Sunday Scoreboard
Michigan State 3, Ball State 1
St. Francis 3, Central Michigan 2
Northwestern 5, Miami 2
Duke 7, Ohio 0
Michigan 4, Kent State 0
North Carolina 4, App State 1
Stor Courtesy of MAC Sports Information
Michigan State 3, Ball State 1
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. - For the first 28 minutes Sunday afternoon, it was all defense as the Ball State field hockey team faced its third ranked opponent this season. The Cardinals fell to the No. 23 Michigan State Spartans by a score of 3-1.
With the loss, Ball State drops to 2-7 on the season while No. 23 Michigan State improves its overall record to 5-3.
"This was a heartbreaker of a weekend, with two very close games," Ball State field hockey coach Stephanie Bernthal said. "I'm so proud of how the team is battling. With each game our chemistry improves and we execute new elements. When you have a lot of youth, it takes time to get everyone gel-ing. I knew this tough early schedule would bring out the best in our team, and that it will prepare us to be peaking for the Mid-American Conference tournament. These girls are warriors and they grow hungrier with every obstacle thrown their way. It truly is a special group, though to the outsider we haven't garnered special results yet. I love that they are willing to remain faithful to the process."
All season long the Cardinals strong suit has been their stellar defense especially at the start of today's contest. Ball State held the Spartans scoreless until the closing minutes of the second quarter. Michigan State closed out the second frame with back-to-back goals to take a 2-0 lead over Ball State at intermission.
At the around the 36 minute mark in the third quarter, the Spartans had stretched their lead to 3-0. Ball State answered as redshirt junior Rachel Pereirafound the back of the cage with the help of teammates redshirt senior Michelle Shampton and junior Jenna McKune, making it a 3-1 ball game heading into the final 15 minutes of action. Pereira's goal marked her second of the season and sixth of her career.
After that, Ball State held Michigan State scoreless the remainder of the contest but unfortunately was unable to score again. The Cardinals combined for a total of 10 shot attempts today with Pereira leading the way with three, she also leads the Cardinals this season in total shots with 16.
The Ball State field hockey team returns to Mid-American Conference action Saturday when it hosts Central Michigan for a 1 p.m. start at the Briner Sports Complex.
For the most up-to-date news on the Ball State field hockey team, please follow @BallStateSports and @BallStateFH.
St. Francis 3, Central Michigan 2
Box Score
LORETTA, Pa. – Saint Francis scored two goals in the final seven minutes on Sunday in handing Central Michigan a 2-1 nonconference field hockey loss.
How It Happened
CMU got goals from Alli Huddleson and Taryn Damm in building a 2-1 lead. Huddleson's goal, which came less than three minutes into the game, was CMU's first goal in five games and it came off a penalty corner.
Damm's goal, with under 17 minutes remaining, gave the Chippewas their 2-1 lead and it came 41 seconds after Saint Francis scored to tie the game.
"We showed that, they can score a goal, we can do the same thing," CMU coach Catherine Ostoich said. "We were resilient until the end of the game."
Taylor Nesmith tied the game with a goal with 6:54 remaining. Taylin Lehman scored the game-winner with just over for minutes left.
"We started off well," Ostoich said. "We were the ones outhustling them in the beginning. I don't know if we lost energy or we were tired, but (Saint Francis) just showed the grit and the hustle more than we did. Unfortunately, the last few minutes, they outhustled us. They wanted it more."
Alice O'Hagan and Huddleson each had an assist for the Chippewas.
Solid in Goal
CMU goalkeeper Abigail Ebersole made 15 saves for the second-consecutive game. She has posted 46 saves in her last three games.
Next
CMU will play a Mid-American Conference game at Ball State on Saturday, Sept. 28 (1 p.m.).
Northwestern 5, Miami 2
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University field hockey team (4-4, 1-0 MAC) fell to No. 11 Northwestern (8-2, 1-0 Big Ten) by a 5-2 margin on Sunday.
The RedHawks scored first on a direct penalty corner feed during the third minute of play. Leonor Berlie got her second goal of the season and was assisted by Noor Breedijk and Kirsten McNeil.
