The RedHawks lost their second game of the weekend after falling to No. 11 Wake Forest 4-1. Miami falls to 4-6 overall (2-0 Mid-American Conference) and Wake Forest improves to 5-4.
After quickly falling behind 3-0 in the first half, MU fought back and played evenly for the remainder of the game.
"A well-executed counter attack from Wake Forest with just a few minutes gone on the clock sentenced the game," head coach Inako Puzo said. "However, we kept trying to cut the gap up to the end of the game. As a coach this is what you are always expecting from your players. They have to keep playing hard and smart without being influenced by the scoreboard or the time left on the clock."
MU played 21 different players in their matchup against the Demon Decons, showing the depth of Miami's lineup and the confidence Puzo has in his entire team.
"We are trying to win games as a team all while working on the development of the entire roster," Puzo said.
Miami's lone goal came when freshman midfielder Neely Lochmoeller deflected a shot by junior midfielder/forward Paula Portugal into the top of the net.
The RedHawks were outshot 17-5 by Wake Forest and had fewer penalty corners as well (3-8).
MU played a much closer game Friday when they fell to Michigan State in a 3-2 game that ended in a last second buzzer beater from the Spartans. The RedHawks are winless at home (0-4) and the Spartans improve to 6-5 on the season (1-1 Big Ten Conference).
MSU had more shots (18-14) and more penalty corners (8-7) than Miami in Friday's contest. The Spartans also scored first in the seventh minute on a breakaway goal to go up 1-0.
The RedHawks answered six minutes later when Portugal scored her eighth goal of the season. The goal came off a penalty corner when sophomore midfielder Marie-Claire Gorner stopped the ball and allowed Portugal to beat the Spartans' goalkeeper.
Miami went into halftime tied 1-1.
"Especially in the second half, I think we controlled the game very well," Puzo said.
Enjoy what you're reading?
Signup for our newsletter
In the 57th minute of play, freshman midfielder Leonor Berlie scored her second goal of the season to put MU up 2-1.
"We scored and we went up," Puzo said. "After we scored the second goal, we played not to lose the game. We stopped playing to win the game."
MSU responded less than five minutes later in the 61st minute with a rebound goal after Miami's junior goalkeeper Maddie Passarella made a nice save off the initial penalty corner.
"I think sometimes after a long weekend we are tired going into the next week and sometimes our morale is a little low, our energy is a little low," junior back/midfielder Avery Sturm said. "I think that's something we could work on as a group to fix early in the week to carry on into our later games."
That low energy toward the end of the match proved to be the deciding factor as the Spartans scored as time expired on another penalty corner to beat the RedHawks.
"Come out everyday, whether it's a game, whether it's a practice, whether it's lifting, and give 100 percent," senior back Makenna Colby said. "That's something that everyone needs to work on."
Field hockey looks to Friday at 1 p.m. at Kent State to rebound from the weekend's loses.
Read More
Cade McDonald is having a huge senior campaign with Miami football
By Will Kehres | 8 hours agoCade McDonald has emerged as the RedHawks top wideout in his second season at Miami University, serving as a key weapon for the RedHawks offense and a leader in the RedHawks locker room.
Following football around the country: Meet Miami’s No. 1 fan
By Kethan Babu | YesterdayIf you've been to a Miami football game, either home away, at any point in the last 20 years, you've seen Michael Hawkins in the stands. Hawkins is the self-proclaimed No. 1 fan of Miami, and he has traveled twice around the world to support the RedHawks.
Brett Gabbert: Legacy of a Miami legend
By Cameron Johnson | 2 days agoIn his six years at Miami, Brett Gabbert has thrown for 9,839 yards and 75 touchdowns, good for third in program history. With two MAC championships and aspirations for a third, Gabbert reflects on his career, including a life-changing injury in 2023.