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Miami field hockey team has staying power

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1:03 AM Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Miami University’s field hockey team is on a mission of discovery.

“They’re still in the process of discovering how powerful they can be as a unit,” Miami coach Jill Reeve said.

The RedHawks showed that potency Sunday when they socked it to Ohio University 4-0 to move into a three-way tie for first in the Mid-American Conference with the Bobcats and Kent State Golden Flashes.

“They had an awareness of what was on the line and they weren’t going to let it go,” said Reeve, whose team is 5-2 in the MAC, 10-6 overall.

“We have a lot of talent, and a lot of the team is carrying leadership roles at different moments on different days,” Reeve said. “It could come from any person on the field.

“They’re fun to coach, and I think that they just have their priorities straight,” she said. “They want it and are willing to do anything to get it.”

What the RedHawks want is a MAC tournament championship. Miami has made it to the finals in three of Reeve’s six years as coach but has yet to win the title.

Miami’s immediate goal is to keep winning, starting with Sunday’s contest at MAC rival Missouri State, and earn one of the top two seeds in the tourney.

“Being in the top two going in is pretty critical because you get a bye on day one if you do,” Reeve pointed out, “and if you don’t, you have to play three games in a row, which is really tough.”

The RedHawks have a combination of youth and experience.

“Our goalkeeper, Sarah Mueller, she’s a freshman (from Berlin, Germany) who has been reliable and comes through in big games and big moments,” the Miami coach said. “She’s a pretty dynamic player and aggressive to the ball, which suits the personality of our team. I always say she’s lion-hearted because she just gets after it, and in that position you need that.

“On the attacking end, Mary Hull is a fifth-year senior, a top-class athlete,” Reeve said. “She’s completely impossible to defend because she’s so quick.”

Hull leads Miami with 10 goals and 24 points.

The conference tournament will be held Nov. 4-6 at Central Michigan.

An evening with Wally

The men’s basketball team will hold a special event on Tuesday, Oct. 26, with its BBQ & Basketball Tip-Off to the Season.

It starts at 6:30 p.m. in Millett Hall and will give fans a sneak peek at the 2010-11 RedHawks. Former Miami great Wally Szczerbiak, who led the RedHawks to their NCAA Sweet 16 appearance in 1999, will be featured as a special guest.

The cost is $15 per person and includes dinner.

Fans will be seated on the court and have an up-close look at the RedHawks during a brief practice session before hearing remarks from coach Charlie Coles and Szczerbiak.

Reservations can be made by calling Amy Moore at (513) 529-1611 or by e-mailing mooread1@muohio.edu by 5 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22.

Contact this reporter at (513) 820-2197  or pconrad@coxohio.com.

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