It took nearly the entire regular season, but the Ohio field hockey club finally lost a game to a Mid-American Conference team.
Despite an edge in penalty corners and shots, the Bobcats fell to Kent State in overtime Friday, 2-1.
“It would have been really, really nice to go 10-0,” coach Neil Macmillan said. “That would have been a very, very good achievement.
“It was disappointing because we had chances, especially in overtime, to win that game. … But we did a good job. We played well. We know we can be successful against Kent.”
Jessica Jue scored Ohio’s only goal in the road loss. It came during a penalty corner in the second half to tie the game. Cathryn Altdoerffer was credited with the assist.
On Sunday, the Bobcats came back to Athens for a game against Central Michigan. In another low-scoring affair, they took care of business, beating the Chippewas, 1-0.
The first half saw eight shots by Ohio (16-4, 9-1 MAC), but the score remained tied at zero. For the second straight game, the Bobcats were in danger of losing to an in-conference rival.
At the break, Macmillan told his team to keep playing the way it had been all game.
“We were doing a pretty good job,” Macmillan said. “(Our) defense was pretty solid.”
Macmillan described the effort of the Chippewas as “frantic,” as they played for second place in the MAC, which carries a first-round bye in the conference tournament.
But the visitors were unable to put a point on the scoreboard, thanks in part to Ohio goalkeeper Jen McGill.
She stopped all five shots that came on goal and registered her ninth shutout of 2011.
“She’s been unbelievable,” Macmillan said. “She’s just having an outstanding season and it’s really good to see.”
Although she had to wait an hour, McGill finally saw her teammates put one past the Central Michigan goaltender.
During one of Ohio’s nine corners, Andrea Biegalksi sent a rebound over the line for the game’s only score.
The goal was Ohio’s second in as many games, but that lack of production has not raised any alarms for Macmillan.
“It would be nice to put more in,” Macmillan said. “We moved a few people around. … Changing around like that, still finding a way to win and still playing good defense for the majority of the game — I’m happy with that.”
Yesterday’s win coincided with Senior Day at Pruitt Field, and three players were honored before the game began.
Brooke Edwards, Jenna Green and Louzeth Schutte all took the field for their last regular season game in a Bobcats uniform. Edwards and Green both recorded shots in the win.
me811508@ohiou.edu
