MUNCIE, Ind. – The Cardinals were looking to get back on track after a 2-0 loss to Indiana last Friday. Kent State on the other hand was looking for their first win of the season. It was the Mid-American Conference (MAC) opener for both teams as Ball State looked for a fresh start to MAC play after their 2-5 record in the MAC last season. However, the Cardinals fell both to Kent State (1-0) and then to Louisville (4-2) to push the losing streak to three.
In Kent, Ohio, Ball State was in a hard-fought game for all four quarters but ultimately ended in a victory for the Golden Flashes.
The first period was a defensive-oriented battle that began with Ball State coming up empty-handed on a penalty corner. Kent State had five penalty corners in the first period alone but could not capitalize on any of them. Cardinals fifth-year graduate student goalkeeper Hannah Johnston had a save during the period.
The second period saw the Golden Flashes take the momentum when sophomore midfielder Eva Usoz scored off of a penalty corner with two minutes left in the first half. Ball State on the other hand had two shot attempts and a penalty corner in the period; both of which were unsuccessful.
Kent State went into the second half with a narrow advantage and they continued to hold the lead in the third period. The Golden Flashes had two more penalty corners in the period which improved their total on the day to eight, but yet again they were unable to take advantage.
The Golden Flashes came out aggressive in the fourth period with ten shot attempts. Kent State also had four penalty corners for the period, including two in the final four minutes. With this aggressiveness from Kent State, Johnston stepped up with seven saves in the period and not allowing a single goal. Ball State eventually called for an empty net in the final two minutes as sophomore Nadine Loeps came in as an extra attacker for the Cardinals. Ball State was on the doorstep of tying the game, but a takeaway from Eva Usoz in the final minute sealed the game for Kent State.
Despite the loss, the weekend wasn’t over for Ball State though as they headed back home and hosted No. 12 Louisville at Briner Sports Complex.
The action started within the first three minutes when junior midfielder Izzy Bianco gave Louisville a 1-0 lead off of a penalty corner for her second goal of the year. Louisville had six penalty corners and nine shot attempts in the first period, while Ball State, on the other hand, had one penalty corner and shot attempt for the period. Goalkeeper Hannah Johnston managed to tally up five saves in the period. Rain began to fall at Briner Sports Complex towards the end of the first period, and this would continue throughout the rest of the game.
Fifth-year midfielder Aimme Plumb struck while the iron was hot in the second period for Louisville by bouncing the ball over Johnston to give Louisville a 2-0 lead. Ball State did limit Louisville to two penalty corners in the period but was unable to get any of their own.
Ball State made their mark on the scoreboard in the third period when junior midfielder Emma Van Hal picked up her fourth goal of the season to cut the lead down to one. Louisville quickly countered when junior forward Rylie Wollerton knocked a ball into the back of the cage to bring the lead back to two. Graduate student forward Paloma Gomez Rengifo responded with a goal of her own in the third period for Ball State, but it was overturned into a penalty corner that they could not capitalize off of.
In the fourth period, Louisville’s Izzy Bianco picked up her second goal of the game to give them a three-point advantage. Ball State countered when sophomore midfielder Nadine Loeps scored off of an assist from Emma Hilton to cut the lead in half. Louisville’s defense stood tall in the final three minutes and was able to hold for the win. Ball State fell to a 1-5 record on the season and is now 0-3 at home this season.
The Cardinals are back in action on Friday, Sept. 27th when they host Miami (OH) in a Mid-American Conference showdown.