News for 20 September 2019
All the news for Friday 20 September 2019
Spain face clash with next door neighbours
Continuing our series of video interviews with the teams that will participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers, Spain (FIH World Ranking: 8) captain Miquel Delas looks ahead to his team’s all-important two-match clash with France (WR:12), with a place at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 on the line. The crucial matches will take place in Valencia, Spain on 25/26 October 2019, with timings to be confirmed in the coming weeks. A transcription of the interview can be found below.
The FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will be taking place very soon. How is your team preparing for these hugely important matches?
Miquel Delas: For us it is really important because our main goal is to go to the Olympics and after a really good EuroHockey Championship campaign [silver medallists], we have to focus on the process and what we did to achieve that. We must make sure we are really prepared because we are facing a very tough opponent over the two matches in Valencia.
As the home team, what can the fans expect to see from your team in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers
Miquel Delas: Same as always. We defend as a unit. There are a lot of good individuals in the team. We will defend with patience and show a lot of Spanish character. That is our main point.
What are your thoughts about your opponent in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers and how is your squad feeling about these matches?
Miquel Delas: We know France very well. We are neighbours and we have played each other a lot in the last couple of years. We played them at the last World Cup and that was a really level match. We think they can play really good hockey and we respect them a lot. We need to be in really good shape and in our best moment if we are to beat them. Playing at home will make a small difference to us. Valencia will be full of Spanish supporters and they will help us a lot.
Finally, what would qualifying for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 mean to you and your team?
Miquel Delas: Qualifying for the Olympics is a huge thing. It is all or nothing. This new system is spectacular and we want to be at the Olympics for sure and we will do everything in our power to be there.
Each qualifier consists of two back-to-back matches which will be played in the same venue. The winners of these FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers will qualify for the 2020 Olympic hockey tournaments which will be staged in Japan’s capital city from 25 July to 7 August next year and involve 12 Men’s and 12 Women’s teams.
#Tokyo2020
#RoadToTokyo
#GiftOfHockey
FIH site
GB hockey ‘belief’ teams will qualify for Tokyo 2020 Olympics
The Hockey Paper
Great Britain hockey captain Hollie Pearne-Webb. PIC:Worldsportpics
Great Britain hockey “fully expects” both men’s and women’s teams to qualify for Tokyo 2020 after enduring below par EuroHockey Championships.
As the nominated side, both England sides had to lift the European titles to automatically qualify Great Britain for next year’s Olympics.
However, in finishing fourth, England women failed to win a medal for the first time in 16 years after defeat to Spain. With the men’s fifth-place finish, it meant that England recorded their worst showing in 35 years at a combined Championships.
“It’s disappointing overall,” GB hockey chief executive Sally Munday told The Hockey Paper, having watched her last Championships before moving to UK Sport.
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The Hockey Paper
Alex Danson backs calls for women’s sport on free-to-air TV
By The Hockey Paper
Alex Danson, right, wants women’s sport part of ‘crown jewels’ list
Great Britain’s Alex Danson has backed calls for elite women’s sport to be added to sports’ ‘crown jewels’ list on free-to-air television.
It was revealed this week that culture secretary Nicky Morgan had written to TV rights holders in a bid to make major women’s sporting events on an equal footing alongside men’s competitions – and not behind pay subscriptions.
“I truly believe you cannot be what you cannot see,” Danson told the Emma Barnett show on BBC 5 Live.
As a child Danson “didn’t see anything else apart from tennis as female sports stars.”
She added: “Our hockey is fantastically supported, often by BT sport and then by BBC red button and the viewing figures are huge.
“Now if we can get women’s sport on free to watch TV then it will make our young girls see it, will keep us healthier and more active.
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“Half our country is female so let’s make what we see equal to all.”
Danson also revealed an update on her recovery from a traumatic brain injury last year as the 34-year-old bids to make it back to the field after months away from the game, a period she has described as ‘soul-destroying at times’.
“Yes I miss terribly being with the team and it’s what I want to get back to and what I’d like to do,” she said.
