After a rough three weeks on the road for the Ohio women's field hockey team, the Bobcats are returning home to Peggy Pruitt Field and the start of their Mid-American Conference season this weekend.
We're psyched to be back in front of the fans and the parents
coach Shelly Morris said. This is also the first time we've been here when the students have been and a lot of the players are excited to have their friends come to the game.
Ohio (2-6) does not have an easy weekend. The Bobcats will welcome No. 4 Michigan State (8-1) today and open MAC play Sunday against a Kent State (2-5) team better than its record might indicate.
However, Ohio will look to be firing on all cylinders and looking to utilize some of its widespread talent as well. Two members of the Ohio squad have gained national attention.
Midfielder Erica Bundalo -the team leader in assists with seven -is tied for sixth in the nation in total assists and is also ranked eighth for assists per game with .875.
Also posting national-caliber numbers is goalkeeper Jennifer Cote, who is ranked fifth in the country with 66 saves during the Ohio's first eight games.
The Bobcats will have to face a Michigan State team coming off its first loss of the season, a 3-2 overtime loss to Wake Forest that cost the Spartans the No. 1 spot in the nation. With 4-1 losses to Michigan State in their last two meetings, the Bobcats will have their work cut out for them.
I think if they had lost to Hofstra it would have been a good opportunity for our team to kick them when they were down Morris said. But to lose to a team like Wake Forest a team that has been the national champion the last two years
and to take them to overtime
that will not deflate their game.
Sunday marks the continuation of a conference rivalry with Kent State that has all but decided the MAC champion the last four years.
There's a lot riding on the line usually when we play them
Morris said. Games have gone to overtime
we've won there and they've won here. There's a lot of rivalry.
Ohio fell short in the 2000 and 2002 MAC Tournament championship game to the Golden Flashes, but bested Kent State in 2001 to win its first MAC championship.
Last year, despite losing both regular season matches against Kent State, Ohio beat the Golden Flashes 1-0 in the MAC Tournament semifinals before falling 2-1 to Louisville.
A whole new season starts for us on Sunday
Morris said.
The Bobcats will play host to Michigan State 3 p.m. today, while action against Kent State begins at 1 p.m. Sunday. Both games are at Peggy Pruitt Field and admission is free.
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