Attempting to put an entire season and career into perspective, Torrie Albini decided ' instead of reflecting on the past ' to look toward the future.
I couldn't be more proud of the progress the team's made
the forward said following her final game as a Bobcat. I'm extremely excited for the future of Ohio field hockey. I think I've been a part of laying the foundation for a great program.
One of the most successful seasons in Ohio field hockey history came to a close in Ann Arbor, Mich., Saturday, when the No. 15 Bobcats fell 1-0 in overtime to No. 6 Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Ohio's 18 wins this season are the second most in the program's history, and Saturday's game was Ohio's first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2001.
I think we proved to ourselves that we belong in the top 15 teams in the country goalkeeper Jessie Martin said. Next year we'll be able to make another appearance and get further than this year.
Between the Mid-American Conference championship and competing with some of the top teams in the nation, Ohio coach Neil Macmillan said he couldn't be anything but pleased with the season his team had.
Even the games we lost
we were in
he said, noting that Ohio never lost by more than one goal. I don't think there was a game we won that we shouldn't have
or looking back at the games we lost
we perhaps could have won two or three of those.
The season came to a close in the 84th minute when Lucia Belassi found a rebound and put the ball back for the game-winning score, sending Michigan into the second round.
Martin, despite taking the loss, had a career day for the Bobcats (18-5). She notched 12 saves, a career high, on a day when the Wolverines (16-7) outshot Ohio 17-9 and executed six penalty corners to Ohio's three.
With the season on the line, Martin said she went on to the field intending to give her best.
I knew that Michigan was a very good team
she said. I knew we all needed to bring our A-game
and that's what I tried to do.
Martin played one of the best games of her career, Macmillan said, and that points positively towards next season.
She really didn't make any mistakes at all
he said. A couple times in overtime
she made a save pretty much one-on-one with a Michigan forward. That's how she can play.
While the offensive statistics weighed heavily in Michigan's favor, Macmillan said the Bobcats had some opportunities to pull off the upset, especially in overtime.
Looking back
