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Oct. 10, 2001
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THIS WEEKEND'S CONTESTS: The RedHawks return to the friendly confines of the Miami Turf Field for two Mid-American Conference contests this weekend. Miami kicks off the action with a game against Ball State on Friday, Oct. 12, and then battles Central Michigan on Saturday, Oct. 13. Prior to the Central Michigan contest, head coach Lil Fesperman and the RedHawks will recognize the players' parents for their support and dedication to Miami field hockey.
The RedHawks have their sights set on defeating Ball State after suffering a 7-0 setback to the Cardinals in Muncie, Ind. Since BSU's shutout against Miami, the Cardinals have dropped five straight to Indiana, Central Michigan, Michigan, Kent State and Ohio. Prior to their game against Miami, the Cardinals had been 3-2 with victories over Hofstra, Northwestern and Stanford. Iowa and Louisville have accounted for Ball State's other two losses. BSU enters this weekend with a 4-7 record and a 1-4 mark in the MAC.
Central Michigan squares off for the second time this season versus the RedHawks after going 2-4 since the two teams last met on the battlefield. The Chippewas have accumulated a 5-6 record with wins against Northwestern, St. Louis, Miami, Ball State and Indiana. CMU's six setbacks are to SW Missouri State, Virginia, Louisville, Michigan State, Ohio and Kent State. With a 2-3 MAC record, the Chippewas enter this weekend on a two-game losing streak.
MIAMI'S LAST TIME OUT: For the second straight week, the RedHawks played against two opponents ranked in the STX/NFHCA National Coaches Poll top-20. Miami endured a 7-0 loss at No. 9 Louisville only to suffer its ninth shutout of the season at No. 7 Michigan State, 4-0, on Sunday, Oct. 7.
The RedHawks didn't allow Louisville to score until 24:06 had expired in the contest when the Cardinals touched the Miami defense for two quick tallies. Senior Marie Vaughn (Davis, Calif./Davis) battened down the hatches for the remainder of the first period, registering seven saves in the stanza and 10 overall.
The floodgates opened on Miami in the second half as Louisville went on the score five goals in the period. Freshman Olivia Netzler netted her 10th and 11th goals of the season for the Cardinals.
Miami stumbled to its 11th straight loss of the season against Michigan State, getting outshot 16-3. The Spartans also held an 18-1 advantage in penalty corners.
MSU rallied behind three second-half goals to improve its record and national ranking to No. 6. Seniors Karen Preikszas (Medfield, Mass./Medfield) and Vaughn did all they could against a dominant Spartan offense. Vaughn made seven saves in the setback while Preikszas recorded her team-leading fifth defensive save of the season.
The victory helped Michigan State move up one spot in the polls to No. 6.
LAST TIME VERSUS BALL STATE: Ball State scored a season-high seven goals against the RedHawks on Sept. 22, including four in the first half, in the two schools' last contest versus each other. Six different players accounted for the Cardinal's goals, led by the two-goal performance of sophomore Afton Hess.
Hess initiated BSU's scoring barrage when she converted a direct corner play 5:27 into the contest, with juniors Heather Weinhold and Monika Rhode assisting on the goal. She tallied her second goal of the game eight minutes later with assists again from Weinhold and Rhode.
Ball State managed to score two more first-period goals, courtesy of freshmen Dianna Lampitt and Jen Strodel. The RedHawks' woes carried into the second stanza as Ball State tallied three goals en route to a 7-0 final score.
Miami had its only true scoring opportunity extinguished when the penalty stroke of sophomore Angie Snedden (Sarnia, Ontario) was stopped by BSU's goalkeeper Susan McDowell with 7:09 left in the contest. The Cardinals posted a 26-8 advantage in shots and a 13-4 lead in penalty corners.
SCOUTING THE CARDINALS: Ball State has been led all season by the play of Hess and junior Allison Haynes. Both Hess and Haynes have accounted for six Cardinal goals this season, which includes Hess' game-winner versus the RedHawks. Also putting together a solid season is junior Heather Weinhold who has one goal and seven assists. Weinhold's seven assists are tied for second in the MAC.
Junior Susan McDowell has been a stalwart defender in goal for the Cardinals, holding Ball State opponents to 2.26 goals per game. Her three shutouts rank third in the MAC.
LAST TIME VERSUS CENTRAL MICHIGAN: Miami, in the midst of a five-game losing streak, lost its sixth consecutive game at CMU, 4-0, on Sept. 21. The Chippewas shut out the RedHawks on the strength of three second-half tallies and a 16-1 shot advantage.
Central Michigan struck first with a goal at 16:01 in the first period. The Chippewas had several other scoring chances in the first 35 minutes but their offensive surges were stifled by senior goalkeeper Vaughn's nine saves. Vaughn finished the game with 11 stops.
The Chippewas opened the offensive throttle in the second stanza and pummeled the Miami defense for three goals. Meg Lewis, Katrina Woznek and Allison Foland accounted for CMU's three second half goals.
SCOUTING THE CHIPPEWAS: Senior Melissa Lazarevski and sophomore Krystal Yee lead the Chippewa offense with four goals apiece. Both Lazarevski and Yee are ranked in the MAC's top-10 for scoring.
This season the Chippewas have yielded 66 penalty corners while taking just 42 of their own. CMU's also has been outshot by its opponents 109-101.
Junior netminder Janel Spero has logged 703:30 between the pipes while carrying a 2.29 goals against average. Spero's GAA is sixth best in the conference.
VAUGHN SETS NEW SCHOOL MARK: Senior goalkeeper Marie Vaughn set a school record with 19 saves against Ohio on Saturday, Sept. 28. Vaughn shutout the Bobcats for 78:50 before they were able to put away the game-winning goal. She recorded nine saves in the first half, nine in the second and one in the overtime period. Vaughn is ranked first in the MAC with 112 saves on the year.
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED FOES: The RedHawks find solace in the fact that seven teams on their schedule this season are ranked in the nation's top-20. Michigan State and Louisville are ranked sixth and ninth, respectively, while Ohio State rounds out the nation's top-10. Miami also has faced MAC foes Ohio and Kent State, who are now ranked 12th and 14th, respectively. Early in the year, Miami lost to Syracuse and Dartmouth, who are ranked 19th and 20th, respectively, in the recent poll.
California, who received two votes in the poll, defeated the RedHawks on Sept. 9, 2-0.
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