OXFORD, Ohio – The Miami University field hockey team (3-3) hosts a pair of games this week. On Friday, the RedHawks open conference play against Ball State at 1 p.m. Miami also hosts No. 11 Northwestern on Sunday at noon.

Friday's game against Ball State is faculty/staff appreciation day. Sunday's game against No. 11 Northwestern is OneLove day. OneLove is an organization dedicated to raising awareness about domestic violence.

Miami bounced back with a 5-1 win against Saint Francis on Sunday after falling to No. 25 Michigan State in a shootout last Friday. Seniors Kirsten McNeil and Lexi Silver and junior Allie Grace Joyner each scored twice on the weekend. The RedHawks set a new program record for shots taken in a single game with their 46-shot performance against SFU.

Head coach Iñako Puzo and senior forward Gabby Luxardo spoke with MiamiRedHawks.com about last weekend's contests and this weekend's games.
 

OPPONENT PREVIEW

ABOUT BALL STATE: The Cardinals are 2-5 this season, the wins coming as shutouts against Saint Louis and Davidson. Last week, Ball State played two games in Chicago, falling to UMass-Lowell by a 2-1 margin before being shutout by No. 11 Northwestern by a 3-0 margin. Red-shirt senior forward Michelle Shampton leads Ball State's offense with three goals and seven total points this season while Grace Chavez plays the majority of the minutes in goal.

SERIES WITH BALL STATE: The Cardinals hold a 44-25 lead in the all-time series against the RedHawks, but Miami has won the last eight matchups by a collective 37-6 margin. Last season, the RedHawks shutout the Cardinals 4-0 in Muncie. Three of Miami's four goals were scored on the penalty corner, with Leonor Berlie and Joyner netting two of those goals. McNeil had three assists while Noor Breedijk and Kenzie Peterson each picked up an assist.

ABOUT NO. 11 NORTHWESTERN: The Wildcats are 6-2 this season, their only losses coming to No. 4 UConn by a 4-1 margin during opening weekend and No. 3 Duke by a 2-1 margin in double overtime. Last weekend, Northwestern went 3-0 including two shutouts. On Friday, the Wildcats beat UMass-Lowell by a 7-2 margin before shutting out No. 15 Wake Forest 2-0 on Sunday and Ball State 3-0 on Monday. Red-shirt freshman forward Bente Baekers leads Northwestern's offense with eight goals and 17 total points. Junior goalkeeper Florien Marcussen sees most of the time in goal and has already recorded three shutouts. The Wildcats play at No. 12 Ohio State on Friday before coming to Oxford.

SERIES WITH NORTHWESTERN: The Wildcats have won 14 of the 15 meetings with the RedHawks. In 2018, Northwestern won by a 4-2 margin in Evanston with a No. 9 ranking at the time. Lexie Nugent scored Miami's final goal of the game.

UP AHEAD: Miami travels to North Carolina for a pair of games next weekend. The RedHawks face MAC-foe Appalachian State on Friday at 3 p.m. before wrapping up the weekend at Davidson on Sunday at 1 p.m.