Central Michigan University Athletics
Field Hockey Hosts Miami in MAC Opener
9/22/2016 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - The Central Michigan field hockey team isn't starting over.
But it is getting a fresh start.
The Chippewas open Mid-American Conference play on Friday (noon) against Miami (Ohio) at the Central Michigan Field Hockey Complex. The Chippewas entertain Indiana on Sunday (noon) in a non-conference game.
CMU (1-6) has lost three straight games, the last of which was a 10-0 loss last on Sunday at eighth-ranked Michigan. Nine days prior, CMU fell to seventh-ranked Louisville.
"Playing the challenging non-conference schedule that we've faced thus far has prepared us," second-year CMU coach Molly Pelowski said. "Michigan was a very physical, very skilled opponent. There are not too many teams that we will play at that level of physicality.
"That was a great matchup to have right before we play Miami, specifically because they play very similar."
The Chippewas will certainly have their work cut out for them against Miami, which is 3-5. Four of those losses have come to ranked teams - Duke, Louisville, Boston University and Virginia - while the other came to Ohio State.
The RedHawks lost on Sunday, 3-0, at home to the No. 2-ranked Blue Devils.
Miami shared the MAC regular-season title and finished as the league tournament runner-up last season. The RedHawks lead the league in goals allowed (2.12) per game, and sophomore Paula Portugal leads the MAC in scoring with 10 goals.
"They have a very good goalkeeper (Alysa Xavier)," Pelowski said. "They have a lot of individual skill all over the field and they're a physical team. We just have to expect that we're going to be under pressure and we have to play fast."
That has been part of the Chippewas' learning curve as Pelowski's system takes hold.
"We've nailed down some things with our press, I think we're doing a little better with the consistency of our outlet," she said. "We've made improvements along the way that aren't necessarily evident on the scoreboard.
"The message that the coaching staff sent after Michigan is that we've learned and now we move forward and this is a new season for us. We just have to keep making improvements and stick to our process."
Indiana enters the weekend 4-4. All four losses have come to ranked teams, Louisville, Wake Forest, Maryland and Delaware. The Hoosiers play host to Rutgers in a Big Ten game on Friday.
"Every opportunity you get to play is an opportunity for us to get better," Pelowski said. "There are incremental things that the coaching staff has put together and I think we're ready to move them forward. It doesn't matter if it's a Big Ten opponent or a MAC opponent. We've got to play our game. We're establishing our identity and every time we play is a time to do that."
