Bobcats drop final game to Kent State

by Tim Pappa
THE POST

School is not always out on the weekends. Kent State's Meagan Class gave Ohio field hockey a quick lesson by scoring two goals in a 3-0 victory over the Bobcats Saturday.

Class knocked in a rebound with 20:50 left in the first half to take the lead for Kent State. Class would chalk up another goal in the second half, scoring with 27 minutes left on a penalty corner.

The loss to 11th-ranked Kent State (17-3 overall, 10-0 in the Mid-American Conference) ended the Bobcat's (9-9, 6-4) regular season. The Golden Flashes' victory extended their winning streak to 16 games, while continuing to strengthen an undefeated home record of 23 consecutive wins.

"What can I say, Kent State is good," coach Shelly Morris said. "We stepped up and did some different things with them. Our players did a good job."

To stall the offensive threat of Kent State, the Bobcats stuck shadows on mid-fielders Arlette van Cleeff and Els Brouwer, who are ranked first and second respectively in the MAC in goals.

"I thought we played well," midfielder Sara Resch said. "We came in with a certain kind of defense just to stop their foreign players. We did that effectively."

Unfortunately for the Bobcats, the alleviation of Brouwer and van Cleeff left Class and forward Stephanie Mirner open to win the game. Mirner's goal came on an assist from forward Kristen Johnson at 20:25 on the second half.

Resch said the Bobcats had come pumped to send a message to the rest of the MAC after a narrow loss earlier in the season to Kent State (2-1 on Sept. 29). She said the loss Saturday will be either as a springboard or an anchor with the championships culminating at the end of the week.

"I think it affected us to some degree," Resch said. "We really wanted to beat Kent State."

Morris said she wants to look at the loss in a more positive light.

"I think they react pretty much the same to any loss," Morris said. "We were looking to wreck their winning streak. It's still good that we got to see them again and got a little more info before possibly facing them in the MAC championships."

Resch and her teammates said they are excited to be hosting the MAC championships this year. But Morris said she knows it will take more than home-field advantage and excitement to hoist the MAC championship in the end.

"We have to go back to the basics, " Morris said. "There will also be a different range of momentum when playing in any championships. We're lucky we're hosting because we get to see all the teams before we may play them, and we'll be able to figure them out. This way the stage will be set before we ever even face off."