Field hockey loses MAC tournament championship against Miami (Ohio)
After a comeback victory against Kent State on Friday, field hockey fell short in the Mid-American Conference tournament championship to Miami (Ohio) 2-0 on Saturday.
It was the third time in four years that CMU had lost deep into the tournament. The RedHawks only surrendered two shots from the Chippewas and only one on target.
After a scoreless half, a pair of penalty corners gave Miami the tow goal advantage.
The RedHawks finished the game with an astounding 18 shots, 10 of which were on target with goals from senior forward Alyssa Logan and sophomore midfielder and All-MAC first team player Bea Dechant.
Sophomore goalkeeper Sadie Reynolds was strong in net, facing 10 shots and allowing two nearly unstoppable goals from penalty corners.
“We hung in there really well. I thought we looked a lot better in the first half than we did in the second half,” said head field hockey coach Cristy Freese. “A tough loss, but even tougher to watch the other team celebrating.”
The Miami backline was stellar and had almost a perfect game. CMU lost in double overtime to the RedHawks in the final game of the season – a game that had MAC title implications. In that match, Miami managed 27 total shots with 17 on net. In both matches, the Chippewas could not generate enough chances against its defense.
The win meant back-to-back Mid-American Conference tournament champions for the RedHawks. It was the fourth time in five years that Miami had made it into the championship game, losing back-to-back in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
It was a tough loss for the team, but even tougher for the seniors. The victory on Friday was the first win against Kent State for the seniors and their first championship game berth.