Northwestern answered one minute later on a rebound shot from a penalty corner opportunity to tie the game at one goal apiece.
Mia Gordon gave Miami a 2-1 lead with a rebound shot during the seventh minute with her first goal of the season. The RedHawks had that lead after one quarter.
The Wildcats took the lead during the second quarter with two goals within a minute's span to take a 3-2 lead into halftime. At the half, Northwestern had the 13-6 edge in shots and 7-2 lead in penalty corners.
Despite offensive pressure by the RedHawks, it was Northwestern that scored once in the third quarter and once in the fourth quarter to cap scoring at 5-2 for the afternoon. Three of the Wildcats' goals were scored on penalty corners.
Freshman goalkeeper Isabelle Perese made 10 saves. Berlie led Miami's roster with three shots.
Miami takes a two-game road trip to North Carolina next weekend, resuming MAC play at Appalachian State on Friday at 3 p.m. before taking on Davidson on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Duke 7, Ohio 0
Box Score
ATHENS, Ohio – Ohio Field Hockey (4-2) falls to the Duke Blue Devils 7-0.
The Bobcats gave up two goals in the first-half and five goals in the second-half in today's loss.
Redshirt senior Sophia Boothby (Spotsylvania, Va.) made three saves, while sophomore Nele Graner (Bonn, Germany) made five. Ohio lost the penalty corner battle 9-5 and was outshot 24-8.
OU hits the road again next weekend when they take on the Kent State Golden Flashes on Saturday, Sept. 28. First touch is scheduled for 12 p.m.
Michigan 4, Kent State 0
Box Score
ANN ARBOR, Mich.- The Kent State field hockey team fell 4-0 to No. 9 Michigan at Ocker Field on Sunday afternoon.
Senior Kourtney Keller led the offensive efforts for Kent State with two shots and one on target. Senior Laila Richter also added a shot for the Flashes.
Kent State's best scoring opportunity came in the second period with a penalty corner in the 26th-minute.
The Wolverines led in shots (23-3), shots on goal (15-2), and penalty corners (7-1). Senior goalkeeper Mary Crumlish made her first start of the season and registered 10 saves.
Kent State returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 28 as the Flashes host Ohio at noon on Murphy-Mellis Field to open Conference play.
North Carolina 4, App State 1
Box Score
BOONE, N.C. – Appalachian State University field hockey recorded three defensive saves in a 4-1 defeat to No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday afternoon.
The Mountaineers (6-2, 0-1 MAC) made three defensive saves in the first half to take just a one-goal deficit into the second half. Junior Annette Jarosz notched the first two App State defensive saves, raising her career record to 15 stops. Sophomore Brenna Schoenbachler made App State's third defensive save, helping App State preserve a 2-1 scoreline entering the second half.
After allowing a goal just two minutes into the game, junior Veerle Van Heertum responded with a blast off a penalty corner. Sophomore Friederike Stegen inserted the ball before junior Chloe Bell used an effective stick stop so Van Heertum could fire home her third goal of the weekend. Van Heertum missed just wide on a penalty corner attempt less than a minute before her goal knotted the game at 1-1.
"This is really important for our development," head coach Meghan Dawson said. "Carolina is a really good team, and defensively we did a lot better than Friday, especially in the first half. We got low to the ground and were intercepting and reading plays well."
The Tar Heels (7-0), who extended their winning streak to 30-straight games on Sunday, used a goal in the 23rd minute to take the lead for good. UNC would add two more goals in the third period to extend its lead to 4-1.
Senior goalkeeper Rachel Gaines made five saves in the fourth period to keep the Tar Heels off the board in the final frame. With 20 saves between two games this weekend, Gaines reached 400 saves in an App State uniform, moving into sixth place in App State history for career saves.
Freshman Addie Clark also made her first appearance in net for App State with just over two minutes remaining in regulation.
App State returns to action when they face Mid-American Conference foe Miami on Friday at 3 p.m. Friday's home matchup against the RedHawks is set to start at 3 p.m.
