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ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio field hockey team (5-4, 1-2 MAC) returned to action Friday afternoon, falling to Mid-American Conference foe Kent State (5-4, 3-0 MAC), 4-3 in overtime, in a back-and-forth affair at Pruitt field.
"I told them I can't ask for anything more out of them because they played really well," head coach
Ali Johnstone said. "It was a good battle. It was a good matchup and there was a lot of strategy going on with corners and what to call and how to defend it in which one are we going to do, and you know, that's what you ask of sports. I thought our team's energy was still high and their spirits were incredible. So I can't ask for anything more out of my team."
Overall, Kent State outshot Ohio 18-9 with 14 shots on goal to the Bobcats' five Kent State also recorded 13 corners to Ohio's five.
Individually, freshman
Mijntje Ligtenberg led the Bobcats with a goal and an assist on four shots with two on goal. Junior
Meela Kopp (Louisville, Ky.) added a goal on two shots, while sophomore
Noa Desmaretz (Antwerp, Belgium) added one goal and one assist on one shot. Senior
Katelyn Whittle (Glenwood, Md.) registered one shot and a defensive save, while sophomore
Bodhi Littlefield (Oakland, Maine) also added a shot for the Bobcats. Sophomore
Merle Kal (Haarlem, The Netherlands) also added an assist for the Bobcats.
In goal, graduate student
Nele Graner (Bonn, Germany) played all 66 minutes, allowing four goals and making nine saves.
Kent State struck early in the first quarter, taking a 1-0 lead in the third minute. Ohio responded immediately when Koop scored off a penalty corner, which was assisted by Desmaretz in the fifth minute, tying the game at 1-1 in the first quarter. Both teams generated chances over the remining minutes of the first, however both team's keepers were able to keep the ball out of the cage, sending the game to the second quarter with it tied at 1-1.
Ohio took the lead seconds into the second quarter when Desmaretz scored on the 16
th minute. The goal was assisted by Ligtenberg off another penalty corner, giving the Bobcats a 2-1 lead. The Bobcat's defense held strong over the rest of the second quarter, fending off three penalty corners in the final 10 seconds to send the game to the half with Ohio leading, 2-1.
At the half, Kent State outshot Ohio, 7-5 with six shots on goal to Ohio's three. Ohio also recorded two penalty corners, scoring on both, while Kent State registered five.
Kent State tied the game in the 36
th minute, scoring off a penalty corner, knotting the game at 2-2 midway through the third quarter. Ohio was able to generate a few chances over the rest of the quarter, getting two penalty corners before the end of the period, however the Kent State defense held its ground, sending the game to the final quarter tied at 2-2.
It didn't take long into the fourth quarter for Ohio to retake the lead, when Ligtenberg scored on an assist by Kal, putting the Bobcats up 3-2 in the 46
th minute. Kent State would tie the game back up in the 56
th minute, scoring on a penalty corner, knotting the match at 3-3 with just over four minutes to go. Neither team would get another goal over the remaining few minutes, sending the game to overtime tied at 3-3.
Kent State scored in the 67
th minute, taking the game 4-3 in overtime.
Up next, the Bobcats stay at home on Sunday, Oct. 2 when they host Michigan State. First touch is set for Noon ET at Pruitt Field.
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