Late Goals Doom Chippewa Field Hockey In Loss To Ball State

Sunday, April 18

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

(5-4, 3-3MAC)

Ball State

(6-8, 4-6MAC)

Ball State

Central Michigan

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

4/18/2021 4:03:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Ball State scored twice in the final five minutes on Sunday in handing Central Michigan a 2-0 Mid-American Conference field hockey loss at Cristy Freese Field.

The Chippewas and Cardinals split their two-game weekend series. CMU, which won, 1-0, on Saturday, is 5-5, 3-4 MAC.

CMU entertains Longwood in a MAC game on Tuesday (1 p.m.). It is the Chippewas' home finale. They close the season next weekend with two games at Kent State.

Ball State outshot the Chippewas, 14-3, finished with a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal, and posted an 8-1 edge in penalty corners.

Maureen Donegan scored at the 55:21 mark. Kerrianne McClay added an empty-net goal with under two minutes remaining.

"I just don't think we ever really got going," CMU coach Catherine Ostoich said. "I think from the beginning Ball State came out really on fire and I think we just played catch-up the whole game.

"And yet we were in it the whole time and we had moments where it felt like we were going to settle in, but I just don't think we ever really settled in. They really came at us hard and kept the pressure up the whole game. We didn't really apply it back to them on the attacking side."

Chippewa freshman goalkeeper Katie Maxim faced 13 shots and registered seven saves.

"She definitely kept us in the game with some big saves," Ostoich said. "The first goal, she made two saves and (the goal) came after the third rebound; she was doing her part and I think we let her down a little bit as a team. It's something to learn from. We've got another opportunity on Tuesday to see if we can play some good hockey."

Saturday's game was CMU's first since March 27. The Chippewas' series with Miami (Ohio), scheduled for last weekend, was postponed.

"We knew that (fatigue) was something that could be a factor from having been off for so long, but I think we still could have played some better hockey," Ostoich said. "That's on us; we've got to be able to utilize our strengths and I'm not sure we did that today."

Despite Sunday's loss, the Chippewas can look ahead to the final week of the season and beyond with encouragement. Ostoich is in her third year in charge of the program and the roster is relatively young. The five wins in 2021 are more than the program has registered in any season since 2014.

"I've been really proud of this team," Ostoich said. "To have come so far, to have five wins, we've hit so many marks this season which has been incredible.

"But I think we're all super competitive and we want more, and I think that's a good thing. We've just got to keep learning from each game. We did a phenomenal job of getting the job done (on Saturday) and while it didn't happen for us today, let's see if we can build from today and be better on Tuesday.

"If we're better on Tuesday, win or lose, I will look at that as a success because we've got to keep moving forward each game regardless of the outcome."