Sunday’s loss extends streak
The field hockey team allowed four unanswered goals in a 6-1 loss at No. 9 Ohio State Sunday.
It was the team’s fourth consecutive loss.
CMU was out shot 24-7 in the game and converted no penalty corner opportunities. OSU went 4-12 on its offensive penalty corner opportunities.
“The difference in the game was the execution on penalty corners,” said CMU coach Cristy Freese. “We are not a top 10 team and we have to capitalize on our scoring opportunities when we are playing one.”
The team could not stop OSU’s Lucy Clayton, who scored four goals in the game.
“OSU was the best team that we faced this season and staying consistent against top teams was very difficult for us this year,” Freese said.
The loss puts CMU at 6-9 overall this season and 0-6 on the road. OSU improves to 13-3 on the season.
CMU is 3-6 against non-conference opponents and 1-4 against teams ranked in the Top 20 of the NFHCA Division Coaches Poll.
“It is tough when we are so close to some of the nation’s top teams like OSU, U of M, MSU and other Big Ten teams,” Freese said. “We are going to play those teams every year, because the tough competition helps to expose our team’s weaknesses and allows us to prepare for Mid-American Conference games. Playing an easier non-conference schedule means long road trips and less competition.”
Ohio State 6
Central 1
A goal from Sophomore Yesenia Luces gave the Buckeyes an early 1-0 lead.
Clayton made it 2-0 when she scored on a penalty corner.
Sophomore Allyson Doan scored the lone CMU goal at the 9:37 mark of the first half, cutting the OSU lead to 2-1. The goal was Doan’s third of the season.
“We had a penalty corner and a shot was taken, I got the rebound off the goalie’s pad and lifted the ball over her into the net,” Doan said.
OSU took a 3-1 lead late in the first half, when Clayton dribbled the ball through the circle and scored her second goal of the game.
The Buckeyes scored early in the second half, taking a 4-1 lead.
Clayton scored two late goals on penalty corners, giving OSU a 6-1 win.
“The team needs to play better defense as a whole,” Doan said. “The offense needed to capitalize on scoring opportunities in order to be successful. Playing great competition like that shows us that there is always something to improve on.”
Clayton’s four goal performance gives her 32 points on the season, with 15 goals.
Luces recorded five points in the game with a goal and three assist, giving her a team-leading 36 points. She entered the game one of the nation’s top scorers with 31 points and was second in the nation with 11 assists.
OSU’s Saskia Mueller recorded three assists in the game, giving her 13 on the season.
