Central Michigan University Athletics
Chippewas Open Big Weekend With Loss to Pacific
10/1/2015 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan field hockey team began a key three-game home weekend Thursday with a 3-0 loss to Pacific at the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
The loss dropped the Chippewas to 0-9 under first-year coach Molly Pelowski. CMU entertains Ohio on Friday at 3 p.m. and Kent State Sunday at noon. Both of those are Mid-American Conference matches.
The Bobcats are 4-4, 1-0 MAC. Kent State, which plays at Indiana in a non-leaguer on Friday, is 2-6, 1-0.
"This is the first leg of the marathon this weekend," Pelowski said. "We have to have a very short-term memory. Tomorrow we have a very, very important game against Ohio University. The 24 hours are huge in terms of recovery and preparation and getting our minds right to execute."
Rylee Comeau scored with just 27 seconds remaining in the first half to break the ice. Pacific (6-4) made it 2-0 when Alicia Muinos scored less than four minutes into the second half.
"It kind of took the wind from our sails," Pelowski said. "Our physical and our vocal presence wasn't there in the second half. That was, to me, the difference."
Pacific outshot the Chippewas 17-2 and held a 13-1 advantage in penalty corners. CMU goalkeeper Sadie Lynn Reynolds made seven saves.
"I thought we played a good first half," Pelowski said. "Obviously it's really tough to win a game if you can't get a shot off. Tip my hat to Pacific. They certainly played a strong game. They played with intensity that I think we didn't match in the second half."
The Chippewas have no time to lick their wounds with a quick turnaround before the Ohio match on Friday. Pelowski said that at this point, it's more about execution and flat-out hustle than anything else.
"Moving the ball from the 16 into the attacking circle requires 11 people, even the goalkeeper, her physical presence, her vocal presence," she said. "It's our passing game, it's grit and it's intensity and it's working hard up front.
"There's a lot of running that has to happen in the middle of the field and I thought in the first half we had some pretty good passing combinations that just fell off the face of the planet in the second half.
"It's our alumnae game tomorrow and we need to demonstrate the foundation of where we come from and have a little pride in what we're doing."
