The Miami University field hockey fell to 2-6 on the season with losses to the University of Virginia and the College of William & Mary this weekend.

Saturday, the RedHawks fell to ninth-ranked Virginia 6-1. Virginia struck first, with junior forward Elizabeth Hanks converting a penalty corner. The Cavaliers would make it 2-0 two minutes later as senior forward Paige Selenski added another goal. Virginia kept the offensive pressure on, but junior goalkeeper Sarah Mueller made five saves to keep the score 2-0 going into the half.

However, Selenski added another goal two minutes into the second half to put the Cavaliers up 3-1. Five minutes later, Miami picked up a goal off a penalty corner, as sophomore midfielder Ali Froede scored off of an assist from freshman midfielder Bea Dechant. That would be the closest the RedHawks got, as they gave up an own goal in the 49th minute to fall behind 4-1. Miami had another good chance off a penalty corner, but freshman goalkeeper Rebecca Holden saved senior midfielder Olivia Miller’s shot.

The Cavaliers added goals in the 64th and 70th minutes by senior defender Phoebe Willis and Selenski, respectively. Virginia outshot Miami 14-8, but the RedHawks had a 6-3 advantage in penalty corners.

“The score didn’t represent how well we played; the score would have been a lot closer if we had capitalized on our opportunities,” junior midfielder Kaitlin Evans said.

Miami lost to William & Mary Sunday 2-1. The Tribe dominated offensive possessions early, but Mueller made five saves for the RedHawks in the first 17 minutes to keep the game scoreless. Miami got its first good offensive look in the 20th minute, but freshman goalkeeper Catherine Johnson turned Dechant’s shot away.

William & Mary got on the board in the final minute in the first half, as senior midfielder Maria Caro scored off a penalty corner to make it 1-0, assisted by junior midfielder Sarah Morehouse. The Tribe added to its lead early in the second half, as junior midfielder Taylor Hodge scored off a penalty corner in the 40th minute.

The RedHawks answered in the 42nd minute, as Evans scored off an assist from Dechant to cut the Tribe lead to 2-1. Miami took the game down to the wire, as Mueller made three saves to maintain a one-goal deficit going into the last six minutes, where the RedHawks took five shots. Johnson turned away all of them however, and the Tribe held on for the 2-1 win.

William & Mary outshot the RedHawks 17-13 and had a 9-5 advantage in penalty corners. Mueller finished with 10 saves, and sophomore forward Valentina Neira led the Red and White with four shots, three of which came in the final six-minute flurry.

“We waited too long to step it up,” Evans said. “By the time we started to play our game, we were down 2-0. We just ran out of time to finish.”

Miami begins Mid-American Conference play 2 p.m. Friday when it takes on Central Michigan University. The team returns home for a pair of games this weekend, hosting Georgetown University 11 a.m. Sunday and Saint Francis University 2 p.m. Monday. 

“We have to do whatever it takes to get the win, whether it’s a good win or a bad win,” Froede said.