“I am incredibly lucky. Every medical practitioner I have spoken to says I will get there. The only thing they can’t tell you, which is frustrating, is when.
“Of course there is a time limit and the Tokyo Olympics won’t be moved so it’s in the back of my mind.
“But I know that I will do everything I can to give me the best opportunity to return to play. The way to get there is to go day by day.”
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The Hockey Paper
SA Hockey Men’s Squad named
The SA Hockey Association are pleased to announce the SA Mens 2019/2020 Squad as coach Garreth Ewing has a firm eye now on the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The squad selected features 36 players that impressed selectors at the August IPT in Bloemfontein. The Final was contested by Western Province and Southern Gauteng, with each finalist having ten players in the 36 selected players. A further 9 medically exempt players are included in the squad who will need final medical clearance prior to any team selection, taking the total selection squad size to 45.
Although the focus of the squad is the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year, there is an added focus on building a squad capable of competing in the build up to and including the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, the FIH Hockey World Cup and the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
The squad boasts an exciting mix of youngsters and experience with the likes of Tim Drummond, Austin Smith and Rassie Pieterse who are joined by first time senior call ups for the of likes of Mustapha Cassiem, Luke Wynford and Chad Futcher.
The squad will be streamlined throughout the next few months and cut to a final Olympic Squad for Tokyo 2020. Although selected in the 45, the hard work will only just be starting as the players below look to secure their spot in Japan.
SA Hockey Association media release
8 matches over the finals weekend to be live streamed
Hockey New Zealand is pleased to announce that the following matches will be live streamed on Saturday 21st September and Sunday 22nd September.
The Ford NHL 2019 has seen some outstanding hockey played over the week in Tauranga, having some of the finals weekend live streamed will mean that all our hockey fans are going to be able to see this incredible hockey.
The live stream can be viewed through the Hockey New Zealand Facebook Page as well as the Black Sticks YouTube Channel.
Below is the matches that are going to be live streamed.
21 September
12pm Canterbury Women vs Tiger Turf North Harbour Women
2pm Ricoh Capital Cobras Men vs Auckland Men
4:30pm National Association Women’s Final – Tauranga / Bop vs Tasman
6:30pm National Association Men’s Final
22 September
10:00am Women’s NHL 3rd and 4th
12:00pm Men’s NHL 3rd and 4th
2:00pm Women’s K Cup Final
4:15pm Men’s Challenge Shield Final
https://www.facebook.com/HockeyNZ/
Hockey New Zealand Media release
PREVIEWS: Men's Hockey League
Champions Hampstead & Westminster face newly-promoted Old Georgians in the Men’s Hockey League Premier Division, with both teams looking to continue winning starts to the season.
Hampstead battled to a 4-3 win at Beeston last Saturday and had to rely on two late goals to take the win, while Old Georgians proved too much for the University of Exeter and won 5-1.
With Europe on the horizon, Hampstead & Westminster will be looking to get as many points in the bag as possible before they head off to represent England.
“We've played a few friendlies against Old Georgians over the last year so we have some familiarity with them, but it will be exciting and new to play them in a competition game for the first time. We will have to focus on our good habits,” said Richard Smith, Hampstead & Westminster player and Director of Hockey.
“Beeston has been a difficult away trip for us over the past few years, so we are delighted to have got the victory there for the first time in a few years.
“Beeston made it a tight game but finding a way to win and getting over the line helps further build our confidence going into this weekend and the next few weeks.”
Elsewhere, Surbiton host Beeston and will be looking to replicate the form they showed in a 10-1 drubbing of hosts Reading last weekend. But Beeston will be out for revenge after their loss to Hampstead.
The University of Exeter play host to Holcombe as they search for their first points of the campaign, while Reading will be hoping to bounce back from their loss last weekend with a trip to Wimbledon.
Finally, East Grinstead entertain Brooklands Manchester Univ on Saturday afternoon.
