Field hockey learns from tough season, finishes with encouraging victory
Central Michigan field hockey concluded its season on a high note with a 4-1 win over Ball State that finished off seven seniors’ collegiate careers and Head Coach Molly Pelowski’s first year leading the team.
The Chippewas finished 2-15 and 2-4 in the Mid-American Conference. Pelowski said her first season as head coach was successful in terms of producing good things on the field and connecting with her players.
“I really enjoyed it, probably enjoyed coaching more than all the other years that I’ve coached,” Pelowski said. “I had a great group of girls, but our record wasn’t what we wanted. Obviously we have a lot of work to do within our program to become champions, but I think now we have a clear path.
CMU competed against nationally-ranked teams including No. 8 Louisville, No. 14 Michigan and No. 20 Iowa. Pelowski said the team’s 1-0 double-overtime victory against Missouri State — the team’s first win of the season — was one of the most memorable matchups of the season.
“We didn’t have a single easy game this season,” Pelowski said. “We had a great overtime win over Missouri State, who was No. 4 in our conference at the time. It’s the inches that count and the inches that need to get better.”
CMU’s four goals in the season finale was the most it’s had since September 2013, and more goals than the team had in its previous eight games combined.
“Very few teams get to end their season on a win,” Pelowski said. “We had to fight through a lot of adversity. It’s hard going to work every day, motivated and ready to go, knowing that we only had two wins this season. To mentally stay in it and stay in the fight, we did a great job.”
While the seven seniors ended their careers with a victory, Pelowski said it was tough for the seniors to know they’d played their final game.
“For the seniors, so many positive things came out of ending the season on a high note,” Pelowski said. “It was a double-edged sword. We were excited that we ended on a win but devastating for the seniors that your season is over. It was really difficult especially for the senior class.”
The Chippewas were eliminated from making the postseason Oct. 24 in a 5-0 loss to Miami (Ohio). To make it tougher, the MAC Tournament was hosted in Mount Pleasant this season one year after CMU won the MAC regular season title.
“It was like eating sour grapes, knowing there were other teams getting to play on our turf (in the) postseason and we weren’t among them,” Pelowski said. “Anytime a team wins a conference title, you immediately have a target on your back. Our expectations every year is to win the conference, win the MAC Tournament and make it to the NCAA tournament (with) our bonus goal (being) to defeat a ranked opponent.”
