For 70 minutes the Ball State University field hockey team was able to contain Missouri State University and junior forward Melissa Lantz.
The Cardinals, though, were unable to win their Mid-American Conference opener in regulation, and keeping the MAC's leading scorer in check proved impossible.
About 10 minutes into overtime, Lantz dove to deflect freshman Kristen Pettey's shot past goalkeeper Tiffany Shifflett for the game winner as Missouri State defeated Ball State 3-2.
"We had a hard time getting the ball out of the circle [in overtime]," coach Annette Payne said. "Their forwards are good. They're fast and quick. We needed to do a better job defensively."
The Bears tallied 10 shots in overtime and had 24 overall. Lantz accounted for 11 of the shots. Ball State's offense kept pace with Missouri State in regulation. The Cardinals had 20 shots, 16 coming in the second half.
"We did a good job creating passing opportunities and shot opportunities," Payne said. "We had good off-the-ball movement."
Missouri State took a 1-0 lead into halftime and a second eight minutes into the second half. Payne took a timeout to settle her team down, she said.
"I told them that we have to keep the ball above the 50 [yard line] to score," Payne said.
Forward Brooke MacGillivary said the team knew they needed to play harder if they wanted to get back in the game.
Within a minute of the timeout, sophomore forward Ellen Vonderbrink scored Ball State's first goal in two games. The Cardinals evened the score at two less than two minutes later when Brittany Hammer scored her team-leading fifth goal of the season.
"It was a pretty scrappy goal," MacGillivary said. "She did a good job to keep fighting."
Missouri State sent the game into overtime behind goalkeeper Jessica Schuster's 11 saves. In overtime, the Cardinals did not record a shot.
"We had a few breakaways," MacGillivary said. "But we didn't keep it in their end."
Shifflett had a season-high 13 saves.
The loss extends Ball State's losing streak to seven games. MacGillivary said it was upsetting to lose that way in the MAC opener.
"There are certain things to take from the game, and we'll leave some behind," MacGillivary said. "We need to start the game harder and take better control of it."
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