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MU splits weekend games

By Bryan Wills, For The Miami Student

The Miami University field hockey team split their weekend games, beating Indiana University 3-1 in Bloomington, Indiana, on Friday and falling 1-0 to University of Virginia in Oxford, Ohio on Sunday.

Freshman midfielder/forward Paula Portugal led the RedHawks (4-3) to victory over the Hoosiers (2-4) with two goals. Sophomore midfielder Brianna Stahl scored a goal of her own, off an assist from junior midfielder Kate McLaughlin.

The 'Hawks returned home ready to take on No. 6 UVA (6-0). MU kept the shot count close, as the Cavaliers outshot Miami 15-13. Virginia junior striker Riley Tata deflected a shot just past MU junior goalkeeper Alysa Xavier into the right corner of the net to score the lone goal of the game.

Senior midfielder Bea Dechant led the RedHawks with 5 shots and 3 shots on goal.

"Coming into the game we knew we had to bring our A-game," Dechant said. "We got a corner in the last minute - that shows how much we want it."

Miami totaled eight corner shots to UVA's five.

The loss is Miami's third this season against a top-ranked opponent (then-No. 7 University at Albany and then-No. 6 Stanford University).

Despite the loss, head coach Inako Puzo was pleased with his team's competiveness.

"We have to keep building momentum," Puzo said. "With MAC play being about a week away, that is our focus. We have to use the momentum we've built up."

The RedHawks sit at the top of the Mid-American Conference as they look towards their first MAC opponent of the season. The team travels to Farmville, VA to take on Longwood University (1-3) Friday.