Field Hockey - Upcoming schedule
Sept. 4 at Villanova - 4 p.m.
Sept. 6 at LaSalle - 12 p.m.
Sept. 8 vs. Northwestern - 3 p.m.
Sept. 11 at Ohio State - 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 12 vs. Appalachian State - 2 p.m.
Despite a winless road trip to the East coast to begin the season, Ball State field hockey coach Sally Northcroft doesn’t blame the losses on her players.
The first-year coach admitted that it was difficult for the team to process so much information and change its style of play this early in the season.
“It’s hard to make all of the changes all at once—especially playing stronger competition with a team like Rutgers,” Northcroft said. “The fact that they were open to change and willing to try the things I’m asking them to do is definitely the first step.”
Ball State opened the regular season at Rutgers on Aug. 29 where the game became lopsided early. The Cardinals allowed the Scarlet Knights to attempt 11 shots on goal and gave up eight penalty corners while attempting zero shots on goal and earning two penalty corners.
“I asked [the players] to make a commitment to defining what the character is going to be for this team and what the legacy will be for this team,” Northcroft said.
Moving 46 miles west to Easton, Penn., Ball State matched up more evenly with the Lafayette Leopards.
The Cardinals allowed the Leopards to score their only goals of the game in the first half, but the team went into halftime down 3-1 after junior Lexi Kavanaugh scored her first goal of the season at the 21-minute mark.
Juniors Morgan Nash and Mikayla Mooney also made their presence known, as Nash assisted on the Kavanaugh goal and Mooney attempted three of the team's 13 shot attempts. Merinda Morley scored the final goal of the match at the 69-minute mark off a Kavanaugh assist.
Junior Jordan Dues endured a tough weekend, but saved 12 total goals over the weekend. She posted a .632 save percentage in the two losses.
Northcroft thinks that the friendship between Dues and fellow goalkeeper Shelby Henley is a key component in making the two grow on the field.
“For them, they needed to challenge each other to get better,” Northcroft said. “In the process, it means that one person has gotten better because of both of their work ethics.”
Henley started all 16 games last season, recording 90 saves and finishing with a .657 save percentage. Although she didn’t play the first two games, Northcroft said there isn’t much difference between the two keepers.
“Shelby has taken on a really strong responsibility of leadership,” Northcroft said. “She’s really challenging and pushing herself and at the same time challenging and pushing Jordan—it’s a great team effort with those guys.”
Ball State returns to action on Sept. 4 when it travels to take on Villanova. It will follow with a road meeting with LaSalle on Sept. 6.
Northcroft is looking for her team to come full circle when it returns to the field.
“People are passionate about their sports," Northcroft said. "But when they realize that the person next to them feels just as strongly about what they’re committed to, it's incredibly motivating.”
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