Golden Flashes host eight home games

KENT, Ohio – Eight home contests highlight the 2011 schedule for the Kent State field hockey team.  The three-time defending Mid-American Conference regular season champions will look to continue their winning ways this fall with a challenging 19-game schedule that includes non-conference match ups against three teams ranked in the final 2010 Kookaburra / NFCHA Top 20 Coaches poll.

"We are really excited about the schedule this fall," said Head Coach Kathleen Wiler. "The non-conference games give our team an opportunity to challenge themselves against some of the top competition in the country and will prepare us for an always competitive MAC season."  

The season kicks off on Aug. 26 when the Golden Flashes take on Northwestern at Murphy Mellis Field.  The game will be a rematch of a 2-1 overtime thriller won by Kent State in Evanston, Ill. last October.  The opening weekend continues on Aug. 28 in Columbus with a neutral site contest at Ohio State against New Hampshire in only the second meeting ever between the two programs.

Kent State travels west for a two game swing at Iowa Sept. 2 and 3.  The Golden Flashes will square off against the host Hawkeyes, the alma-mater of Assistant Coach Heather Schnepf's, before battling Massachusetts the following day. UMass finished the 2010 season ranked 18th in the NFCHA poll while winning the Atlantic-10 conference title.

A four-game road stretch continues as Kent State makes its way through Pennsylvania to face Lock Haven on Sept. 9 and Temple on Sept. 11.  The Lock Haven game marks the fourth meeting in five years for the Golden Flashes while the Temple encounter will be the first game between the two schools since the 1994 season.  

Returning home on Sept. 18, Kent State hosts an Ohio State squad coming off a season in which they won the Big Ten and advanced to the NCAA Final Four while earning a on No. 7 national ranking. The following day on Sept. 19 the Golden Flashes will battle Cal Berkeley.

The start of conference play on Sept. 23 finds Kent State on the road at Missouri State as the Golden Flashes look to extend a seven game winning streak against the Bears.  The road trip continues on Sept. 25 with the final non-conference game of the season at Michigan State, which ended the 2010 season ranked No. 11 in the NFHCA poll.  

MAC play continues Oct. 1-2 when Kent State welcomes both Miami and Ball State. The following Saturday, Oct. 8, the Golden Flashes travel to Central Michigan.  Kent State completes the first run through the conference on Oct. 14 as the team travels to Athens to face off against Ohio.  Returning home two days later on Oct. 16 the Golden Flashes take on Missouri State. The travel continues the following weekend, Oct. 22-23, when Kent State again battles Ball State and Miami.  The Golden Flashes wrap up the regular season at home, Oct. 28-29, when they welcome Ohio and Central Michigan.

Ohio is scheduled to host the 2011 MAC Tournament Nov. 3-5.  

Kent State returns 10 letterwinners from the 2010 team that won a share of the MAC regular season title for the third consecutive year with a 15-7 overall record and an 8-2 league mark. Kent State won the MAC Tournament and advanced to the NCAA play-in game for the second time in three years.

2011 KSU Field Hockey Schedule

August
    26     Northwestern
    28     vs New Hampshire (at Ohio State)

September    
    2     at Iowa
    3     vs Massachusetts (at Iowa)
    9     at Lock Haven
    11    at Temple
    18    Ohio State
    19    CAL Berkley
    23    at Missouri State*
    25    at Michigan State

October    
    1    Miami*
    2    Ball State*
    8    at Central Michigan*
    14   at Ohio *    
    16   Missouri State*      
    22   at Ball State*
    23   at Miami*    
    28   Ohio*
    29   Central Michigan *

November   
    3    MAC Quarterfinal (at Athens, Ohio)
    4    MAC Semifinal (at Athens, Ohio)
    5    MAC Championship (at Athens, Ohio)
    
* denotes Mid-American Conference game
Home games in BOLD