Ball State University Athletics
Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services
Field Hockey Team Earns National Recognition for Stingy Defense
October 10, 2019 | Field Hockey
MUNCIE, Ind. - The Ball State field hockey team earned two top 10 national rankings in the latest NCAA Division I statistics release this week.Â
The Cardinals are tied for the top spot nationally with Dartmouth in defensive saves with 10 and are also ranked ninth in save percentage (.798).
"Defense is a total team effort," Ball State head field hockey coach Stephanie Bernthal said. "In my first season at the helm here we focused heavily on becoming a more attacking and threatening team. That opened us up a bit defensively last fall, which the team trusted the process with. Last spring we hammered defensive structure and concepts in our training. This fall, we are putting both of those pieces (offensive and defensive) together in a really cool way. The defensive effort actually starts with the work up top by our forwards and midfielders—they bring the energy and set the tone for us. The defenders and goalies have stepped up their discipline big time. It's fun to see the hard work paying off and we are truly just getting started. This group shows tons of improvement each day, which is so fun for our coaching staff."
Ball State's defense has been a crucial part of its success this year. The Cardinals have registered three shutouts this year; Davidson College (1-0), Saint Louis (3-0) and Central Michigan (2-0). The three shutouts are the most a Ball State team has compiled since the 2004 season.
The 2019 field hockey team continues to etch its name in the Ball State record books defensively, with the program's best goals-per-game average (1.63) since 2004.
The Cardinals lead the Mid-American Conference after 11 contests, averaging .82 defensive saves per game. Juniors Audrey Tabor, Rachel Pereira and senior Hillary Scott are tied for second in the MAC in that category.
Freshman goalkeeper Wietske Overdijkink currently leads the MAC in save percentage (90 percent) and goals against average (0.84). She is also in second place in the league in saves per game (8.18). All three Cardinals goalkeepers have contributed to the team's stingy defense over the season—they have combined for a .798 saving percentage, which is the program's highest since the 2012 season.Â
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The Cardinals are tied for the top spot nationally with Dartmouth in defensive saves with 10 and are also ranked ninth in save percentage (.798).
"Defense is a total team effort," Ball State head field hockey coach Stephanie Bernthal said. "In my first season at the helm here we focused heavily on becoming a more attacking and threatening team. That opened us up a bit defensively last fall, which the team trusted the process with. Last spring we hammered defensive structure and concepts in our training. This fall, we are putting both of those pieces (offensive and defensive) together in a really cool way. The defensive effort actually starts with the work up top by our forwards and midfielders—they bring the energy and set the tone for us. The defenders and goalies have stepped up their discipline big time. It's fun to see the hard work paying off and we are truly just getting started. This group shows tons of improvement each day, which is so fun for our coaching staff."
Ball State's defense has been a crucial part of its success this year. The Cardinals have registered three shutouts this year; Davidson College (1-0), Saint Louis (3-0) and Central Michigan (2-0). The three shutouts are the most a Ball State team has compiled since the 2004 season.
The 2019 field hockey team continues to etch its name in the Ball State record books defensively, with the program's best goals-per-game average (1.63) since 2004.
The Cardinals lead the Mid-American Conference after 11 contests, averaging .82 defensive saves per game. Juniors Audrey Tabor, Rachel Pereira and senior Hillary Scott are tied for second in the MAC in that category.
Freshman goalkeeper Wietske Overdijkink currently leads the MAC in save percentage (90 percent) and goals against average (0.84). She is also in second place in the league in saves per game (8.18). All three Cardinals goalkeepers have contributed to the team's stingy defense over the season—they have combined for a .798 saving percentage, which is the program's highest since the 2012 season.Â
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Players Mentioned
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