Field Hockey Game Stopped for Football Pregame

A field hockey contest between the University of Maine and Temple University, held on the campus of Kent State University, was called off before a victor could be decided to allow for football pregame events to begin. 

The Bangor Daily News reports that the teams were tied at 0 after the first overtime period when the game was called to clear space for a pregame football fireworks display. 

Kent State’s field hockey facility, Murphy-Mellis Field, sits adjacent to the football team’s Dix Stadium. The fireworks display was scheduled to begin at noon, but according to Maine field hockey player Riley Field, the teams were asked to clear the field at 10:45 a.m. The game was declared a no-contest.

Well... that's a new one.

Today's game at @KentState has been declared a "no contest" after Kent State administration came onto the field prior to the second overtime half and called off the game to allow the noontime Kent football game to begin on time.

— UMaine Field Hockey (@UMaineFH) September 7, 2019

Temple battled to a 70-minute scoreless tie with #24 Maine, but unfortunately a field scheduling issue prevented it from being played to completion.

The game will be entered as a scrimmage.https://t.co/BSMVuQgSLI

— Temple Field Hockey (@TempleFH) September 7, 2019

The Daily News reports that the game was officially considered a scrimmage, so records and statistics won’t be affected — but the incident didn’t sit well with some. One former Kent State field hockey player took to Twitter, writing that she was “embarrassed and disgusted with the lack of respect shown to our sport,” adding “Shame on the entire administrative staff.  

these are the fireworks that we were kicked off of the field hockey field for... which was behind the stadium. pic.twitter.com/UKBNWA617N

— Riley Field (@RileyField11) September 7, 2019

“While we would have greatly appreciated the opportunity to play the final 10 minutes of our contest, the KSU administration made the decision they felt was most appropriate,”UMaine athletic director Ken Ralph said in a statement.