Oct. 31, 2015 Box Score
Box Score | Season Statistics | Follow @MSUBearsFHockey
SPRINGFIELD - The Missouri State field hockey team dropped its final regular season game of the year to Longwood as the Lancers tallied a final-minute goal for a 1-0 conference victory Saturday, Oct. 31, at Betty and Bobby Allison North Stadium.
Despite the loss, the Bears (6-11, 3-3) have advanced to the Mid-American Conference Championship Tournament, with the semifinals set to begin on Friday, Nov. 6, in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan.
MSU, Longwood, and Ohio all finished the season with 3-3 conference records, but the Bears' victory over Kent State on Oct. 11 broke a tiebreaker to put the team into the tournament. Ohio also advances as one of the four teams to the MAC Championship with its head-to-head 5-1 victory over Longwood on Oct. 18. Miami and Kent State automatically qualified for the MAC Tournament ahead of this weekend's action.
Seeding for the conference tournament will be determined after the Kent State-Ball State matchup in Muncie, Ind., which begins at 11 a.m. CST Sunday, Nov. 1.
The Lancers (6-10, 3-3) took their last shot on goal Saturday - which served as the eventual game-winner - with just 53 seconds remaining in the contest. Jennifer Burris took a breakaway pass down the left side of the field from Hollie MacDonald. Burris found her way into the circle and put a shot past MSU goalkeeper's Feli Heinzel's left to give the Lancers the win.
Both sides battled throughout the rain-filled contest, with each having solid chances at net.
Missouri State had its first opportunity in the 25th minute. Senior Sydney Richelieu took a pass and was headed for net, but Longwood goalkeeper Katie Wyman came out to deflect a shot to keep it scoreless.
Longwood had the final chance of the first half at goal. Brenna Kinzel went 1-on-1 at net, but Heinzel came out of net and forced the Lancers' shot to go wide and as the two squads went to the break scoreless.
The Bears had another breakaway opportunity in the second half. Sophomore Andrea Soler Codina took in a pass at the top of the circle, but Wyman came out of net to force a Soler Codina shot to go wide to keep it knotted at 0-0.
Both Missouri State and Longwood had four shots apiece in each half. The Lancers finished with a 5-4 advantage in penalty corners and 5-1 edge in saves. The MSU lineup was hampered by two green cards and a yellow card that was given with three minutes left in regulation.
Richelieu, Soler Codina and senior Charlie Redhead had a team-high two shots apiece, while Richelieu led the way with two on goal for Missouri State. Longwood's Edel Nyland finished with a game-high five shots among all players.
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