Ball State University
Louisville
Field Hockey Falls 2-0 To Louisville in Battle Of Cardinals
August 31, 2007 | Field Hockey
MUNCIE, Ind. -- The Ball State field hockey team played even with the 14th-ranked team in the nation through 35 minutes Saturday, but a lack of scoring opportunities cost the Cardinals in their home-opener.
Ball State (1-2) lost 2-0 to Big East opponent Louisville (1-2) at BSU Turf Field.
Sophomore goalkeeper Tiffany Shifflett played the entire 70 minutes in the cage and kept Ball State within striking distance. Shifflett saved 13 of the 15 shots she faced, and she held Louisville scoreless in the first half as the teams battled to a 0-0 tie through the opening 35 minutes.
Louisville managed to score its two second half goals on second chance opportunities.
The first goal came in the 39th minute when Nicole Youman picked up a loose ball in front of the cage following a Shifflett save and found Lauren Schaefer to give Louisville the lead.
Ball State hung around despite facing a 20-4 deficit in shots. In the 53rd minute, with Louisville still holding a 1-0 advantage, Ball State's Lauren Cruz got one of those looks at the goal and threatened tie the score. Cruz moved in on the right side of the cage, and her shot around Louisville goalkeeper Marie-Claire Heller deflected off the left post.
Less than one minute later, Louisville scored on a Missy Briery shot -- again following a Shifflett save -- to pad its lead. Louisville hung on for its first win of the season after opening with losses against nationally ranked teams in Duke and Michigan State.
Cruz, Katie Kloeckener, Brooke MacGillivary and Jodi Mann accounted for Ball State's four shots, with MacGillivary managing the only shot on goal.
Ball State will look to even its record when the Cardinals travel to Evanston, Ill., to play Northeastern at 1 p.m. Sunday. Ball State will stay in Evanston to take on Northwestern at 1 p.m. Monday.
