Field Hockey: Ohio U. aims to light up scoreboard against California

By Nathaniel Maund

The Bobcats did everything but put the ball in the net Sunday against Drexel U., so they spent this week’s practices doing just that.

After failing to score in losses to Rutgers and the No. 13 Dragons last weekend, coach Neil Macmillan made sure his offense got plenty of work in scoring situations.

During drills that featured defenders ready to knock the ball away and the goalie poised to stop it, Macmillan repeatedly challenged the offense to score.

“That was the really important thing,” he said. “To get ourselves comfortable in front of goals, scoring some goals. Shore up a little bit defensively where we needed to.”

Last weekend’s pair of 1-0 losses marked the second and third times Ohio U. (1-4) has been blanked in one-goal matches this season.

The lack of scoring has been confusing for the team because the players know they have played to the level of some of the top-ranked teams in the country.

“It’s frustrating, because in the game on Sunday we did everything possible,” said redshirt junior Louzeth Schutte. “We created a lot of opportunities.

“We’ll get there, I know we will.”

The Bobcats’ scoring deficiency is not from lack of trying, however. In their three 1-0 losses, the team out-shot its opponents 33-23 and held a 26-23 advantage in penalty corners.

“I don’t think ‘really frustrating’ really does it any justice,” Macmillan said. “We are playing really well.”

With Ohio set to face two quality squads this weekend, it is more important than ever that the Bobcats find their way onto the scoreboard.

“We work on (offense) every day in practice,” said Schutte. “Our main focus is just scoring. Because everything else is coming along great.”

The Bobcats head to Bloomington, Ind., today to match up with California (2-3) and Indiana (2-2) tomorrow.

Neither team was ranked in the top 20 in the nation, but the Hoosiers received 89 votes, while the Golden Bears had 16.

Read more here: http://thepost.ohiou.edu/Main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSectionID=4&ArticleID=32151
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