Northwestern 4, Ball State 3
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Sept. 16, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's field hockey team needed an extra 2:26, but in the end the Wildcats beat Ball State 4-3, which improved their record to 5-1. Holly Palin (Mequon, Wis./University School of Milwaukee) dribbled the ball through the Cardinal defense, and scored the match winner for the 'Cats at 72:34.
Ball State lit up the scoreboard just six minutes into the match when Chantel Isaac-Smith took a pass from Katie Kloeckener and sent it by Northwestern goalkeeper Sherri-Anne Nyberg (Kelowna, British Columbia/Kelowna Secondary) from five yards out.
The Wildcats would soon respond, however, as Ellen Schlafly (St. Louis, Mo./MICDS) took a pass from Megan Sieberg (Toledo, Ohio/Maumee Valley Country Day) off a penalty corner and blasted it home from just inside the left side of the circle.
Schlafly struck again just over three minutes later as she maneuvered through the Cardinals' defense and sent a baseline shot past Ball State goalkeeper Tracy Bannister for her season's sixth goal.
Northwestern's defense really did not allow Ball State to get into a rhythm offensively in the first half, limiting the Cardinals to six shots. The Wildcats went into halftime with a 2-1 lead.
Five minutes into the second period, Meghan Small (Bethlehem, Pa./Moravian Academy) got the ball following a penalty corner, and sent it by the scrambling defense for her third goal this year.
Ball State came roaring back, however, using a pair of goals at 52:20 and 55:27 to tie the game at three. Isaac-Smith evened the match after she dribbled deep into Wildcat territory, spun, and slipped a shot by Nyberg.
Regulation would end with the teams all knotted at 3-3.
At 2:26 of the overtime period, Palin scored the match winner for the 'Cats. In transition, Palin received the ball at the top of the circle from Jill Putnam (Greenfield, Mass./Greenfield). She dribbled by a couple of Ball State defenders and sent a shot by Bannister to give the Wildcats the 4-3 win.
POST-GAME NOTES
Northwestern has now won three of its five matches in overtime sessions this season. The Wildcats are 3-0 when going to the extra session.
Schlafly has scored four goals in the last two games.
Northwestern is back in action at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 18 against Louisville.