OXFORD, Ohio – Competing in the MAC Tournament for the second consecutive season, the App State Mountaineers (14-4, 6-1 MAC) head to Oxford, Ohio, where they will meet the Kent State Golden Flashes on Friday in the second semifinal match. First touch is slated for 2:30 p.m. and can be streamed on the
MAC Digital Network.
It's been a historic first season for head coach
Emily Dinsmore as she has led her squad to the MAC regular season championship for the first time in program history after beating Ohio 3-2 last Friday. Along with the MAC regular season championship, Dinsmore made more history last Friday by breaking Mountaineer legend Jan Watson's record for wins by an App State first-year head coach with 13.
App State enters the postseason riding a nine-game winning streak, outscoring their opponents 26-6 during that stretch. Dinsmore has her team playing some their best hockey when it matters most as the defense is allowing 0.67 goals per game over the last nine games and have shut out three of their last five opponents.
The Mountaineers will hit the road again this Friday for their 13th game played away from home this season. It's been a historic season for the Mountaineers away from home as they have tallied 10 wins on enemy turf, which is the most in the modern era, while averaging 2.4 goals per road game.
The Matchup
- Who: No. 2 App State vs. No. 3 Kent State
- Where: Miami Field Hockey Complex // Oxford, Ohio
- When: November 3 // 2:30 p.m.
Last Time Out
After honoring their two seniors and three fifth-year players pregame as part of their senior day festivities, the Mountaineers blanked the Saint Louis Billikens 4-0 to cap off their home and regular season schedule. Sunday's win was App State's 14th win of the season, tying the mark for most single-season wins in program history that has been set twice before.
Rachel Fleig had a huge day on the offensive side in her final home game in the Black & Gold, notching a multi-goal game for the first time since her freshman year in 2019. Fleig's first goal in the second quarter was her first score since the season opener on Aug. 25 and would be the game-winning goal in the contest.
Grace Ball and
Sarah Perkins helped anchor a defense that posted its fifth shutout of the season and 12th in the last two years on Sunday. Both Perkins and Ball played all 60 minutes in the contest, while keeping the Billikens to just five shots all day. Fifth-year goalkeeper
Addie Clark picked up three saves en route to her 14th career shutout.
Scouting the Mountaineers
It has been an impressive stretch of hockey for the Mountaineers coming into the MAC Tournament as they are on a nine-game winning streak and have shown no signs of slowing down. The Black & Gold have not trailed at the conclusion of a period of play since the second quarter of their game against Central Michigan on Sept. 29, marking 36 straight periods and 552 consecutive minutes without trailing.
Coach Dinsmore has stressed to her team to start strong in the first 15 minutes, which has led to first-quarter success for her squad. The Mountaineers have drawn first blood in each of their last eight games and are outscoring their last nine opponents 9-2 in the first quarter.
Defense continues to be the key to the Mountaineers' success this season as they are allowing less than a goal per game in their 13 wins, compared to four goals per game in their four losses. App State has allowed just six goals during its nine-game winning streak, so look for the defense to play a major role as the postseason kicks off.
The Mountaineers boast a well-balanced offensive attack as an impressive 13 players have found the back of the cage this season, including 10 players who have netted two or more goals. Overall, 16 players have tallied at least one point this season, with 11 of those players having scored five or more points. Forward
Charlotte Bosma leads the Mountaineer offensive attack with six goals and 17 points, which are both career highs.
Scouting the Golden Flashes
Kent State posted another good season in the MAC this year, winning five of their seven conference matchups, and earning the three seed in the conference tournament. The Golden Flashes come into Friday's semifinal match after losing 2-3 against Indiana last Sunday but won four of their last five contests to close out the year.
The Golden Flashes hang their hat on the defensive side of the ball as they were one of three teams to allow less than two goals a game in the regular season. Junior goalkeeper Cecile van Eijck played to a 1.87 goals-against average mark, which trailed only
Addie Clark (1.42) and Miami's Isabelle Perese (1.25) in the conference.
Series History
The Mountaineers and Golden Flashes will meet for the 14th time on Friday and will be the second consecutive year that the two teams will square off in the MAC semifinals. Kent State leads the all-time series 11-2.
App State has beaten Kent State each of the previous two matchups, including knocking them out of the MAC tournament in 2022 and winning in shootout fashion on Oct. 6, in Boone, marking the first ever time App State has beaten Kent State in regular season play.
It has been a very tightly contested matchup between the two teams in recent history as each of the last six games have been decided by one goal and two of the previous three have needed at least one overtime period to decide a winner.
Coach's Thoughts
"Everything we have accomplished this season has helped us prepare for the MAC Tournament," Dinsmore said. "We always want to fine-tune things to set us up for success and we will continue to build off of what has gotten us to this point this week at practice."
Up Next
If the Mountaineers win on Friday, they would secure their spot in the MAC Final where they would take on the winner of top-seeded Miami and fourth-seeded Ohio on Saturday at the Miami Field Hockey Complex. First touch for the championship game is slated for 2 p.m
