The trend of close losses continues to haunt the Ball Statefield hockey team.
The Cardinals (0-6) lost a pair of games this weekend, as fiveof their six losses have come by one goal. Ball State lost at homeSaturday, 3-2 to Northwestern, and was knocked off in doubleovertime Sunday at Ohio State, 2-1.
In the Cards' first home game of the year, Northwestern scoredthree second-half goals to win 3-2 in come-from-behind fashion.
Ball State held the 19th-ranked Wildcats from attempting asingle shot in the first half. The 13 first-half shots by theCardinals led to two goals, both coming off penalty corners.
Carla Chiampi scored the first goal of the game at 23:37remaining in the first half, assisted by Lindsay Quay. FreshmanLauren Cruz scored the Cards other goal off a rebound with under 10minutes to play in the first half.
The goals scored by Chiampi and Cruz were the first career goalsfor each.
"I'm pretty excited and kind of shocked," Chiampi said.
"I was definitely excited," Cruz said.
In the second half, Ball State was unable to control the ball aswell and did not apply enough pressure on Northwestern. The resultwas 13 shot attempts for the Wildcats and four penalty corners.
"Northwestern came out with a lot more fire (in the secondhalf)," head coach Annette Payne said. "They set us back on ourheels and we weren't able to finish."
Candice Cooper scored the Wildcats' first goal just 2:26 intothe second half. The goal came as a result of a penalty, allowingCooper to face off one-on-one with BSU goalie Jessie Malone. Cooperslapped the ball into the top left corner and swung the momentum infavor of Northwestern.
The Wildcats added two more goals, and led with just over 10minutes remaining. Ball State was unable to create many chances totie the game.
"I think that they can take from this how important it is topass and posses the ball," Payne said. "Against a Big Ten team,when you've got them on their heels, you gotta finish them."
Facing another Big Ten team Sunday, the Cards got off to anearly lead again. Senior Holly Frantz scored on a rebound at 11:05in the first half. Ohio State answered by tying the game with onlyfive seconds remaining in the first half.
Neither team was able to find much offense in the second halfand first overtime. After a penalty corner was called on BallState, the Buckeyes' Saskia Mueller slammed home the game winninggoal.
Goalkeeper Tracy Bannister registered seven saves in the game,as Ball State outshot OSU 20-19.
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