Ball State University Athletics
Field Hockey Hosts RedHawks, Bears In MAC Home Opener
October 01, 2010 | Field Hockey
BACK HOME IN MUNCIE: The Ball State field hockey team returns to the BSU Turf field this weekend as the squad hosts Mid-American Conference foes Miami and Missouri State. Friday, the Cardinals play the RedHawks in a contest slated for 3 p.m. and Saturday, the Cardinals will play the Bears at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT: The team completed a four-game road swing and entered MAC competition with contests against league foes Kent State and Ohio. Last Saturday, senior back Elizabeth Blaum (Wilkes Barre, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) and junior forward Brittany Hammer (St. Louis, Mo./St. Joseph's) each scored their first goal of the season, however the Cardinals fell to the Golden Flashes, 8-2, at Murphy-Mellis Field. On Sunday, the Bobcats outshot the Cardinals, 21-2, and connected on 7-of-17 shots on goal, as Ohio defeated Ball State, 7-0, at Pruitt Field. Kuhn and senior forward Ellen Vonderbrink (Kettering, Ohio/Fairmont) each tallied one shot during the contest, while Lulow finished with a defensive save. Sophomore goalkeeper Morgan Hammer (Pittsburgh, Pa./Fox Chapel Area) recorded 18 saves on the weekend.
SCOUTING MIAMI: The RedHawks enter the weekend with a 6-3 record (1-1 MAC). Jackie Nguyen, Kate Snyder and Mary Hull lead Miami's charge, combining for 41 points as a group on the young season. Nguyen has accumulated nearly a quarter of Miami's goals since the beginning of the year (8-of-29). The RedHawks received 15 votes in the latest Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll since defeating Kent State, 4-3, in overtime last Sunday.
BALL STATE vs. MIAMI SERIES HISTORY: Friday's game marks the 59th time Ball State and Miami have met. The Cardinals own a 43-15 all-time record against the RedHawks. The teams last met during the 2009 season as Miami defeated Ball State twice, 7-1, and 3-1. On Sept. 16, midfielder Devanny Kuhn (Louisville, Ky./Sacred Heart) scored the lone Cardinal goal, her first of the season, off of a penalty corner. In Ball State's Mid-American Conference home opener on Oct. 2, midfielder Gretchen Lulow (Ballwin, Mo./Cor Jesu Academy) logged her first career goal off a pass down the baseline.
SCOUTING MISSOURI STATE: The Bears enter the weekend with a 3-6 record, (0-0 MAC). This season, Casey Bayliss, Hillary Lawless, Laura Tavares and Sarah Cusick lead Missouri State's charge, combining for 33 points as a group on the young season. The Bears enter weekend play after falling to Pacific 4-2 on Sunday.
BALL STATE VS. MISSOURI STATE SERIES HISTORY: Saturday's game marks the 19th meeting between Ball State and Missouri State, as the Cardinals own a 13-5 series advantage against the Bears. The squads last met during the 2009 season when Ball State defeated Missouri State twice, 4-3, and 4-2. The Cardinals' two conference wins from last season came against the Bears. On Oct. 3, midfielder Kaitlan Mitchell (Stevens, Pa./Cocalico), defender Morgan Cloutier (Chapel, Hill, N.C./Chapel Hill) and forward Brooke MacGillivary scored the four unanswered goals in the second period to earn the 4-3 come-from-behind win. On Oct. 4, Kuhn recorded a game-high four goals to lead the Cardinals to the 4-2 victory against the Bears.
KUHN'S CAREER MARKS: With seven goals scored so far in the 2010 season, Kuhn matches her career goals scored in both 2008 and 2009 combined. Also, with 17 points tallied already in the young season, the communication studies major has accumulated three more points than her total from the 2009 season.
