FIELD HOCKEY: Ball State's final minute goal beats Indiana

White said goal, win is turning point for team

Allie White doesn't even remember the shot.

With 18.4 seconds left in the match and Ball State down a goal, White slapped a shot past a plethora of defenders to give her team a late lead against Indiana Sunday afternoon.

"I think I fell on the ground," White said. "It's kind of a blur now, because it's instinctive. I was really glad to have been there to have gotten that shot in."

Both Ball State's sideline and the players on the field erupted with celebration after the shot that put the final score at 3-2.

Coach Beth Maddox said that relentless effort was the difference in the final goal.

"They made a decision to go in hard and to not leave without the ball going in the goal," Maddox said. "They did it."

After Indiana scored the game's first goal 12 minutes into the game, Ball State responded with a goal by sophomore Tarel Teach on a penalty corner shot that barely slipped by Indiana's goalkeeper.

The second half has been the Achilles' heel of the Cardinals in 2012, and the slump appeared to continue as the Hoosiers' Sydney Supica scored to give the visitors a 2-1 lead in the 42nd minute.

However, Ball State once again responded quickly with a goal of its own. Senior Marisa Weachter tied the match as she scored her first goal of the season from a penalty corner play. Freshman Bethany Han assisted on the goal. Han now leads the team with four assists.

Both Ball State and Indiana each attempted 16 shots Sunday, not letting up after the second, and sometimes third, attempt.

Maddox said hesitation sometimes leads to a lack of aggression by the Cardinals.

"We don't test people enough," Maddox said. "I think we've got a lot of skill, but people don't really see it all the time because we are a bit hesitant."

For the first time all season, one goalkeeper started and played the entire game. Freshman Maddi Elliott played all 70 minutes, giving up two goals and recording seven saves.

White had trouble finding words to express her emotions following the late victory.

"This is an unexplainable feeling," she said. "We've had so much struggling and hardship at the beginning of the season. We knew we could be this team. We've just been trying to get there."

White said her shot and the game was "definitely" a turning point for her team.

And she doesn't even remember it.


Comments

More from The Daily






This Week's Digital Issue


Loading Recent Classifieds...