Oct. 15, 2015

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SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri State field hockey team takes its three-game win and shutout streak to the site of the 2015 Mid-American Conference Championship as the Bears get set to take on the Central Michigan Chippewas at 2 p.m. CST Friday, Oct. 16, at the CMU Field Hockey Complex in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.

Weekend Review
The Bears improved their win streak to three games -- their longest since 2011 -- with MAC victories over Ohio and Kent State.

Sydney Richelieu scored goals in both the first and second half Friday to help lead the Bears to a 2-0 win over Ohio. It was MSU's first victory over the Bobcats since 2009 and only the second win in the past 19 meetings in the series.

MSU improved to 5-9 overall and 2-1 in the MAC with its 1-0 defeat of Kent State at home Sunday. The Bears benefitted from a Charlie Redhead goal in the eighth minute while Feli Heinzel made five saves in net. The shutout was the third straight for Missouri State and its third consecutive win at Betty and Bobby Allison North Stadium.

Shutout Streak Continues
Missouri State's current three-game shutout streak is the longest for the team since the 2001 season when the Bears achieved the feat six consecutive times. That year, MSU outscored its opponents 14-0 during a streak that lasted 19 days. The program's record for most consecutive shutouts dates back to the 1979 season -- the year the Bears won the 1979 AIAW National Championship -- when MSU had eight straight shutouts.

Heinzel Earns First MAC Honors
The Mid-American Conference named freshman goalkeeper Feli Heinzel Defensive Player of the Week Tuesday for her efforts in net during the recent homestand.

In the Friday, Oct. 9, matchup versus Ohio, Heinzel made three saves with the final one coming with just 39 seconds left in the contest to keep the Bobcats off the scoreboard. The goalkeeper continued to impress Sunday by making four out of five stops in the second half of the Bears' one-goal win against the Golden Flashes. That included a diving stop on a Kent State shot in the 39th minute and back-to-back saves in the 56th minute. Heinzel has been the starting goalkeeper for the Bears' three-straight wins and has earned clean sheets in all four of her collegiate victories during her debut season for Missouri State.

Richelieu Records a Career Day
Senior Sydney Richelieu had a breakout performance Friday versus the Bobcats, helping the Bears pick up their first conference victory since the 2013 season finale.

The forward notched her first-career multi-goal game and increased her career total to seven by scoring in both the first and second halves against Ohio. She also was one of four Bears to attempt a shot versus Kent State Sunday and earned MSU Student-Athlete of the Week behind her performance.

Glancing at the MAC
Four teams are currently tied with two wins each while another is undefeated in the MAC standings. Miami is 3-0 in MAC play and has a conference-best 9-6 overall mark. MSU, Ohio and Kent State are all 2-1 with the Bears holding the tiebreaker with wins over both. Longwood is 2-2 in conference action with its victories over winless Ball State (0-2) and Central Michigan (0-3).

About Central Michigan
Led by first-year head coach Molly Pelowski, the Chippewas have lost games to three nonconference opponents they have in common with the Bears in Iowa (4-1), Pacific (3-0) and UC Davis (2-1). Kaysie Gregory leads the club with 16 points behind seven goals while goalkeeper Sadie Lynn Reynolds owns a .645 save percentage.

Central Michigan holds an all-time record of 28-11-1 and have won 17 of the last 18 over the Bears. MSU's last win over the Chippewas came in the 2010 season, 1-0, at home.

Follow the Bears
Check out all of the latest news and information on the Bears field hockey team at MissouriStateBears.com and follow Missouri State field hockey on Facebook (MissouriStateFH), Instagram (@msufhbears) and Twitter (@MSUBearsFHockey) for photos and updates throughout the season.