The Ohio field hockey team had to fight its way through torrential rain and second-place Central Michigan on Friday, but in the end the Bobcats came away with more than just drenched jerseys.
With a 3-1 win over the Chippewas, Ohio captured the Mid-American Conference regular season title.
That was the main goal at the start of the year
Ohio coach Neil Macmillan said. It's a nice achievement.
Although they lost 2-1 to Michigan State on Sunday in their final regular season game, the Bobcats (11-8, 8-2 MAC) also have locked up the No. 1 seed in the MAC Tournament and a first-round bye.
That's really important because you're not as tired as the other teams who've already played forward Estienne Coetzee said.
After a scoreless first half for both teams on Friday, Chippewas' (11-9, 6-4 MAC) midfielder Samantha Sandham scored at 48:44, but the Bobcats countered one minute later when Coetzee tallied her eighth goal of the season.
We've been really practicing our passing and using each other in the field Coetzee added. It worked really well.
Marcy Dull scored the game clinching goal seven minutes after Coetzee's and forward Torrie Albini added a goal in the 67th minute.
However, Ohio came out slow against the Spartans (7-11, 1-5 Big Ten), giving up two quick goals within the first 12 minutes of play and finding themselves in trouble early.
You put yourself in a hole
back Amanda Arnold said. You dig yourself a hole
then you've got to now get out of it and score more than you would've if you started out zero to zero. It just makes your job harder.
Albini drilled a shot off a penalty corner just before halftime, but Macmillan was still unhappy with the lack of enthusiasm early on Senior Day, trying to change that pace with a quick timeout.
I just wanted to see a fire
to see an energy
he said. We didn't have that to start the game. Nobody was playing well. I just wanted to kick them in the backside and get them going again.
Neither team was able to score in the second half, and Michigan State, who was coming off a double-overtime loss to Ohio State on Saturday, halted the Bobcats' four-game winning streak.
We didn't play well
Macmillan added. We want to play well going into the tournament. Next week
it's win or go home. So we better wake ourselves up.
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