MAC Field Hockey Offensive Player of the Week
Justi Intzes, Sophomore, Striker, Miami
Mendoza, Arg. (Santa Maria)
Intzes was electric for the RedHawks as she was directly a part of three goals, scoring a hat trick as Miami defeated Central Michigan 7-0 on the road. The sophomore was also a part of the midfield that helped Miami to an advantage of 11-2 in corners, with her generating a number of them. Her goal in the 7th minute, the first one of the game for the 'Hawks, was followed by a pair five minutes apart in the 3rd that gave the Red + White insurance.
MAC Field Hockey Defensive Player of the Week
Lauren Lewish, Junior, Midfielder/Defender, Ball State
Hull, England (Hymers College)
Junior midfielder/defender Lauren Lewis put together a masterful defensive performance last week, serving as the absolute anchor of the Ball State field hockey backline during a perfect weekend sweep in Louisville, Kentucky. Facing two physical, high-stakes opponents, Lewis displayed the elite positioning, resilience, and endurance necessary to carry the Cardinals through consecutive overtime marathons. On Thursday against Mid-American Conference rival Bellarmine, Lewis controlled the tempo from the defensive third. She consistently disrupted the Knights' transition game, limiting them to 11 total shots and only three penalty corners to allow Ball State to secure a crucial 2-1 conference win in overtime. he followed that up on Friday with a spectacular iron-woman performance against Saint Louis, playing all 90 minutes of regulation and double overtime. Facing a continuous barrage from the Billikens, Lewis commanded the circle, single-handedly organizing a defensive corner unit that turned away every single threat. Her steady presence guaranteed a 1-0 clean-sheet shutout, allowing the Cardinals to capture the match in a penalty shootout.
MAC Field Hockey Goalkeeper of the Week
Carleigh Hofelich, Senior, Ball State
Louisville, Ky. (Assumption)
Senior goalkeeper Carleigh Hofelich put together a spectacular masterclass in the cage last week, providing the defining defensive presence that anchored the Ball State field hockey team to a perfect regular-season-ending road sweep in Louisville, Kentucky. Hofelich's exceptional poise, cat-like reflexes, and leadership in late-game pressure situations directly propelled the Cardinals to back-to-back overtime triumphs. On Thursday against Mid-American Conference foe Bellarmine, Hofelich faced a heavy barrage of second-half pressure. She stood tall by registering 8 immense saves, continually shifting the momentum back to the Cardinals and keeping the game locked at a manageable margin until Ball State could secure the game-winner in extra time. She followed up her clutch Thursday performance with an extraordinary iron-woman display on Friday against Saint Louis. Guarding the cage through 60 scoreless minutes of regulation and two consecutive 10-minute sudden-death overtime frames, Hofelich collected 5 saves to log a magnificent 90-minute clean sheet. When the marathon match moved to a critical penalty shootout, Hofelich showed elite mental toughness under maximum pressure, frustrating the Billikens' shooters and pacing Ball State to a 2-1 shootout margin. Hofelich's brilliant goalkeeping over the 154-minute weekend stretch extended the Cardinals' red-hot winning streak to four games to close out the year.
