Oct. 22, 2015
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SPRINGFIELD - Two Mid-American Conference field hockey teams square off looking to stay in contention for a spot in the conference tournament when Missouri State visits Muncie, Indiana, to take on the Ball State Cardinals at 12 p.m. CST Saturday, Oct. 24, at the BSU Turf Field.
Weekend Review
The Central Michigan Chippewas scored a game-winning goal in double overtime to defeat Missouri State, 1-0, at the CMU Field Hockey Complex Friday, Oct. 16.
The Chippewas (1-12, 1-3) earned a penalty corner in the 93rd minute and a shot by Kaysie Gregory was saved by Bears freshman goalkeeper Feli Heinzel at the 92:41 mark. However, CMU's Maude Stalars found the back of the net just eight seconds later to help earn the victory for the Chippewas.
The loss was the second for Missouri State in conference play and dropped them to 5-10 overall. It also ended the Bears' three-game winning streak, their longest since the 2011 season.
Shutout Streak Comes to an End
Missouri State's three-game shutout streak came to an end in the double overtime loss to Central Michigan. The longest shutout streak for the team since the 2001 season ended with the Bears not allowing a goal for over 313 minutes. The last goal MSU had given up was at the 59:33 mark in a 3-0 loss to Miami on Oct. 2.
The Bears will have a chance to end the season by holding opponents to no goals at home in their final regular season game against Longwood on Oct. 31. The last time MSU accomplished the feat was during the 1997 season when the Bears beat Saint Louis, 3-0, in their lone home game of their schedule.
Not Feeling Double Overtimes
Despite a strong effort in which the Bears outshot the Chippewas 14-10, MSU's double overtime loss to the Chippewas continued a trend for the field hockey team.
The Bears have lost their last six games that have went to double overtime and are 1-8 all-time in matchups that have went to a second period beyond regulation. The lone victory the Bears have captured in a double-overtime period occurred during the 1995 season. That year, MSU defeated Miami 3-2 in the midst of a seven-game winning streak.
Heinzel Still Solid in Net
Freshman goalkeeper Feli Heinzel had another strong outing for the Bears despite giving up the game-winning goal to Chippewas on Oct. 16. Heinzel, previously named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week, had stopped the previous 15 shots that came her way. The freshman currently has 50 saves and a .658 save percentage, along with a 4-6 overall record, in net for the Bears this season.
Glancing at the MAC
One team has already automatically qualified for the MAC Championship as the 2015 field hockey regular season winds down. Ohio is 4-1 in the MAC -- with its lone loss to Missouri State -- and will make its appearance at the conference tournament in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, on Nov. 6. Miami and Kent State both have 3-1 records and only need one more win to qualify for the tournament.
MSU and Longwood both have two MAC wins, with Longwood's remaining conference match in Springfield on Oct. 31. The Chippewas currently sit at 1-3 in the conference while Ball State is 0-3. The top four teams in conference play qualify for the MAC championship.
About Ball State
Led by first-year head coach and former Cardinal Sally Northcroft, Ball State is currently 2-13 overall this season. Lexi Kavanaugh leads the Cardinals with seven goals and 17 points while Bethany Han has a team-high six assists. Goalkeeper Jordan Dues has a 3.38 goals against average and a .642 save percentage.
Central Michigan holds an all-time record of 16-9 over MSU, but the Bears have won three of the previous four meetings.
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Check out all of the latest news and information on the Bears field hockey team at MissouriStateBears.com and follow Missouri State field hockey on Facebook (MissouriStateFH), Instagram (@msufhbears) and Twitter (@MSUBearsFHockey) for photos and updates throughout the season.
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