The Kent State field hockey team will open at home against No. 19 Stanford at 1 p.m. today at Murphy-Mellis Field.

The Flashes (2-2) will also play Iowa at 12 p.m. Sunday.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming two really strong teams to Murphy-Mellis Field,” Kathleen (Schanne) Wiler, Kent State coach, said.

The Flashes defeated No. 8 Syracuse last Saturday, placing them at No. 24 in this week’s coach’s poll. Defeating Stanford (2-1) and Iowa (1-3) could boost them into the top 20.

After a pair of split weekends in a row, double victories would make the team’s first winning weekend of the season.

“We’re just taking it one game at a time,” Wiler said.

Friday will be the first of six straight home games Kent State will host in September.

Wiler said the team is looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd and getting a break from traveling.

“When you’re home, your routines are a little different,” she said. “It’s not as much of a controlled environment as when we’re on the road.”

“I think the team is really excited to just be home and not on the bus,” Wiler said.

While the time off the road will be nice, Wiler said the Flashes are focused on improving mistakes from previous games.

“We’re looking forward to getting out there and showing what we’ve worked on all week,” Wiler said. “I hope to see some outstanding effort.”

Contact sports reporter Rachel Jones at [email protected].