Sophomore back Mary Kate Hanosek moves the ball downfield during the game against Northwestern on Monday. The Flashes will play Missouri State at noon today at home. KATIE ROUPE | DAILY KENT STATER

Credit: John Proppe

Sometimes the only way for a team to pull itself out of a slump, like the Kent State field hockey team is stuck in, is to get back to the basics of the game.

Senior forward Elizabeth Lahey said the Flashes, losers of their last three games, just need to focus on the fundamentals before they do anything else.

“I think we have to focus more on things like possession, passing and receiving,” Lahey said. “Just the fundamentals. I think we are trying to do too much too fast. We need to step back and just try to focus on simple things and then hopefully it will come together.”

Since defeating St. Louis (6-7, 2-2 A-10) 6-1 on Sept. 30, Kent State (5-12, 2-5 Mid-American Conference) has failed to score more than two goals in a game.

The Flashes are also 1-4 since their victory over the Billikens. Lahey said that the Flashes are stopping themselves more so than any opposing defense is.

“We’ve played well for the majority of the games,” Lahey said. “We just have to focus on our details. We give ourselves chances, but we just don’t capitalize on them. We are not getting outplayed necessarily; it’s just that we are not finishing the opportunities that we are earning.”

Although the offense has been in a rut the last five games, the Flashes’ defense has been stellar.

The defense has allowed two goals or less in four of the last five games. Junior goalie Kara Copeland said that one of the team’s aspirations this year is to shut out an opponent.

Kent State’s best chances to achieve that shutout and break its losing streak could come this weekend when they host Missouri State (5-8, 1-5 MAC) and travel to Ohio (8-7, 5-2 MAC). Ohio and Missouri State are tied for last in the MAC in goals scored with 22 on the year.

Missouri State comes into today’s game at Kent State on its own five-game losing streak. Its last win was over Kent State when the two played at Missouri State earlier this season.

Bears coach Dawn Porter said that she thinks the turf of Murphy Mellis field will change how her team attacks the Flashes.

“It’s going to be a little different,” Porter said. “Kent State’s turf is different than ours. We are going to have to adjust to a faster turf. The turf will affect the corners and the speed of the game. We have a 14-hour bus trip ahead of us so we will not get the chance to practice on it much.”

Kent State will play Missouri State at noon today at Murphy Mellis field and then travel to play at 1 p.m. Sunday at Ohio.

Contact field hockey reporter Tyler McIntosh at [email protected].