COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2026 Mid-American Conference Women's Soccer Championship gets underway Saturday, Nov. 7, with a pair of quarterfinal matchups at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field, home of the Columbus Crew, in Columbus, Ohio.

Postseason action kicks off at 1 p.m. ET as No. 3 Kent State takes on No. 6 Ball State. No. 4 Miami and No. 5 Bowling Green will close out Saturday's quarterfinal action at 5 p.m. ET.

Both matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+.

The winners will advance to Tuesday's semifinal round, where No. 2 Massachusetts awaits the winner of the Kent State-Ball State matchup at 1 p.m. ET. Top-seeded Western Michigan will face the winner of the Miami-Bowling Green contest at 5 p.m. ET.

The championship match is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 13, at 7:30 p.m. ET.

Below is a team-by-team preview ahead of Saturday's quarterfinal action.

GAME 1: 1 P.M. ET | QUARTERFINALS | SCOTTSMIRACLE-GRO FIELD (COLUMBUS, OHIO)
No. 3 Kent State vs. No. 6 Ball State | Watch Live | Live Stats

NO. 3 KENT STATE GOLDEN FLASHES
Kent State enters the MAC Tournament as the No. 3 seed after finishing the regular season with a 7-8-3 overall record and a 6-4-1 mark in conference play. The Golden Flashes closed the regular season on a four-game winning streak, earning victories over Akron, Buffalo and Central Michigan during that stretch.

Under 26th-year head coach Rob Marinaro, Kent State has found its offensive rhythm down the stretch. The Golden Flashes scored two goals in each of their final four victories, including a 2-1 win over Central Michigan in Sunday's regular-season finale.

Freshman forward Lila Simon leads the Kent State attack with seven goals, tied for second in the MAC. Simon also leads the conference with five game-winning goals. Senior midfielder Samantha Miller has been a key contributor in the midfield, ranking among the conference leaders with five assists.

Kent State ranks second in the MAC in conference goals scored with 16 and second in assists with 17. The goalkeeper combination of Leah Shaffer and Emma Klein has combined for 72 saves this season.

The Golden Flashes and Cardinals met earlier this season on Oct. 15 in Kent, playing to a scoreless draw.



NO. 6 BALL STATE CARDINALS
Ball State earned the No. 6 seed after finishing the regular season with a 7-6-5 overall record and a 4-3-4 mark in MAC play. The Cardinals secured their tournament berth with a 1-0 road victory at Central Michigan on Oct. 29 before falling to Buffalo in Sunday's regular-season finale.

Head coach Andy Stoots and the Cardinals will look to their defensive experience to make a postseason run. Junior goalkeeper Kate Pallante has been a standout between the posts, recording 64 saves and eight shutouts in 18 appearances. Her eight shutouts are tied for second in the MAC, while her .800 save percentage ranks among the conference leaders.

Ball State has been particularly effective defensively in conference play, allowing just seven goals in 11 MAC matches. The Cardinals also lead the league in conference save percentage at .860.

Offensively, Ball State has received contributions from throughout its lineup. Caiya Clemons scored her first collegiate goal in the Cardinals' 1-0 win over Central Michigan, with Kaelyn Valleau providing the assist.

The Cardinals will look to carry their defensive success into Saturday's matchup as they face a Kent State team that has won four consecutive matches.

The winner advances to Tuesday's semifinal against No. 2 Massachusetts at 1 p.m. ET.



GAME 2: 5 P.M. ET | QUARTERFINALS | SCOTTSMIRACLE-GRO FIELD (COLUMBUS, OHIO)
No. 4 Miami vs. No. 5 Bowling Green | Watch Live | Live Stats
NO. 4 MIAMI REDHAWKS
Miami enters the postseason as the No. 4 seed after compiling a 9-6-4 overall record and a 5-2-4 mark in MAC play. The RedHawks secured their tournament position with a 2-1 road victory over Toledo in Sunday's regular-season finale.

Under head coach Courtney Sirmans, the RedHawks have been led offensively by junior midfielder Kayla Perfect, who has recorded seven goals and four assists this season. Perfect extended her point streak to five consecutive matches in the regular-season finale, scoring Miami's opening goal against Toledo.

Senior forward Maris Jennings has also been a key offensive contributor, recording four goals this season, including four game-winning goals. Jennings scored the decisive goal in Miami's 2-1 win over Toledo, while Millie Cook has added four goals and four assists.

Miami has scored 14 goals in conference play, ranking among the top three teams in the MAC. The RedHawks have also been consistent defensively, allowing just 11 goals in 11 conference matches.

Miami and Bowling Green met in Oxford on Oct. 29, playing to a 2-2 draw. The Falcons scored twice in the second half to earn the tie, with Lizzie Bultynck and Minah Syam finding the back of the net for Bowling Green.

The RedHawks will look to earn a quarterfinal victory and advance to Tuesday's semifinal round against top-seeded Western Michigan at 5 p.m. ET.



NO. 5 BOWLING GREEN FALCONS
Bowling Green secured the No. 5 seed with an 8-3-6 overall record and a 4-2-5 mark in MAC play. The Falcons clinched their tournament berth with a 2-0 victory over Ohio in Sunday's regular-season finale.

Under head coach Chris Fox, Bowling Green has put together another strong defensive season, allowing just nine goals in 11 conference matches. The Falcons rank third in the MAC in goals-against average during conference play, surrendering just 0.82 goals per match.

Senior midfielder Emme Butera leads the Falcons with four goals and 10 points this season. Butera scored in Sunday's win over Ohio, while junior Haley Wolf recorded her first collegiate goal, which proved to be the game winner.

The Falcons also feature a strong defensive presence in junior goalkeeper Payton O'Malley, who recorded four saves in the shutout victory over Ohio. O'Malley earned her 17th career complete-match shutout, tying her for third in program history.

Bowling Green has been competitive throughout conference play, earning victories over Western Michigan, Buffalo, Central Michigan and Ohio. The Falcons also earned a 2-2 draw at Miami on Oct. 29, setting up a rematch between the two teams in Saturday's quarterfinal.

The Falcons will look to continue their postseason success after reaching the MAC Championship match in 2025. Bowling Green advanced to last year's title game with quarterfinal and semifinal victories over Buffalo and Miami, respectively.