Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
Sunday’s Field Hockey Results
James Madison 2, Richmond 1
Kent State 4, Michigan State 3 (2OT)
Miami 5, Ohio 1
No. 18 Liberty 5, App State 0
La Salle 3, Longwood 2 (OT)
Kent State 4, Michigan State 3 (2OT)
Box Score
EAST LANSING, Mich. – The Kent State field hockey team visited Big Ten country on Sunday to face off against the Michigan State Spartans. The Flashes prevailed in a gutsy contest, claiming a 4-3 shootout victory and the team's first non-conference win of the season.
Both teams wasted no time getting going on the offensive end in the first quarter. Just 16 seconds into the match, Michigan State found the opening goal with a powerful effort to take a 1-0 lead. The Flashes responded just three minutes later through Emma Rolston. The junior stole the ball from the stick of a Spartan defender before carrying it into the circle and finding the back of the cage for her second goal of the season.
The Spartans once again moved swiftly to respond on the offensive end, recording their second goal of the match less than one minute after Rolston's successful effort to restore a 2-1 lead. As the first quarter rolled on, the Flashes continued to establish an offensive presence before finding an equalizing goal for the second time. With five minutes remaining in the opening period, a solo effort from Eva Usoz deflected off Maybritt Duwel to level the match at 2-2. The goal marks the sophomore's first of the season and the assist from Usoz is her joint team-high fourth of the season.
With the match tied 2-2 entering the second quarter, the Flashes remained on the hunt to take the lead. After out-shooting the Spartans 4-1 in the second period, Kent State's efforts paid off as they took the lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half. Agustina Florio fired a low effort into the Michigan State cage off of Rolston's penalty corner insertion to give the Flashes a 3-2 lead heading into halftime.
The second half was a very different story for Kent State as the Spartans drastically upped the offensive pressure, out-shooting the Flashes 13-0 across the third and fourth quarters. Through a solid team defensive effort and heroics from goalkeeper Lieve Jansen, who tallied seven saves throughout the match, the Flashes kept the Spartans from equalizing until they finally broke the seal with just over one minute remaining to send the match to overtime at 3-3.
While the Spartans were able to register three shots on goal across both overtime periods, they were unable to best Jansen and the stout Kent State defense, leading the match to the Flashes' first penalty shootout of the season.
Jansen proved to be the hero for Kent State in the shootout, forcing three unsuccessful penalty attempts by Michigan State. Successful attempts by Rolston, Florio, and Emma Seger clinched the huge road victory for the Flashes, the first non-conference win of the Hefner era.
Kent State returns to action with two road contests next weekend, as they head to James Madison on Friday at 3 p.m. before facing Ohio State on Sunday in Columbus at 1 p.m.
James Madison 2, Richmond 1
Box Score
HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison field hockey trailed 1-0 less than two minutes into the contest but responded with two goals in the first half for a 2-1 win over Richmond on Sunday afternoon at the JMU Field Hockey complex.
The Dukes (8-2, 3-0 MAC) limited the Spiders (8-3, 3-0 A10) to five total shots to snap their four-game winning streak. JMU is off to its best start since 2008 when the team began the season 9-1.
Senior Cassidy Strittmatter extended her point streak to three games with JMU's first goal of the day. Junior Skyler Brown was credited with the game-winner, while classmate Julie Narleski dished out a pair of assists off the bench. Alice Roeper registered an assist for the second game in a row.
Redshirt sophomore Molly Schreiner recorded three saves to improve to 8-2 in goal.
Valen Luna Paratore scored the game's opening goal, with assists from Clara Larripa and Jess McMeeking. Netminder Kristen Rake made two stops in the loss, while Alexa Derr picked up her first defensive save of the season.
Richmond converted on a penalty corner with a stick stop McMeeking to Larripa, who made a backhand pass to Luna Paratore for a shot to the near side to make it 1-0 at the 13:10 mark of the first.
With under four minutes to go in the first, Narleski connected with Strittmatter in front of the goal for the quick hit to even the game at 1-1.
Brown redirected a shot from Roeper on a corner play with an assist from Narleski to pull the Dukes ahead 2-1 midway through the second.
JMU turned away three UR penalty corners in the game's final seven minutes to claim the 2-1 victory.
James Madison leads Richmond in the all-time series 46-7-1, dating back to 1974.
The Dukes held the advantage in shots (7-5) and shots on goal (5-4), while the Spiders drew more penalty corners (5-3).
The win was JMU's first this season after failing to score the opening goal. Previously, the Dukes were 0-2 in 2024 when allowing the first goal of a game, with losses to Monmouth (4-3, Sept. 8) and Cal (3-0, Sept. 22).
JMU won its fourth consecutive game for the first time since 2022 when the team had a five-game winning streak from Sept. 10 through Sept. 25.
The Dukes have limited opponents to 12 total shots over the last four games. Narleski's multi-assist performance was the first of her career. Stretching back to last season, the Dukes have won 10 of their last 12 games.
The Dukes will pick up Mid-American Conference play on Friday versus Kent State. Action at the JMU Field Hockey Complex is slated for 3 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.
Miami 5, Ohio 1
Box Score
OXFORD, Ohio – Five RedHawks from the Miami University field hockey team scored goals on Sunday afternoon to power the RedHawks to a 5-1 victory over Mid-American Conference rival Ohio University. This pushes Miami to 6-6 on the season (3-1 MAC). Ohio drops to 5-7 (1-3 MAC).
Just three and a half minutes into the first quarter, Claudia Negrete Garcia scored on a penalty corner off assists from Berta Mata and Carlie Servis to make it a 1-0 Miami lead.
Three minutes later, Katherine Groff deflected a shot from Servis to double the RedHawks' advantage 2-0.
With under two and a half minutes remaining in the quarter, Ohio scored to halve the difference 2-1. This score held through the end of the quarter.
The second, unlike the first quarter, was offensively quiet, and the 2-1 score remained through the end of the first half.
Halfway through the third quarter, Becca Lawn scored off an assist from Servis during a scrambling penalty corner, pushing the Miami lead to 3-1.
Barely over a minute later, Paula Peña Martinez scored during a penalty corner off assists from Mata and Servis making it a 4-1 game.
The RedHawks held their 4-1 lead through the end of the quarter.
Just two minutes into the final quarter, Reese Wearren scored during a penalty corner off the rebound from the initial shot and subsequent save to up the lead to 5-1.
Miami held this substantial lead through the end of the quarter to take the game 5-1.
The RedHawks are back in Oxford next week to face off against Appalachian State University on Friday, Oct. 11 at 2 p.m.