FIXTURES
Men’s Hockey League (Saturday 21 September 2019):
Premier Division
Hampstead & Westminster v Old Georgians 13:30
East Grinstead v Brooklands Manchester Univ 14:00
Surbiton v Beeston 14:00
Wimbledon v Reading 18:00
Univ of Exeter v Holcombe 18:30
England Hockey Board Media release
PREVIEWS: Investec Women's Hockey League
Top flight newcomers Loughborough Students head to East Grinstead on Saturday as their introduction to the Investec Women’s Hockey League Premier Division continues to throw up some difficult clashes.
The Midlands outfit battled well last weekend but ultimately lost out 3-2 to Surbiton, and they will be aiming for another strong performance as they chase their first points of the new campaign.
“We were pleased with how we performance last weekend given the context of the fixture, but were disappointed not to get anything out of the match,” said Loughborough Students’ Head Coach Brett Holland.
“We now know the important of being more clinical in the circle as well as making the most of your corners, which was such a strength of ours last season.
“East Grinstead are a real threat with world-class players and a great coaching set-up. We need to stick to our principles and execute the game plan for the full 70 minutes being relentless to the final whistle.”
Elsewhere, fellow promoted side Hampstead & Westminster will be looking to build on their great 4-1 victory at Beeston last weekend when they host the University of Birmingham, who had to settle for a draw last weekend.
That was against Bowdon Hightown and therefore they will also be aiming to secure their first win when they play host to Buckingham.
Reigning champions Surbiton are at home against Beeston as they look to make it two out of two so far while Holcombe – the team they beat in the final last season – go to Clifton Robinsons.
FIXTURES
Investec Women’s Hockey League (Saturday 21 September 2019):
Investec Premier Division
Clifton Robinsons v Holcombe 13:00
Bowdon Hightown v Buckingham 13:45
Hampstead & Westminster v Univ of Birmingham 15:30
Surbiton v Beeston 16:00
East Grinstead v Loughborough Students 16:30
England Hockey Board Media release
The Irish season starts here: all the movers and shakes in the men’s EYHL
Lisnagarvey’s Andy Williamson. Pic: Adrian Boehm
The men’s EY Hockey League is back with a bang after a busy summer with plenty of high profile players and coaches making moves around the island and beyond.
It is a heavily Leinster-based competition with Corinthian and UCD’s promotion and Cork C of I and Cookstown’s relegation leaving seven Dublin sides in the division.
Lisnagarvey probably take on the favourites mantle. The EYHL champions surprised everyone last term when their glut of teenagers swept to the title, going 14 games unbeaten after some early stutters.
With the youngsters a year more experienced and Paul Gleghorne back in the fold, they have lots of quality but they will miss Matthew Nelson who is in Germany with Krefeld.
First up, though, is a big test. With the return of Olympians Kirk Shimmins and Alan Sothern, Pembroke look well set to make a move toward the top four after their push last year slowed in the second half of the season.
Sothern is one of the most prolific scorers in domestic hockey and he will give their attack a real sharp edge.
Three Rock Rovers – winners of 13 different titles in the last three seasons – are facing a revamp on and off the pitch. Nine front-line players from their Champions Trophy and Irish Senior Cup winning side have moved on with Luke Madeley, Daragh Walsh and Jamie Carr signing up with Leuven in Belgium.
Coming in, Welsh international James Kyriakides and Ben Johnson are healthy additions while Ali Haughton is back after three seasons in France.
Their first challenge is against an ambitious UCD side who have probably done the best recruitment over the summer with Guy Sarratt – the league’s top scorer last year – Conor Empey, Cian Murphy and Alex Flynn all serious players. Should Michael Styles get the promoted side all working as one, they can cause plenty of surprises.
Gary Shaw is heading up Glenanne’s challenge as player-coach, taking over from Joe Brennan who has switched to Corinthian. The Glens’ squad is slimmer on numbers than last year with Sam O’Connor moving to Belgium and Cedric Jacobi returning to Germany.
Their first tie is a tester against YMCA who have added nine players to their first team panel with Irish Under-21 Matthew Walker their main addition. Ben Campbell, Sam Hyland and Grant Glutz lead the line.
