Friday’s Field Hockey Results
App State 1, Bellarmine 0
James Madison 3, Ball State 1
Kent State 1, Central Michigan 0
No. 6 UMass 6, Ohio 0
Recaps courtesy of MAC Athletic Communications Departments
App State 1, Bellarmine 0
Box Score
BOONE, N.C. — Following a weather delay of over an hour, Baylie Phillips scored her first career game-winning goal to lift the App State field hockey team to a 1-0 victory over Bellarmine in its MAC opener.
Phillips netted the decisive score on a penalty corner play in the third quarter, deflecting a shot from Sophia Baxter past the goalkeeper to break the scoreless deadlock.
The App State (5-2, 1-0 MAC) defense suffocated Bellarmine (0-5) throughout the afternoon, allowing just one shot on goal and two total shots in the second half. Senior goalkeeper Dakota Anderson earned her third shutout of the season, stopping the lone shot she faced.
The Mountaineers set the tone early by controlling possession, earning one penalty corner and forcing a save from the Knights' (0-5, 0-1 MAC) goalkeeper.
App State maintained relentless pressure, holding Bellarmine without a single shot in the second frame. Despite putting two shots on target and generating three penalty corners, the Mountaineers were held off the board, heading into halftime tied 0-0.
App State elevated its intensity out of the break, firing four shots on goal and earning three penalty corners. The persistence paid off when Phillips tipped in Baxter's initial shot off a corner insert for the game's lone goal.
The Mountaineers kept their foot on the gas to close out the victory, earning three additional penalty corners and forcing two saves. Yielding only a single off-target shot in the final 15 minutes, App State secured the 1-0 clean sheet to open MAC play with a win.
App State hits the road to face No. 13 Liberty on Sunday at 1 p.m., streaming live on ESPN+.
James Madison 3, Ball State 1
Box Score
MUNCIE, Ind. – After a scoreless first half, JMU found the back of the net three times in the third quarter to build a sizable advantage that wouldn't be relinquished, as James Madison field hockey (1-5, 1-0 MAC) defeated Ball State (2-4, 0-1 MAC), 3-1, on Friday afternoon at the Briner Sports Complex.
Right from the opening pass, JMU went on the attack, building a 10-1 edge in shots through the first 30 minutes. By the final whistle, the Dukes had accumulated a 20-6 advantage in shots, putting 11 efforts on goal while limiting Ball State to three shots on target.
Six Dukes recorded multiple shots, with Brynna Hill leading the way by posting her third career brace with a pair of backhand goals in the third period. Hill totaled four shots and three shots on goal, both of which led the team. First-year forwards Diede Donders and Emma Smit also peppered Ball State's backline with attempts, each registering three shots, while Smit tallied her first career goal to extend JMU's lead in the third.
JMU received a prime scoring opportunity in the 37th minute when Ava Drexler-Amey charged past Cardinals defenders, pushing the ball to Elena Giangaspero in the middle of the circle. After the ball was tipped away, Hill managed to collect it, spin around and slap a backhand shot past the Ball State goalkeeper to put the Dukes in front.
The Dukes weren't done offensively, as a few moments later, Hill once again found herself in possession of the ball. This time, the fourth-year midfielder fired another backhand shot from just inside the shooting circle and sent it into the bottom left corner.
In the 43rd minute, the Dukes worked quickly on the fast break as Avery Ruckman took control of the ball and maneuvered through a thicket of Cardinals defenders to put JMU in prime position to score. Smit seized the opportunity, firing multiple shots before her final effort found the cage at the right post to put JMU ahead 3-0.
Ball State got one back in the fourth period when GiGi Ronaldo scored off a Cardinals penalty corner in the 54th minute.
With the 3-1 result, James Madison earned its first victory under Head Coach Alyssa Parker Rosenblum.
Since joining the MAC in 2024, JMU is 3-0 in conference openers and has won two of those three by multiple goals. Additionally, the Dukes are 14-4 in MAC play since joining the conference.
JMU improved to 8-5 all-time against Ball State and extended its winning streak over the Cardinals to five, having outscored BSU 22-2 during that span.
Hill's brace was the third of her career and JMU's first since her previous two-goal performance against Bellarmine on Oct. 19, 2025.
JMU's 20 shots Friday afternoon were its most since the Dukes recorded 24 against Central Michigan in the MAC Tournament quarterfinals last season.
James Madison continues its extended road stretch with a trip to Oxford, Ohio, to face Miami at 2 p.m. next Friday.
Kent State 1, Central Michigan 0
Box Score
KENT, Ohio – Kent State opened Mid-American Conference play with a 1-0 victory over Central Michigan at Murphy-Mellis Field on Friday afternoon.
The Golden Flashes (1-6, 1-0 MAC) were the early aggressor with three shots in the first three minutes of the contest. A little more than three minutes later, Torie Del Collo was able to slip a shot past the goalkeeper for her first collegiate goal. Maybritt Duwel was credited with an assist on the score.
That was the only offense needed for goalkeeper Michaela Skinner, who made a pair of saves in a shutout performance.
Kent State threatened to add to the lead until the final buzzer and peppered the Chippewas goalie with six shots over the final five minutes of the game. The Flashes held a 15-13 lead in shots overall. Eva Usoz led the attack with six shots.
The Flashes will be back in action at Murphy-Mellis on Sunday and host Bucknell at noon.
No. 6 UMass 6, Ohio 0
Box Score
AMHERST, Mass. – Behind another sensational all-around team effort, the sixth ranked University of Massachusetts field hockey team opened MAC play with an impressive 6-0 win over visiting Ohio Friday on PRIDE Day. In the process, the Minutewomen improved to 7-0 on the season for a second straight year. Amber Fairon scored two goals to lead the offense, giving her four straight games with a goal and a team-high nine goals on the season.
The Minutewomen fired the game's first 11 shots, converting on two of them – both coming in the first quarter. Niamh McKenzie got things started at the 6:14 mark on a broken play off a penalty corner.
In the final minute of the first, Kristy Leonard doubled the advantage, redirecting a hard shot from Chiara Curcio past Ohio goalkeeper Molly Schreiner for a 2-0 advantage.
Massachusetts held a 6-1 second-quarter edge in shots, with neither team finding the back of the net. Rozárie Mrázová made her first save at the 27:24 mark off a Bobcats' penalty corner.
Early in the third quarter, Ohio had consecutive penalty corners and three shots (two saved) in the span of 31 seconds, but couldn't convert.
The Minutewomen responded a few minutes later as Fairon rocketed a shot off a penalty corner for her fourth goal in as many games, and a 3-0 advantage at 37:26.
UMass scored three more in the third, beginning with Fairon's second in less than 10 minutes of game action. This one came in the run of play as she made a deflection into the corner of the goal off a great pass from Leonard. Leonard finished the afternoon with a career-high four points via a goal and two assists.
Just 57 seconds later, UMass was awarded a penalty stroke, which Lina Kroeger converted. Only 3:08 after that, Curcio put home a penalty corner for her first-career goal and a 6-0 lead. Neither team scored over the game's final 9:19 as the Minutewomen wrapped up their second straight 6-0 home victory.
Final shots were 32-8 in favor of UMass, with the Minutewomen holding an 11-5 edge in penalty corners. Mrázová finished with three saves before being relieved by Colleen Conlan. Schreiner made eight stops for the Bobcats.
Massachusetts now hits the road on Sunday for a 1 p.m. showdown at UAlbany.
