Usoz’s Two-Goal Afternoon Pushes Kent State Past Bucknell for Weekend Sweep

Sunday, September 20

Kent, Ohio

1:00 p.m.

Kent State University

(2-6, 1-0)

Bucknell

(4-3, 0-1)

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Bucknell	0	1	0	0	1
Kent St.	1	1	0	1	3

Eva Usoz looking to score against Bucknell

Photo by: Reilly Hall

Usoz’s Two-Goal Afternoon Pushes Kent State Past Bucknell for Weekend Sweep

9/20/2026 5:32:00 PM | Field Hockey

Box Score

KENT, Ohio – Kent State Field Hockey defeated the Bucknell Bison 3-1 on Sunday afternoon to win their second consecutive game.

The Golden Flashes' luck may be turning around after completing the weekend sweep and heading into a long stretch of conference play on a two-game winning streak. Kent State is now 2-2 at home and will look to get the upset win over undefeated Massachusetts next week to prevail victorious in the five-game homestand.

A major factor in Kent State's recent success is senior forward Eva Usoz. The Madrid, Spain native has half (4) of the team's goals this season and slightly over one-third (25) of the team's total shots. Usoz scored two goals against Bucknell to give Kent their first multi-goal game of the year. Her first score came in the first quarter off a deflected rebound shot by Maybritt Duwel. Her second goal came a minute into the fourth quarter off a smooth assist by Riley Welsch - her first points as a Kent State player since transferring from Liberty.

Usoz now ranks 3^rd in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) in shots, 4th in shots on goal (15), 7^th in total goals scored, and 8^th in points (8). Usoz spoke postgame about her preparedness to score.

"We've really been working as a team on being on the help side," Usoz said. "I'm always being ready for the rebound. I'm just holding my space in the circle, not just looking at the goal."

Along with Usoz, sophomore forward Addie Gagnon also got in on the scoring party. Gagnon put up her first collegiate career goal at the beginning of the second quarter to give Kent State a then 2-0 lead. Gagnon's goal places her second in total points on the team with three.

Defensively, fifth-year goalkeeper Michaela Skinner had another fantastic game, giving up one goal on five shots and nabbing four saves in the process. Her season save percentage increased to .691 with the victory as she closes in on 40 saves on the year.

Sophomore defender Ryli Zee also had a great defensive afternoon with her second defensive save of the week coming in the third quarter of the contest. Zee's two defensive saves tie her for the conference lead.

Overall, the Golden Flashes played very cohesively on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball this weekend. Head coach Heather Hefner spoke postgame about the team's heightened sense of togetherness over the two-game wining streak.

"We've been talking a lot about owning your role, but also about playing externally," Coach Hefner said. "When everyone steps up and does their job, we play connected and as one unit. When we give each other options, it allows us to pass well and get the ball up the field."

Up Next

Kent State takes on MAC-leading, undefeated UMass on Friday, Sept. 25 at 2pm at Murphy-Mellis Field. The conference matchup caps a five-game homestand for the Golden Flashes before they head on the road to take on James Madison on Sunday.

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