MUNCIE, Ind. – Bellarmine battled back from an early deficit Friday afternoon at Ball State, but ultimately lost 2-1 in double overtime in Mid-American Conference field hockey action at Briner Sports Complex.
 
A remarkable effort by Kailey Workman kept the Knights in the game all afternoon. The senior matched her career high with 14 saves, authoritatively handling the pressure from the Ball State offense through the latter part of the game to get it into extra periods.
 
Ball State (4-12, 2-4 MAC) got on the board just under four minutes into the second quarter when Julia Verratti sent a shot in from just to the right of the very top of the circle. The goal was originally disallowed for being shot from outside the circle, but was then awarded to the Cardinals following a lengthy review by the officials.
 
Bellarmine (2-12, 2-4 MAC) knotted the game at one apiece on their first penalty corner of the game halfway through the second quarter. Brooke Buchanan inserted before Alicia Hudson sent the ball towards the cage and Anouk Richters deflected it up and in the left side of the cage for her second score of the season to match Luna Tuncay for the team lead. The shot by Richters was also the Knights' first of the game. Hudson and Buchanan were awarded assists--Buchanan her team-leading fourth.
 
The game from that point, however, would remain scoreless through regulation. Ball State thought they had the go-ahead score when Christine Ditizio put one into the cage with less than six minutes remaining, but the goal was disallowed by the officials for a violation and the game remained tied at 1-1 after 60 minutes.
 
In the first overtime, Workman made a pair of clutch saves within seconds of each other on a penalty corner to keep the Knights' hopes alive and send the game into a second extra period.
 
The Knights had a chance to end the game late in the second overtime, but the Cardinals' Jessica Rochat made a tremendous defensive save on a shot by Madison Patton to keep Ball State alive.
 
The play by Rochat would precede Verratti scoring the game winner with 2:34 remaining in the second overtime. Rochat, in fact, earned an assist on the dagger, helping Verratti to her second multi-goal game of the season. The junior forward leads the Cardinals with six scores.
 
The homestanding Cardinals outshot the Knights 23-4, 16-3 on goal, and had 10 penalty corner opportunities to the Knights' three.
 
Workman's counterpart, Louisville Assumption product Carleigh Hofelich, recorded one save.
 
Bellarmine sits in a tie with Kent State for sixth in the MAC at 2-4 with six points with two conference games remaining. The top six in the standings earn a bid to the MAC Championship.
 
Bellarmine looks to regroup as they host James Madison Sunday at Trager Stadium on Senior Day. The match is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. ET.
 
For more coverage of Bellarmine athletics, follow the Knights on X, Instagram and Facebook.