The Kent State University Field Hockey team is looking to bounce back following their season-ending loss in the Mid-American Conference championship game against Miami University.

The Flashes have a new head coach this season, Kyle DeSandes-Moyer, and the transition has been smooth.

“I’m really lucky with the group that we have this season,” DeSandes-Moyer said. “We have eighteen returners and they will take adjustments and feedback and implement them right away. We have had the spring to work together, so that’s been really helpful.”

The eighteen returners include seniors Mary Crumlish and Berta Jover Llorens and junior Clara Rodriguez Setó who earned first team All-MAC Honors in 2018. Junior Emma Bressler and sophomore Helena Cambra Soler earned second team All-MAC Honors in 2018. 

The team will play six Big Ten teams including the University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, and Big Ten tournament runners up University of Iowa. 

“We’re playing a ton of teams that were in the Top 25 RPI (Rating Percentage Index) rankings last year,” DeSandes-Moyer said. “Every athlete wants to play the best of the best and is going to play the best in those Big Ten and ACC schools.”

There is one matchup that everyone in Kent State Field Hockey is looking forward to this season.

“Everybody in Kent State Field Hockey is looking forward to us playing Miami,” DeSandes-Moyer said. “We battled them here in the spring and beat them, so we’re really excited about that game.”

The team has a few goals for the season including winning the MAC regular season and tournament, beating a ranked opponent and going .500 in non-conference games.

The team opens up the regular season August 30 at 1 p.m. against Saint Francis University at home.

Kathryn Rajnicek is a sports reporter. Contact her at [email protected].