Golden Flashes earn highest ranking since 2002 season

KENT, Ohio – The Kent State field hockey team is one of only two programs in the country to have wins over two top 10 teams this season.  That distinction did not go unnoticed in the latest edition of the Kookaburra/NFCHA Division I National Coaches Poll which ranked the Golden Flashes as the No. 17 team in the country.  

The top 20 national ranking is the first for Kent State since the program finished the 2008 season at No. 19.  Its the highest ranking for the Golden Flashes since the 2002 team was ranked No. 7 at the end of the year.  

Kent State vaulted its way into the top 20 this week on the strength of a 2-0 shutout of No. 5 Michigan State on Friday.  Behind a strong defensive effort that included nine saves from senior goalie Caroline Suitch (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood), the Golden Flashes handed MSU its lone loss of the year and shut down and offense that entered the weekend ranked 12th in the country in goals scored per game.  On Sunday despite holding a 1-0 lead, KSU wrapped up the weekend with a 2-1 loss to No. 13 Boston U.

The team has been listed under the 'Also Receiving Votes' category all season and had earned the 24th most votes in the poll the past two weeks.

Earlier this season Kent State defeated No. 8 Syracuse 2-1 in overtime.  The Golden Flashes have a 4-4 overall record including six games against teams ranked in the top 20.  KSU's strength of schedule currently ranks as the 17th toughest in the country while the team's RPI sits at No. 22.  

Kent State returns to action on Saturday when the program completes a six-game home stand by hosting Ball State on Saturday and Miami on Sunday.  Both games are slated for a 1:00 pm start.

2010 Kookaburra / NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll (Week of Sept. 21, 2010)
   school     (record)     total points     previous week
1. North Carolina     (7-0)     1033     1
2. Maryland     (7-0)     1014     2
3. Virginia     (7-0)     964     3
4. Princeton     (5-0)     900     4
5. Connecticut     (6-1)     795     6
6. Ohio State     (6-2)     738     10
7. Michigan State     (8-1)     703     5
8. Wake Forest     (6-2)     667     7
9. Syracuse     (5-3)     634     8
10. Louisville     (6-2)     518     12
11. Boston U.     (6-2)     475     13
12. Boston College     (6-2)     461     11
13. Duke     (4-4)     457     9
14. Penn State     (5-2)     358     15
15. American     (5-2)     301     18
16. Drexel     (3-3)     216     14
17. Kent State     (4-4)     158     Unranked
18. Stanford     (5-2)     126     16
19. Albany     (4-2)     123     19
20. James Madison     (3-5)     108     17
 
Kent State opponents in bold italics