Ball State went into Friday's match with a perfect 4-0 record, but it left with a major blemish as the Cardinals fell to Chicago, 4-3.
With Ball State down 2-3 and needing No. 2 Kristel Sanders and No. 4 Sarah Hebble to win to secure a victory, Sanders fell to Carmen Vaca-Guzman 6-4, 6-3.
After the game was lost, the senior Hebble continued to fight until the last point.
"It's always tough when it's always decided, I'm definitely proud of Sarah for coming back and winning the set. Sarah played awesome; she took what we told her and ran with it," Ball State head coach Christine Bader said.
When it was all said and done, Hebble beat Linden Li 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The Cardinals failed to get the doubles point early, going a combined 0-3 in doubles.
It was the first time all season they didn't score the doubles point.
No. 1 Courtney Wild beat six-time Division III All-American, Kendra Higgins 6-3, 6-1.
Senior Kylee Johnson beat Kelsey McGillis 6-2, 6-1.
The Cardinals travel to Indiana University to take on the Hoosiers Saturday at 3:30 p.m.
"One thing that the University of Chicago did really well is they came out and they were super-loud, and kind of shell-shocked us, so that's something we want to do tomorrow against IU," Bader said.
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