EVANSTON, Ill. – For just the second time this season, Cal field hockey's potent offense was held scoreless as Miami (OH) defeated the Golden Bears 3-0 on Wednesday afternoon at Lakeview Field in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Playing without injured leading scorer Daniella Rhodes, Cal's 2023 season came to an end. with a 12-8 overall record. That included a season-defining eight-game winning streak that carried Cal to the program's first-ever America East Tournament Championship and 11th appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
 
"I'm really proud of this team and what we have accomplished," Donna Fong Director of Field Hockey Shellie Onstead said. "It wasn't our day today. We had some good opportunities; I thought we turned the ball over way too much. But I'm proud of the way they fought. Our meeting afterward in the locker room was really validating over getting some perspective on the whole year. We are very proud of the America East Championship and what we've accomplished. I think the goal for the year was to accelerate this program to the next level and I think they've accomplished that and I'm incredibly proud of them."
 
Miami (15-7) had the early momentum, getting the first of its seven penalty corners in the game's opening minutes. However, the RedHawks could not capitalize, sending a shot wide right. Following the flurry by the RedHawks, Cal's offense showed a spark. Over the span of 30 seconds, Cal had two corners and three shots on goal - one from Bente Baekers and two from Maria Cambra Soler.
 
The strong play of RedHawks' keeper Isabelle Perese was the difference as she tallied eight saves and turned back several impressive shots.
 
With 18 seconds left in the opening period, Miami scored the game's opening goal when Claudia Negrete Garcia blasted a ball that ricocheted off a Cal defender past Tina Jolly (12-8). It was the first of two goals on the day by Negrete Garcia.
 
Neither side accomplished much offensively in the second quarter. Jolly recorded a pair of highlight reel saves to keep the game 1-0 at the intermission.
 
Out of the break, the RedHawks quickly retook the momentum, earning a penalty corner 30 seconds into the period. Miami fired a shot at close range that was blocked by Merel Hanssen. With 8:10 to play in the third, Cal's Kitty Baccanello and Cato Geusgens both had terrific looks on goal but were thwarted by Perese.
 
Miami took a 2-0 advantage late in the third quarter on a goal by Carlie Servis. The Bears turned it over deep in their own half and the midfielder took advantage, beating Jolly to her left in a one-on-one situation. Five minutes later, Negrete Garcia scored the third and final goal on a penalty corner, blasting  a shot to the upper right corner that ricocheted off a Cal defender.
 
The Bears outshot Miami 12-11 and had an 8-5 shots on goal advantage, but could not get a shot past Perese.
 
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