Kent, Ohio – The Ohio Bobcats Field Hockey team (5-9, 3-3 MAC) returned to action Friday afternoon, capitalizing on their strongest offensive performance of the season to defeat the Kent State Golden Flashes (3-9, 2-4 MAC) 6-4 in a conference matchup.
 
As a team, the Bobcats scored a season-high six goals on 18 total shots. The Golden Flashes scored four goals on 19 shots, while holding a six to three advantage in penalty corner opportunities.
 
Individually, the Bobcats were led by freshman Tiana Nhamoinesu (Thrisk, North Yorkshire), who scored two goals in the game to bring her season total to three. In addition, senior Sasha Dikotla (Johannesburg, South Africa) scored her team-leading fourth goal, while junior Emily Beitzel (Hershey, Pa.), freshmen Iona Roderick (Cardiff, United Kingdom) and Adi Geer (Newport, Pa.) each scored their first of the season.
 
In the cage, sophomore Ash Stephenson (Kingston Upon Hull, England) made seven saves on 13 shots faced, including a crucial fourth quarter stop on a penalty corner to preserve the Ohio lead.
 
Despite early offensive pressure from the Bobcats, Kent State opened the scoring with goal off a deflection their own to take a 1-0 lead in the game's fourth minute. The Bobcat offense roared to life in after the early deficit, as Dikotla batted a deflection into the back of the net to tie the game. Shortly thereafter, the Bobcats capitalized again when Beitzel took a pass from Dikotla and put it in the net for her first goal of the season, giving the Bobcats the lead. The offensive frenzy didn't stop there, as freshman Roderick scored her first goal as a Bobcat off a penalty corner to give the Bobcats a 3-1 lead after 15 minutes of play.
 
The Bobcat offense continued to make noise in the second quarter, as freshman Nahmoinesu scored her second goal in as many games to extend the Bobcat lead to 4-1. The Golden Flashes had an answer, however, scoring minutes before the halftime break to keep the Bobcat lead to two goals at halftime.
 
The third quarter featured even more offensive output from the Bobcats, as Nhamoinesu scored her second goal of the game off an assist from freshman Ava Florence (Louisville, Ky.) to extend the Ohio lead to three. Minutes later, the Bobcats made another push at the net, where Geer was able to handle a rebound and find the back of the net for her first goal as a Bobcat, and the team's sixth of the game. The Golden Flashes did not go away easy, however, converting on a penalty corner at the 44:59 mark to make it a 6-3 Bobcat lead.  
 
Kent State again threatened to bring the game within reach, capitalizing on a scoring opportunity early in the fourth quarter to make the Ohio lead 6-4 at the 48:37 mark. Amid constant pressure from the Golden Flashes throughout the period, the Bobcat defense stood tall, as keeper Stephenson notched a big save on a Kent State penalty corner, and sophomore Deborah James (Hertsfordshire, England) made yet another crucial defensive play, stopping the ball at the goal line to prevent a late Kent State scoring opportunity. The strong defensive play helped the Bobcats hold the 6-4 score line and secure their third conference win of the season.  
 
The Bobcats will return to action on Sunday, October 19^th, when they host Longwood in a conference matchup at Pruitt Field. First touch is set for 12 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
 
#OUohyeah