On the road again: Field hockey awaits renovation completion
The Kent State women’s field hockey team is looking forward to the weekend after two close losses last weekend, falling 1-0 to Temple University and 2-1 to Northwestern.
The Flashes have not played a single home game yet in 2017, due to renovations on Murphy-Mellis field that have been taking place since the end of the spring semester.
Coach Kathleen Wiler said that the renovations were supposed to be finished after graduation in the spring, but have remained incomplete, not allowing the field hockey team to host a game this season, let alone practice on the field.
Although the situation is not ideal for coach Wiler, she is optimistic, and said that complaining about the situation is not going to change it.
Instead, she touched on the abilities of her players and her staff to get them through this.
“We have an amazing group of players, and also staff, that are working really hard this season,” Wiler said.
Ines Delpech, a senior center mid-fielder, is one player in particular that Wiler pointed out as stepping up to the challenges that the team has faced this season, and her stats so far paint the same picture.
Delpech’s three goals against strong opponents make her the highest scorer on the team. One of these three goals came in a huge road game win as the Flashes toppled the Ohio State Buckeyes 2-1, a win that Wiler said was a huge morale booster for the team.
Coming up this Friday and Saturday, the Flashes will take on Appalachian State and Liberty University respectively. Neither team has been on Kent State’s schedule in recent years, setting the team up for two refreshing matchups that will yet again test Kent State’s ability to play on the road.
Brandon Busby is a sports reporter. Contact him at [email protected]