With time already expired, Miami University used a penalty corner goal to extend Ball State University's losing streak to six games, as the Cardinals lost 3-2 to open the Mid-American Conference season Saturday.
The RedHawks were awarded a penalty corner as time ran out. According to field hockey rules a play continues even when the clock has expired if the ball is in the scoring area. On the penalty corner and scored on a rebound shot to defeat the Cardinals (1-6, 0-1 MAC) in a game that was played at a fast, back and forth pace.
Coach Annette Payne said it was the first time in her seven-year coaching career that she's seen a game come down to a penalty corner with time already expired.
"That hasn't happened, not to my memory, at the end of regulation," Payne said. "It's a tough way to have a decision on a match."
Ball State has give-up one goal from a penalty corner in the last three games and six penalty corner goals this season.
Sophomore goalkeeper Tiffany Shifflett said the Cardinals have had problems defending penalty corners all season.
"The corner unit is something we're struggling with," Shifflett said. "Miami just stuck with it. They knew it was a vulnerable spot."
The RedHawks outshot the Cardinals 17-4, but the goals came quickly in the second half.
With Miami holding a 1-0 lead in the early minutes of the second half, senior forward Amanda Pavone used a pass in front of the net from junior forward Casey Hunsicker to get Ball State on the board.
Two minutes after Miami answered the Cardinals' goal to take a 2-1 advantage, Ball State scored, as sophomore forward Brooke MacGillivary buried a shot from long range in the back of the net.
Payne said her team did well with the quick pace of the game.
"It's a lot of how we like to play," Payne said.
After making 10 saves Saturday, Shifflett now has a conference-high 79 saves and is on pace to break the school-record for saves in a single season at 187. This was also the third consecutive game she's made at least 10 saves.
Against Maimi, Shifflett made two diving saves. She said she enters games prepared to go everywhere to stop shots.
"Pretty much, I do whatever I have to do," Shifflett said. "I don't even think about it anymore. It's second nature for me to dive and go for it."
Payne said she was confident that her team would be able to bounce back from the close defeat this week. The Cardinals play three more home games in the next seven days.
"We've grown a lot in the last two weeks," Payne said. "There's not a lot of convincing on what type of team we are, or what we're capable of. Hopefully they won't think about it, and use it as energy for the next game."
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