Three Rock Rovers’ Ben Walker. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Newly promoted Corinthian can make a big statement on opening day with Peter Caruth, their marquee new face, coming up against his former club Annadale. He is one of three key players from Dale not around this season with Callum Robson at Krefeld and Ryan Getty returning to Garvey.
Coach Richard Fairman will need to coax the best out of their young stars to get their campaign on track.
Monkstown, meanwhile, are celebrating their 125th anniversary with one of their favourite sons, Stephen Cole, back after a year with Oree in Belgium. Their first challenge is against a Banbridge side who have Gordon Cracknell on the sideline with Mark Tumilty stepping aside after nine seasons. Owen Magee is back from Braxgata for the Co Down side.
The format is the same as previous years with top spot earning a European ticket; the top four are assured of a Champions Trophy place.
EY Hockey League (Saturday): Corinthian v Annadale, Whitechurch Park, 2.30pm; Glenanne v YMCA, St Andrews College, 2pm; Lisnagarvey v Pembroke Wanderers, Comber Road, 3pm; Monkstown v Banbridge, Merrion Fleet Arena, 2.15pm; Three Rock Rovers v UCD, Grange Road, 3pm
Men’s EY Hockey League – team by team previews
Annadale
Last season: 7th EYHL; Kirk Cup final; Irish Senior Cup round three
Coach: Richard Fairman (first season); assistant coach – Jonny Caren; manager – David Livingstone
Players in: Simon Cox (Bangor) Will Aston (Mossley)
Players out: Ryan Getty (Lisnagarvey), Callum Robson (Crefelder HTC), Peter Caruth (Corinthian)
Overview: Annadale’s youthful side will have a big task on their hand to try and avoid the relegation places after three of their leading lights departed during the summer. In the absence of the injured Peter Caruth in the second half of last season, they did not garner a win in their last 10 games having won four out of eight before that.
Annadale’s Adam MacAllister. Pic: Adrian Boehm
That was enough to ensure they stayed out of the relegation battle but with Caruth moving back to Dublin in an assistant coach role with Corinthian, Callum Robson going to Crefeld in Germany and Ryan Getty returning to Lisnagarvey, they have a deficit in experience in quality.
Ryan Burgess will be a key man following an excellent first season at the top level, captaining the side and scoring plenty of corners while young guns Adam McAllister and Ben Wallace will be key figures. Indeed, the club does continue to churn out underage internationals and the hope is they can quickly adapt to the top grade.
Banbridge
Last season: 3rd EYHL; Irish Senior Cup quarter-final; EY Champions Trophy semi-final; Kirk Cup winners; Anderson Cup finalists
Coaching team: Gordon Cracknell (1st season); assistant coaches – Scott McCandless, Suzanne Evans, Gareth Lennox; manager Colin Walker
Players in: Owen Magee (Braxgata, Belgium), Philip Brown (injury), Dane Ward (Instonians), Robbie Scott (Portadown)
Players out: Fraser Mills (retired), Scott Dale (Nottingham Trent University/Beeston), David Rae (Kilkeel)
Overview: After successful nine season spell, Mark Tumilty stepped away from the Banbridge coaching role earlier this year with Gordon Cracknell taking over as head coach.
He has seen his ranks boosted by Owen Magee’s return after a year in Belgium with Braxgata while Dane Ward is back after a spell with Instonians. Philip Brown is hopeful his injury issues are behind him to bring his powerful presence to bear as they look well placed to be involved at the business end when the trophies are handed out.
Banbridge are under new coach Gordon Cracknell this season. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Preseason has been progressing well with Cracknell getting to know the players, a spell slightly disrupted due to schoolboy involvement in interpro preparations, senior players like Eugene Magee being with the Irish setup and so on. Nonetheless, it has yielded a 5-0 win over Cookstown and Clontraf while they lost to Garvey 3-1 at home.
