The Cardinals split a pair of games this weekend, but the win came in the more important conference game.
Things started on a high note Saturday, as Ball State won an overtime thriller at Central Michigan.
"We stuck to the plan and system, played hard and together," coach Beth Maddox said.
Junior forward Kristen Falk scored her first career goal at 12:35 in the first half on an assist from Gretchen Lulow.
Consecutive goals by Central Michigan put the Chippewas in the lead with less than two minutes remaining in the game.
Cardinals midfielder Devanny Kuhn rallied back by redirecting a long pass from Lulow to tie the match with 15 seconds left.
Overtime was all about the Cardinals, as Kuhn brought the ball up from midfield unassisted to score the game-winning goal 63 seconds into the extra period. It was her fifth game-winning goal this season.
Sunday, the team returned to Muncie for game against UC-Davis, the schools' first meeting. The Cardinals fell to the Aggies 3-2.
"We were tired, and we played tired," Maddox said.
Less than three minutes into the game, the Aggies opened up scoring with a goal from Nadia Namdari. Marissa Hughes followed with a goal to put UC Davis up 2-0.
With 7:36 left in the first half, Kuhn scored. Less than a minute later, UC-Davis took a two-goal lead again with a goal by Cloey LemMon. At the end of the half, Ball State cut the deficit to one with a Lulow goal.
The Cardinals were unable to find a game-tying goal during a scoreless second half.
Ball State will work on fundamental play in practice this week, Maddox said, as it prepares for weekend home games against Ohio and Kent State.
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