After riding high from winning three of its last five games, the Kent State field hockey team was defeated 3-0 by the James Madison University Dukes Friday and took a 3-0 setback to the Ohio State University Buckeyes Sunday.
The Flashes were tested on the road by two of the best teams in their respective conferences.
James Madison is a perfect 4-0 against the Mid-American Conference and 9-3 overall – the Dukes are on top of the MAC standings.
The Buckeyes are 11-1 overall and are ranked No. 3 in the NCAA D1 field hockey standings.
JMU was able to put in three of its nine shots on goal, two on penalty strokes. The Flashes were unsuccessful on their three shots on goal.
Kent State registered 10 total shots against JMU’s 13 and beat the Dukes in corners 11-4 despite not finding the back of the net.
Junior forward Maia Sarrabayrouse had a season-high four shots and also had a shot on goal.
Ohio State used a goal in the first, second and fourth quarter en route to its win.
The Flashes were outshot 17-1 and 9-0 on shots on goal. Freshman goalkeeper Lieve Jansen denied six of the Buckeye attempts on goal.
KSU was also unable to record a corner, dropping that department 4-0.
Kent State’s defense proved they can compete with the best after the back-to-back losses.
The Flashes held the No. 3 team in the country to the fewest goals they have scored on their home field all season with just three.
KSU is 3-10 overall and 2-2 against the MAC. The team sits in fifth place among nine teams in the MAC standings.
Looking ahead, Kent State’s final four games will be of great importance with all of them against MAC opponents.
The first test will be Friday at 2 p.m. against the Central Michigan Chippewas at Murphy-Mellis Field. CMU is 3-10 and is winless in five games versus the MAC.
Last season, Kent State defeated the Chippewas 8-0, so it will look to continue its success against CMU.
The Flashes will then face off against the Ohio University Bobcats Sunday at noon on the road. OU is 2-3 against the MAC and 5-8 overall.
Kent State will look for a winning weekend before facing off in their final two games of the season in the coming weeks.
Andrew Gold is a reporter. Contact him at [email protected].