Game 1: Kent State 8, Bellarmine 0

Kent State University’s field hockey team got off to a fast start, scoring five of its eight total goals in the first period against Bellarmine University Friday.

“We went into the weekend with some team team goals in mind,” coach Kyle DeSandes-Moyer said. “A lot of it had to do with controlling the tempo and the pace of the games, setting the tone and being really disciplined throughout the two games.”

Senior back/midfielder Clara Rodriguez Seto scored three of the Flashes’ five first period goals. The other goals were scored by freshman midfielder/forward Jenna McCrudden (first career goal) and sophomore forward Claudia Ortiz.

Senior back Emma Bressler and freshman forward/midfielder Katie Wuerstle (first career goal) scored KSU’s goals in the second period. Wuerstle scored again in the fourth period, bringing the Flashes to eight goals, their most points of the season.

Kent took 19 shots with 13 shots on goal and held Bellarmine to seven shots overall with two of those as shots on goal.

The Flashes converted on three of seven penalty corner opportunities and did not allow a single Knight penalty corner attempt.

Kent’s goalkeepers, senior Azure Fernsler and junior Rebecca Nelson, combined for two saves on seven shots to earn a shutout.

For Bellarmine, junior goalkeeper Breanna McWhorter allowed eight goals and had five saves on 19 shots faced.

Game 2: Kent State 7, Bellarmine 0

The offensive momentum kept rolling for Kent State women’s field hockey team (3-1, 1-1 MAC) as it beat Bellarmine University (0-6) by a score of 7-0 Saturday to extend its winning streak to three games.

“I think we did a really good job of moving the ball and connecting with each other on the ball and defensively we were super disciplined all over the field,” DeSandes-Moyer said.

The Flashes started aggressive, taking eight shots and drawing seven penalty corners in the first period. The first two goals of the game came in the second period and were scored by sophomore forward Sydney Washburn and Rodriguez Seto.

In the third Kent took 19 shots, scored three goals and had six penalty corner opportunities. The goal scorers were Wuerstle, Washburn (2) and junior forward Sydney Carr.

The Flashes’ fourth period resulted in two more goals on eight shots and two penalty corner opportunities. The goal scorers were sophomore forward/midfielder Caitlin Holland and Bressler.

Overall, Kent took 38 shots with 26 of them being shots on goal compared to Bellarmine’s three total shots with two being shots on goal. The Flashes had 15 penalty corner opportunities but only converted on one of them while the Knights had just one penalty corner attempt and did not convert on it.

“The penalty corners are something that we’re going to work on a little bit more this coming week,” DeSandes-Moyer said. “We weren’t running our typically penalty corner plays, so that probably contributed to that stat.”

Defensively, the Flashes’ goalkeepers combined for their second straight shutout. Nelson had two saves on three shots faced in 30 minutes of play. Fernsler played in the second half, but did not face a single shot.

“Rebecca does a great job organizing her backfield and communicating with everyone,” DeSandes-Moyer said.

For the Knights, McWhorter had 18 saves on 38 shots faced in the contest.

Kent will open up its home schedule Friday, March 26 and Saturday, March 27 at noon each day against Appalachian State University (2-3, 1-2 MAC).

“We have to continue to build off the work we did this weekend by connecting with our lines, finding ways to be successful in the attacking end and continuing to be disciplined on the defensive end of the ball,” DeSandes-Moyer said.

Kathryn Rajnicek is a sports reporter. Contact her at [email protected].