MUNCIE, Ind. – Claudia Muessig (Paw Paw, Mich./Paw Paw) scored her team-best third goal of the season, but the Northern Illinois University women's soccer team dropped a 4-1 decision at Ball State on Thursday afternoon (Sept. 29). Muessig's 12th minute goal opened the scoring before the Cardinals scored a pair before halftime to take the lead and two more after the intermission. 

"We were really good in the first 20 minutes, on the front foot," said NIU head coach Michael O'Neill. "We pinned (Ball State) back, created chances, obviously got the goal. We pressed them well, pretty high up the field and stopped them playing. Then they went a little more direct and we just didn't respond very well. Our backline was disconnected to our midfield line, so they found spaces to get at our backline, it became transitional, and they are a very good attacking team.

"They are scoring goals for fun right now; they have a lot of experienced players and they put on a clinic in terms of the attacking third. They are a good team, they responded, but we just didn't adjust well to how they adjusted."

Muessig's sixth career goal gave NIU a lead less than a quarter-hour into the contest. Jamie Ward (Cherry Valley, Ill./Rockford East) played a low cross that found Muessig inside the box and the Paw Paw, Mich., native turned and fired a shot into the side-netting inside the far post to give the visitors and early lead. 

NIU (4-4-2, 1-2-0 MAC) continued to have a good spell on the ball as it looked for a second with Madison Looby (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel Catholic Central), Abby Zipse (Batavia, Ill./Batavia) and Ward all having shots blocked by the Cardinal defense while the Huskies were in front by a goal. 

Ball State (3-3-4, 2-0-1 MAC) answered with a tying goal courtesy of Avery Fenchel in the 23rd minute. Lexi Fraley played the ball from the right into Fenchel inside the box, Fenchel took one touch and then tucked a right-footed shot into the corner, past NIU goalkeeper Deighton Wamer (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) to bring the Cardinals level. 

Two minutes before halftime the hosts went in front. Alex McPhee crossed in from the right side to Tiffani Torres at the top of the six-yard box and Torres redirected a first-time shot that squeezed past Wamer and gave Ball State a 2-1 advantage heading into the break. 

Fenchel scored her second of the contest, and her eighth of the season, to double the Cardinal lead in the 53rd minute. A floated cross from the left from Maya Millis found the head of Fenchel just outside the top of the six-yard box and Fenchel snapped a header beyond an outstretched Wamer to put Ball State in front, 3-1. 

The hosts added a fourth in the 68th minute through Emily Roper. Abby Elgert and Kaitlyn Fraser combined down the right for the Cardinals before Elgert sent a cross toward the top of the six and Roper poked home a shot over the head of Wamer from close range to finish the scoring for Ball State. 

Bethany Moser finished with three saves in goal for the Cardinals while picking up the victory. Wamer made one stop and Sadie McGill (Fort Worth, Texas/L.D. Bell), who came on to play the final minutes for the Huskies in goal, also recorded one save. 

"Whilst it's a really tough loss and we are upset, annoyed and frustrated, the first 20 minutes gives you hope," said O'Neill. "We didn't just get beat; we were on top and can compete at this level. It is now about how we maintain that level and keep it consistent through longer periods of games."

NIU will return home on Sunday, Oct. 2, as the Huskies host Central Michigan. Kickoff at the NIU Soccer Complex is slated for 1 p.m.