Field Hockey Releases 2009 Schedule
5/4/2009 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
KENT, Ohio - Kent State's 2008 championship field hockey season will be a tough act to follow, as the program's newest challenge was recently unveiled with the 2009 schedule. By mid-September the Golden Flashes will have faced three opponents ranked in the top 15 of last season's final NFHCA Coaches Poll.
After hosting No. 6 Iowa in an exhibition Aug. 22, the Golden Flashes will welcome Saint Louis to Murphy-Mellis Field in the regular season opener on Aug. 28. KSU will then entertain No. 4 James Madison two days later (Aug. 30).
For the first time in school history, the Golden Flashes will be making a trip to California, taking on Pacific, Cal and Stanford in a span of only four days Sept. 3-6.
The Flashes will host two other nationally ranked squads in September, taking on No. 12 Virginia (Sept. 11) and No. 14 Ohio State (Sept. 16).
Sandwiched between the Cavaliers and Buckeyes will be a trip to Lock Haven Sept. 13. The five-time defending Northeast Conference champion Eagles are one of four opponents on the schedule that were among the "others receiving votes" in the final NFHCA Top 20 Coaches poll.
"We're excited about playing another quality schedule," Head Coach Kathleen Schanne said. "And we're looking forward to heading West. We'll be tested early and often, but I think this team will be ready for the challenge."
Mid-American Conference play begins Sept. 25 at Missouri State. Five of the Flashes' first six league games will come on the road including at Miami (Oct. 10), Ball State (Oct. 11) and Ohio (Oct. 16) within a seven-day span. The final non-conference test will come Oct. 21 against Michigan in Ann Arbor.
Home contests against Miami (Oct. 31) and Ball State (Nov. 1) will close out the regular season. All six conference teams will gather for the three-day MAC Tournament Nov. 5-7 at Ball State's campus in Muncie, Ind.
The Golden Flashes will return 10 starters from a team that finished 17-5 and was ranked 19th in the final NFHCA Coaches Poll.
