Miami field hockey wins one of three over Labor Day weekend

Entering the season ranked No. 21 in the country, Miami field hockey expected immediate success. But so far, they’ve had to be patient. The team was 0-2 heading into the weekend.

After losing 1-0 to Indiana Friday, Miami field hockey captured its first win of the season Saturday, beating Rider University 3-1.

The team also lost to No. 22 Ohio State on Monday.

Saturday’s game was a matchup of excellent goaltending. Miami and Indiana both finished with 11 shots, but Indiana freshman goalie Arabella Loveridge was able to keep the RedHawks off the board on the way to the 1-0 win.

With 11 minutes left in the second quarter, Miami put the ball in the net twice on consecutive penalty corners, but both goals were called back for fouls during the play.

With 9:27 remaining in the second half, Indiana back Sydney Keld dribbled the ball out of her team’s scoring circle and flung a pass the length of the field. She found Haley Couch, a forward, down the left sideline.

Couch spun around a Miami defender and heaved a shot on net that RedHawk junior goalie Isabele Parese got a hand on. With the ball on the ground amid a sea of Indiana players, Parese fell on the rebound and covered it. In field hockey, when a goalie covers the ball the other team is awarded a penalty stroke — essentially a free shot from seven yards away from the goal.

Couch lined up for her shot and capitalized, sending the ball to the top corner of the net past Parese’s outstretched paddle.

Despite a few chances later in the game, Miami couldn’t capitalize and the score stayed 1-0.

Sunday, the ’Hawks started the scoring early in the second quarter when senior forward Lexi Nugent fired home a rebound off a shot from freshman midfielder Carlie Servis.

Rider tied the game with 8:10 remaining in the third quarter. But midway through the fourth quarter, sophomore forward Claudia Negrete-Garcia scored two goals within 45 seconds. The first was unassisted and the second was aided by a pair of midfielders, junior Luli Rosso and sophomore Jenna Kirby.

The RedHawks shut down Rider the rest of the way to finish off the 3-1 win, the team’s first of the season.

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Monday, The RedHawks lost to their cross state rivals, No. 22 Ohio State. Miami was outshot 16-6 in the 1-0 loss. The game was scoreless until the fourth quarter, when OSU sent home the only goal of the game.

Next weekend, Miami plays No. 10 Virginia Friday, September 10, at 7 p.m. in Charlottesville, Virginia, and then travels across the state to play Richmond Sunday at 12 p.m.

@jacksmerz

schmelj2@miamioh.edu