetrable over the last month, and extending the shutout streak into Thursday would push the Eagles toward the program record of five consecutive clean sheets. For Ball State, breaking through will require converting on limited opportunities — the Cardinals have managed just 29 shots on goal through 10 matches this season. Eastern's ability to generate chances through Sipsock and Fransen while protecting Holland's clean sheet will be the central dynamic. Ball State's late-game resilience, shown by Moncrief's 89th-minute goal at Western Michigan, means the Eagles cannot afford to ease off late.
OUTLOOK: Eastern Michigan carries every statistical and form advantage into Thursday's match. The Eagles' MAC-leading defense, a seven-game unbeaten run and back-to-back weekly honorees make them the clear favorite against a Ball State side still searching for its first conference win of 2026. A result in Muncie would push the Eagles' MAC record to 3-0-1 and keep them firmly in the hunt for a top-two conference finish.
FOLLOW ALONG: Follow Eastern Michigan women's soccer on Twitter (@EMUSoccer), Instagram (@EMUSoccer) and Facebook (Eastern Michigan Soccer) for live updates, highlights and news throughout the match.
UP NEXT: Eastern Michigan returns home to Scicluna Field in Ypsilanti Sunday, Oct. 4, at 1 p.m. to host Kent State University.
