MUNCIE, Ind. – An 83rd minute goal from Nicky Potts helped lead Ball State to a 1-0 victory over the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 10) at the Briner Sports Complex. Junior goalkeeper Megan Donnally (Plainfield, Ill./Plainfield North) made a season-high 13 saves in the contest for the Huskies. 

"We executed out game plan for most of the game, but in the moment where we slipped up Ball State capitalized and we didn't capitalize on our opportunities," said NIU head coach Julie Colhoff. 

Ball State (10-3-0, 4-1-0 MAC) had the first look at goal in the eighth minute as a chance from Julia Elvbo was held by Donnally. 

After a foul just outside the box by NIU (2-9-1, 0-5-0 MAC) Tatiana Mason lined up a free kick in the 13th minute as fired just high and wide. 

Still looking for the first goal of the contest, Ball State had another opportunity off a corner in the 35th minute as the ball slipped through to Sam Musick, but she was unable to get clean contact and it was cleared away by the NIU defense. 

Junior Allie Fullriede (Bolingbrook, Ill./Neuqua Valley) had a look at goal for the Huskies in the 42nd minute, hitting a shot from outside the box that was collected by Ball State goalkeeper Tristin Stuteville as the Huskies and Cardinals went into halftime scoreless. 

Three minutes into the second half, Sam Kambol had a look at goal from 20 yards that was stopped by an outstretched Donnally. 

Just past the hour mark, NIU had a chance as senior Jennie Nailor (Hoffman Estates, Ill./Hoffman Estates) sent a free kick into the box but Stuteville was strong off her line to punch the ball away just ahead of freshman Nicole Barham (Long Beach, Calif./Los Alamitos). 

Donnally made her best save of the match in the 74th minute as Kambol made a move just inside the box and fired a low shot toward the corner, but the NIU junior goalkeeper was able to get down to her right and palm the shot away. 

Ball State got the breakthrough in the 83rd minute, Elvbo played a pass into Potts about 10 yards from goal and Potts' shot from near the penalty spot took a slight deflection off a Huskie defender, just enough to wrong-foot Donnally as the ball rolled into the back of the net. 

Three minutes from time the Huskies nearly equalized from a free kick just on the edge of the Ball State box as Nailor's shot whistled just high. 

NIU will return home on Sunday afternoon, October 13, when the Huskies host Miami. Kickoff against the RedHawks is slated for 2 p.m.