In her first 19 games as a collegiate field hockey player, Tori Widrick scored five goals. Just two games into the 2012 season, she has nearly equaled that total.
However, after a 4-3 overtime victory over Lehigh on Saturday, Ball State (1-1) lost to Lafayette 5-1. Widrick scored four goals in both games.
"Tori did an excellent job finishing this weekend," head coach Beth Maddox said. "The team worked hard, and as a result we were able to score some goals."
Maddox also said she believes Ball State's offense puts her players in the best positions to score.
"Our outside [midfielders] are going to be very dangerous this year," Maddox said. "The system we have will definitely put them in scoring positions. Tori proves our system works."
The system worked against Lehigh as Widrick scored on the Mountain Hawks just 4:54 into the game. Widrick went on to score two more, including one off a penalty kick, before sophomore Leanne Goldblatt scored the game-winning goal eight minutes into overtime.
Against Lafayette, however, Ball State's offense seemed to lose steam, especially in the second half. All five of the Cardinals' shots came past the 35-minute mark.
What didn't help the Cardinals' chances in the game is that the Leopards scored two goals within the game's first five minutes.
Widrick then scored the team's lone goal of the day, an unassisted rebound shot off the corner.
Freshman goalkeeper Maddi Elliott is now 1-1 in her young career as a goalkeeper.
The key statistic for the weekend was the amount of shots taken by the Cardinals. During Saturday's game against Lehigh, Ball State took 24 shots, 12 more than the opposition . However, against Lafayette, Ball State took eight less shots then Lafayette.
"We want to take as many shots as possible," Maddox said. "The more pressure we can put on the defense, the better. Quality shots are key, but at this point it's about creating opportunities."
Maddox said her team will make enough adjustments for this weekend's games against Davidson College and the University of Louisville.
Ball State plays Davidson at 2 p.m., Sunday and Louisville at 2 p.m., Monday.
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