Corinthian
Last season: 1st Leinster Division 1; EYHL 2 winners; Irish Senior Cup Quarter Final; Mills Cup Semi Final; Neville Cup Final
Coach: Joe Brennan (1st season); manager: Sean Stewart
Players in: Peter Caruth (Annadale), Calum Adair (Three Rock Rovers), Matthew McCabe (YMCA), Max Neill (Kilkenny), Henry Micks (return from work abroad)
Players out: George Dagg (year out), Hugo Burns (studying abroad), Josh Greaney (Loughborough University), Tom Gibbs (working abroad)
Overview: Corinthian make their debut in the EY Hockey League this season following three Leinster league victories in succession under the coaching of Trevor Dagg. They finally won out via the EYHL2 playoffs through a shoot-out and they are keen to stick around.
Dagg stepped down after last term with Joe Brennan taking over, co-opting Peter Caruth to be his assistant alongside Colin Stewart as the club’s Director of Coaching – a strong coaching line-up.
Corinthian marksman Ian Stewart. Pic: Adrian Boehm
The experienced Henry Micks is back after a year away while Calum Adair, Matthew McCabe and Max Neill add to their panel. Josh Greaney’s move to Loughborough sees one of their brightest talents not around but David Howard and the prolific Ian Stewart should be able to provide plenty of goals to make them competitive.
Glenanne
Last season: 3rd EYHL; EY Champions Trophy semi-finals; Irish Senior Cup Semi Final; Mills Cup final
Player Coach: Gary Shaw; Assistant coach: Kieran Bolger; manager: Gerry Shaw
Players in: none
Players out: Sam O’Connor (Beerschot); Cedric Jacobi (Germany); Richard Couse (Avoca); Joe Brennan (Retired); Eddie O’Malley (Retired)
Overview: Glenanne had a topsy-turvy season last time around, leading the table at one stage last season but just one win in their last seven league games saw them drop to fourth place and a rough exit from the Champions Trophy at the hands of Lisnagarvey.
The summer has seen Sam O’Connor move to EHL-bound Beerschot and Cedric Jacobi is back in Germany. With Joe Brennan and Eddie O’Malley retiring and Richard Couse going to Avoca, their squad is trimmed back for Gary Shaw’s first season in charge as player-coach.
They do have plenty of experience with Stephen Brownlow, Richie Shaw and David Keogh in the mix along with Shannon Boucher, Brad Venter and Neil Byrne but the concern would be they could be impacted by a couple of injuries. Jerome Saeys offers an ace in the pack. They showed enough in their 4-3 preseason loss to Three Rock – leading 3-1 at one stage – that they will be a force.
Glenanne’s Shannon Boucher. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Lisnagarvey
Last season: 1st EYHL; Irish Senior Cup final; EY Champions Trophy final; Anderson Cup winners; Kirk Cup semi-finals
Coaching team: Head coach: Erroll Lutton (7th season), Assistant coach: Stephen Arbuthnot; GK coach: Raymond Geddis; Manager: Dean Beckett
Players in: Scott McCabe (Queens), Patrick Hunter (Queens), Paul Gleghorne (Crefelder HTC)
Players out: Matthew Nelson (Crefelder HTC)
Overview: Last summer was one of exodus for Lisnagarvey and yet they ended the season as EYHL champions as their next generation gelled in outstanding fashion. With Daniel and Ben Nelson, Johnny Lynch, Andy Edgar and Troy Chambers a year older, Irish Under-21 international Scott McCabe back and Paul Gleghorne adding to the mix, they look set to be a main player once again.
The downside is Matthew Nelson’s move to Germany, depriving them of one of the game’s most exciting forward talents. Nonetheless, preseason has been good with coach Erroll Lutton able to integrate some of the new Under-18 players into their friendlies.
Lutton said of the new season: “With many teams making changes on the coaching and playing side, it promises to be the most competitive IHL since it began. Having had the experience of winning at both national and domestic level last year, the aim for us is to be as competitive again this season.”
