All seven Muhlenberg fall sports teams are in action tomorrow, with two returning home after long breaks and another going on the road to face a top-10 team.
Football vs. Gettysburg (Saturday, 1:00)
Muhlenberg (4-1, 3-1) returns from its bye week for its first home in three weeks. Its opponent? A red-hot Gettysburg team that has averaged 36.3 points and 501.3 yards in winning its last three games.
The Bullets (3-2, 3-1) have also been strong on defense; they rank 18th in Division III in rushing defense and have held their last three opponents under 100 yards.
Gettysburg leads the all-time series, 43-34-1, but Muhlenberg has won three of the last four meetings overall and the last eight at Scotty Wood Stadium. The last two series meetings in Allentown were memorable, with the Mules winning 33-27 in overtime in 2010 and 35-31 on a fake field goal in 2012.
Muhlenberg is 7-1 following its bye since 2006 and is one win away from 500 all-time.
Women’s Soccer vs. Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 1:30)
Coming off a win against two-time defending Centennial Conference finalist Haverford, the Mules (8-3-2, 4-2) look to improve their playoff chances with another home win.
Franklin & Marshall (1-11, 0-6) has lost 10 in a row, but its record is a bit deceiving due to a very strong schedule. The Diplomats have had a bit of trouble finding the back of the net, scoring only four goals all season. Muhlenberg has seven shutouts in 13 games this season and has blanked its last two opponents.
Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 17-4-1, but is only 4-3-1 in the last eight years. The Mules won last year’s game, 1-0.
Men’s Soccer vs. Haverford (Saturday, 7:00)
Two regionally ranked teams eying playoff berths should make for a competitive game.
Haverford (8-4, 3-2), ranked sixth in the Mid-Atlantic Region, was the top seed in the Centennial Conference playoffs last year. The Fords have played the sixth-toughest schedule in Division III.
Muhlenberg (8-1-2, 3-1-1), ranked fourth in the region and 17th nationally by D3soccer.com, will be playing at home for the first time in 18 days. The Mules rank 15th in Division III in goals-against average (0.52) and are one of 17 teams in Division III with fewer than two losses.
Muhlenberg leads the all-time series, 22-14-4, including a 17-2-2 margin since the start of CC play. One of the two losses (1-0 in 2012) and one of the two ties (scoreless last year) have come in the last two seasons, however. The Mules have not lost at home to the Fords since 1969.
Field Hockey at Franklin & Marshall (Saturday, 12:00)
Muhlenberg puts its five-game winning streak on the line against a Franklin & Marshall team that is ranked sixth in Division III.The winner of this game moves into sole possession of second place in the CC.
The Diplomats (12-1, 5-1) have won four in a row since a 5-2 setback to Ursinus, their lone loss of the season. F&M ranks ninth in Division III in goals per game (4.67) and will present a big test for a Muhlenberg defense that ranks 17th with a 0.98 goals-against average.
The Mules (9-2, 5-1) need one more win to reach double digits for the first time since 2007.
F&M has won the last five meetings to extend its all-time series lead to 15-6-1. The Mules have played the Diplomats close the last three years, losing 3-1 in both 2011 and 2012 and 2-1 last year when F&M came in ranked No. 1 in Division III.
Volleyball vs. Marymount (Saturday, 3:00); at York (Saturday, 5:00)
Muhlenberg (20-3) steps out of CC play for a trimatch at York. Marymount is 22-5 and York is 9-16.
Cross Country at Gettysburg Invitational (Saturday, 11:00)
The Mules’ final tuneup for the CC Championships will be at one of the largest collegiate meets in the region, with 39 teams scheduled to compete.