This weekend will provide the Bobcats with perhaps their biggest test of the season as they take on Mid-American Conference rival Kent State on the road and No. 10 Northwestern at home.
Starting out the MAC schedule on a positive note is especially important because coach Neil Macmillan said that while Ohio can’t win the regular season championship in the first game, a loss could certainly set the Bobcats back.
“We have to be on our game when we play them,” Macmillan said. “They’re always out for us. We had their number the last few times, but that means they’re going to be coming even harder at us. The game we lost last year up at their place, I did feel we had the opportunities in overtime to put that game away and let it slip away and they ended up winning.”
A loss to the Golden Flashes in Kent was the only blemish on the Bobcats’ MAC record this past season and the team will have to be focused to prevent a repeat of last season’s 2-1 overtime defeat.
“It’s very important, especially because this year, we only get to play MAC teams once,” junior Jessica Vaeth said. “This being the first, we really want to set where we are and have teams know that we’re here to win and try our best.”
Kent State’s 4-6 record might not inspire much fear at first glance, but three of their losses came against ranked teams (Indiana, Boston and Syracuse) and another came against Ohio State, who defeated the Bobcats in a penalty shootout earlier in the season.
After the MAC opener on the road, Ohio will travel back to Athens and prepare for the nationally ranked Wildcats. Though Northwestern hasn’t made it to the NCAA tournament in almost two decades, it’s turned things around this season with an 8-1 record and wins against five ranked opponents.
Northwestern’s coach, Tracey Fuchs, is one of the most decorated United States field hockey players of all time as she was named the USA Field Hockey athlete of the year in 1990 and 1993 and played on the national team for 17 years.
“She’s an outstanding tactician,” Macmillan said. “They’re very well drilled and have good skills and very good individual players. They have a good system and put you under a good amount of pressure.”
Along with the challenge of playing a nationally ranked team, Macmillan is looking forward to the return of a former Bobcat and assistant of his, Ali Johnstone.
“She’s just great,” Macmillan said. “I really, really like her. She was so good for us when she was here, so it’ll be good to see her.”
ch203310@ohiou.edu
