Ohio Ranked 14th in Field Hockey Poll
Athens, Ohio - The National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll ranked Ohio 14th in the country this week. The ranking, released yesterday, does not include the Bobcats' 4-0 win over then ninth-ranked Iowa on Monday.
"I think this is the highest we've ever been ranked," said third-year head coach Shelly Morris. "If we do well this weekend, at least show some consistency, hopefully we'll get a little closer to the top 10."
Ohio (6-1 overall, 1-0 in the Mid-American Conference) was only 34 seconds away from an unblemished secord this year. Leading 11th-ranked Virginia 2-1 on Sept. 8, the Bobcats surrendered a goal in the final minute of regulation and then lost in overtime.
Ohio bounced back, however, and defeated Kent State 2-1 in overtime on Sept. 21 at Kent. The Golden Flashes, three-time defending MAC champions and this year's favorite in the MAC coaches preseason poll, then traveled to Chapel Hill, N.C., the very next day and upset then #1 North Carolina 5-4 in overtime.
The Bobcats pulled off an upset of their own two days later by dominating Iowa, a perennial national powerhouse in field hockey.
"We've been working hard for the past two years putting our game together against these tough teams," said Morris, who last season guided Ohio to the MAC championship game for the first time since 1987. "We're really passing the ball well and we're finally putting the ball in the net. (The Bobcat players) are just focused right now and I don't want them to become complacent and overlook other teams."
The Bobcats travel to conference foe Miami (2-7) on Friday before taking on seventh-ranked Louisville (7-1) on Saturday. After an Oct. 2 matchup against ninth-ranked Ohio State (6-1), Ohio will return to Pruitt Field to host Central Michigan on Oct. 5 and Ball State on Oct. 6.
