Louisville Tops Ball State 4-2

Sunday, September 22

Muncie, IN

12:00 PM

University of Louisville

(5-3)

Ball State

(1-5)

LOUISVILLE

Ball State

Photo by: Adam Mouchrani | Louisville Athletics

September 22, 2024 | Field Hockey

Box Score

Izzy Bianco scores a pair of goals to help lead Louisville to a 4-2 win at Ball State

By: Lori Harmon

MUNCIE, Ind. – Izzy Bianco scored a pair of goals to help lead the No. 12-ranked University of Louisville field hockey team to a 4-2 win over Ball State Sunday afternoon at Briner Sports Complex.

With the win, Louisville picks up its third-straight victory to improve to 5-3 on the season while Ball State drops to 1-5.

"Happy to come away with two wins this weekend, however we have a long way to go on both sides of the ball as a team," said UofL head coach Justine Sowry. "We started strong in the first quarter and played some great attacking and connected hockey. Ball State competed hard and beat us to the ball for long periods of the game as we were unable to connect with consecutive passes."

In the game, Louisville outshot Ball State 17-6 with a 13-5 edge in shots on goal and a 10-5 advantage in penalty corners. Emily Young (3-1) collected three saves en route to the win. Ball State's Hannah Johnston posted nine stops.

Louisville wasted little time getting on the scoreboard, capitalizing on its second penalty corner in the fifth minute of the game. Chloe Plumb got the play started and Tatum Kroon settled the ball for Bianco who notched her second goal in as many games to give the Cards a 1-0 lead.

As a steady rain began to fall, the second quarter saw another penalty corner goal for Louisville, this time Aimee Plumb connected on a cross from Chloe Cuzzupe for her second goal of the season midway through the frame.

UofL took the 2-0 lead into halftime, after outshooting Ball State 12-1 with a 9-1 advantage in shots on goal and holding an 8-1 edge in penalty corners including six in the first half.

After the break, the teams exchanged goals in the third quarter with Ball State getting on the scoreboard early in the frame with a penalty corner goal by Emma Van Hal.

Louisville countered after withstanding Ball State's offensive pressure and creating a fastbreak opportunity for Rylie Wollerton who took on goalkeeper Hannah Johnston in a 1v1 situation and found the back of the cage for her team-best fourth goal of the season, extending the lead to 3-1.

Bianco struck again in the fourth quarter as the Cards built a 4-1 lead. The junior's second goal of the contest came on another penalty corner, this time with assists from Sophia Parker and Mia Duchars.

Ball State responded five minutes later when a penalty corner resulted in a goal by Nadine Loeps to cut the deficit in half.

"Our defensive effort and execution was below par, hence our opponents got into our defensive circle easier than when we would've liked," said Sowry. "We will have to take a good look at our games from this weekend because the road is going to get tougher beginning next Friday night."

The Cards will return to Atlantic Coast Conference play this weekend when the Cardinals play host to No. 16 Boston College Friday at 6 p.m. Following that, Louisville hit the road to continue its string of top-20 matchups when the Cards visit No. 6 Ohio State Sunday at 1 p.m.