Most Muhlenberg students are going home for Fall Break this weekend, to be replaced on campus by a bunch of Devils, some of them nationally ranked. Plus, a soccer showdown between ranked teams.
Men’s Soccer at Franklin & Marshall (Friday, 4:00)
Two of the remaining 14 undefeated teams in Division III meet in a matchup that could shape the race for the top seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs. Franklin & Marshall (9-0-1, 3-0), which reached the NCAA quarterfinals last year, is ranked third by D3soccer.com and eighth by the NSCAA. Muhlenberg (7-0-2, 2-0-1) is 21st in both polls.
In the CC standings, F&M is tied with Dickinson for first place, with Muhlenberg two points back.
The two teams are tied for the fewest goals allowed in the CC. The Diplomats have outscored their opponents 23-5, the Mules 22-5.
Muhlenberg’s last game against a top-10 team was a 2-1 loss to No. 9 Swarthmore in the 2010 CC championship game. Its last win against a top-10 team was a 1-0 defeat of No. 10 Dickinson in 2009. The Mules haven’t played a team ranked in the top five since 2001 and haven’t beaten one since 1999 (3-2 vs. third-ranked Johns Hopkins).
Franklin & Marshall leads the all-time series, 30-28-5, but the Mules lead in CC play, 12-7-2. Last year, Muhlenberg won 1-0 in a game the Diplomats came into ranked 14th in Division III, undefeated and unscored-upon.
Field Hockey vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 11:30)
So far, Muhlenberg (6-2, 2-1) has played three CC games this season, and the result of all three was the opposite of what it was last year. The Mules hope that trend continues against Dickinson, a team they lost to in 2013.
The Red Devils (9-1, 3-0) are ranked 20th in Division III and have won nine in a row since a season-opening loss to Juniata. They have allowed a CC-low seven goals in their 10 games.
Muhlenberg holds an 18-13-1 series lead and has won two of the last three meetings. The Mules have taken six of the last seven meetings in Allentown, including a 4-3 thriller in 2011.
Volleyball vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 2:00)
Muhlenberg (16-2, 3-0) will be playing for its 10th straight win, its first 4-0 CC start since 1993 (the first year of the league) … and a little bit more. This is the annual “Dig for a Cure” 
match, and the Mules and Red Devils will be raising money for Tanner’s Touch, a foundation that raises money for pediatric cancer research at Johns Hopkins Hospital and also for families of children with cancer to offset the cost of medical treatment.
Both teams will collect donations and pledges from friends, families and team supporters for each dig they record in the match. To contribute, please contact Alexa Keckler at akeckler@muhlenberg.edu.
Dickinson comes in at 4-8 overall, 0-2 in the CC. Muhlenberg holds a 19-14 lead in a series in which five of the last 11 meetings, inlcuding the last two, have gone to five sets. Last year in Carlisle, the Mules pulled out a 15-12 win in the fifth set.
Women’s Soccer vs. Dickinson (Saturday, 2:00)
Muhlenberg (6-2-2, 2-1) will look to snap its three-game winless streak against a Dickinson squad that is ranked 22nd in Division III by D3soccer.com. The lone loss for the Red Devils (8-1, 2-0) came to top-ranked Messiah.
Muhlenberg holds a 15-7-2 lead in a series that has seen the last four games end with a score of 1-0. The Mules won the last two, both in Carlisle and both on late goals: Two years ago, the lone score came with nine minutes left, and last year with just 15 seconds remaining. The result proved to be the difference in Muhlenberg making the playoffs as the fifth seed and Dickinson staying home.
Football at Susquehanna (Saturday, 1:00)
Muhlenberg (3-1, 2-1) looks to bounce back from its first loss of the season against a Susquehanna (0-4, 0-3) squad hungry for its first win. The Crusaders’ last three losses were by a total of 18 points.
The Mules will try to avoid a repeat of 2012, when they were shut out at Susquehanna a week after losing at home to Johns Hopkins. They will try to take advantage of a Crusader defense that is allowing 267.0 rushing yards per game – 233rd out of 242 Division III teams. Susquehanna does rank among the Division III leaders in fumbles recovered, however.
Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 12-10. Last year, the Mules allowed 144 total yards and no offensive touchdowns in a 38-18 win.
Cross Country at Paul Short Run (Saturday)
The Mules return to action after a week off at one of the largest cross country meets in the nation, with more than 5,500 runners from over 400 teams competing at the all-day event.
Men’s Golf at Mason-Dixon Classic (Saturday-Sunday)
Muhlenberg travels to McDaniel for a two-day tournament.