Field Hockey Opens MAC Play With 2-1 Win At App State

Friday, March 12

Boone, NC

12 P.M.

Ball State University

(1-2, 1-0MAC)

Appalachian State University

(0-2, 0-1MAC)

BALLST

App State

Photo by: Ball State University Creative Services

Field Hockey Opens MAC Play With 2-1 Win At App State

March 12, 2021 | Field Hockey

Box Score

BOONE, N.C. - A true testimony to the Cardinals hard work in the off season paid off today as Ball State opened Mid-American Conference action Friday afternoon with a titillating 2-1 victory at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field.

"I'm so proud of the girls," Ball State head field hockey coach Stephanie Bernthal said. "People stepped up in critical moments of this game and across the board we executed a complex and aggressive game plan. We aren't able to do that if our whole team isn't fit and focused all year for the start of MAC play. App is a tough team and will challenge us as we face them again tomorrow. It's going to be another great battle. We will celebrate this win for a bit and quickly turn the page to preparing for tomorrow."

It was a defensive battle in the first 20 minutes of action as both teams went scoreless. The offensive battle began in the second period with the Mountaineers getting on the board first at around the 21:43 mark.

After that, true freshman Maureen Donegan found the back of the net with only two minutes remaining in the second frame to knot the game at one apiece at intermission. Donegan's goal against App State was the first of her career as a Cardinal.

In Bernthal's three years as the Cardinals' head coach she has certainly prepared her team for any defensive situation it may encounter and today it certainly showed. Ball State applied a lot of pressure against the Mountaineers' making it difficult for its opposition to score against BSU the remainder of the contest.

As time was winding down, it looked as if the game may have to go into an extra period. However, sophomore midfielder Kerrianne McClay ripped a reverse from the left portion of the circle and found the back of the goal for what proved to be the game winner.

It was McClay's first goal with the Cardinals after transferring in from Delaware where she earned Colonial Athletic Association All-Rookie Team honors last season.

Today's goalie for the Cardinals was sophomore Wietske Overdijkink who led Ball State defensively with six saves. Overdijkink now has 62 saves under her belt for her career.

Last year Overdijkink led the MAC in save percentage (81.4 percent) and goals against average (1.46) along with ranking second in the league in saves per game (6.75).

The Ball State field hockey team will wrap up its two-game league series against the Mountaineers on Saturday. The game is scheduled to begin at noon at Brandon & Erica M. Adcock Field.