Monkstown
Last season: 6th EYHL, irish Senior Cup quarter-final; Neville Cup quarter-final; Mills Cup first round
Player/Coach: Gareth Watkins (2nd Season); Manager: Andy Ewington (2nd Season)
Players in: Andrew Fogarty (UCD), Rory Nichols (Returning from Australia on Erasmus), Stephen Cole (Royal Oree)
Players out: Guy Sarratt (UCD), Karl Smith
Monkstown’s Stephen Cole. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Overview: Celebrating 125 years this year in Monkstown so the club are looking for success in the leagues as well as enjoying all the 125 events they have lined up. Stephen Cole returns from his year away with Royal Oree while his brother Lee is remaining on in Belgium for another season. Andrew Fogarty is another returnee from UCD after four years. He helped them get promoted in his last season and was a key member of the MHC Irish Junior Cup team in 2015.
They will miss the goals of Guy Sarratt from penalty corners but there is a chance for Ryan Spencer and Gavin Gleeson to cement their place in Gareth Watkins’ line-up.
Pembroke
Last season: 5th EYHL ; Irish Senior Cup quarter-final; Mills Cup semi-final; Neville Cup second round
Coaching team: Head Coach – Paudie Carley (2nd season); Director of Coaching – David Passmore
Players in: Alan Sothern (La Gantoise), Kirk Shimmins (KHC Dragons), Andrew Colton (Railway Union), Nick Burns (Old Georgians HC), Alex Burns (Cork CofI), Jordan Lyner (North Down)
Players out: Tim Hill (retirement), Keith Crawford (professional reasons), Ronan Flannery (retirement), Stephen Sweetnam (retirement), Andreu Gomez (Spain), Cody Thomas (Australia), Cedric Mushiete (Belgium)
Overview: Pembroke welcome back Olympic duo Alan Sothern and Kirk Shimmins from their Belgian adventures and are delighted to add defensive mettle in the form of Andy Colton and Alex Burns, along with forward powerhouse Nick Burns for another stint at Serpentine Avenue – he played with Old Georgians in England last term.
Pembroke’s Keith O’Hare. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Their arrivals are timely with stalwarts Tim Hill, Keith Crawford and Ronan Flannery step back while Cody Thomas, Andreu Gomez and Cedric Mushiete return to their homelands.
With goal machine Sothern and midfield dynamo Shimmins in tow, Pembroke coach Paudie Carley and Colm O’Hare are looking forward to a sustained
Coach Paudie Carley and team manager Colm O’Hare are looking forward to a fresh assault on the top competitions following a productive pre-season including a successful tournament and training camp in Dusseldorf.
Internationals Keith O’Hare and skipper Harry Spain are both expected to feature heavily in the new campaign. Rob McCollum makes his first full-season debut and has been in flying form over the summer. Backroom mentors David Passmore and Nigel Henderson complete the coaching picture.
Three Rock Rovers
Last season: 2nd EYHL; EY Champions Trophy winners, Irish Senior Cup winners, Mills Cup winners, Neville Cup winners, National Indoor Trophy winners, Leinster Indoor winners, EuroHockey Indoor Challenge I runners-up
Coach: Elun Hack (first season), Fraser Morris (manager)
Players in: James Kyriakides (Cardiff & Met), Conor Quinn (Rathgar), Ben Johnson (Waterford), Sam Grace (UCC), James Walker (Australia), Ali Haughton (Racing Club de France)
Players out: John Mullins (Clontarf), Kevin Mullins (Clontarf), Alex Flynn (UCD), Conor Empey (UCD), Matthew Walker (YMCA), Luke Madeley (Leuven), Jamie Carr (Leuven), Daragh Walsh (Leuven), Ravin Nair (break from the game)
Overview: After 13 titles in three seasons, Three Rock are facing a revamp after nine frontline players moved on over the summer with a series of new faces coming in. The pro ranks came calling for Luke Madeley, Jamie Carr and Daragh Walsh while John and Kevin Mullins returned to Clontarf for their EYHL2 bid.
Alex Flynn and Conor Empey switched to UCD while Ravin Nair is taking a break from the game. It means plenty of opportunity knocks for underage internationals like Ali Empey, Evan Jennings and Harry Lynch to stake a claim for a regular place in the squad.
They also have some notable additions with Welsh international James Kyriakides – a veteran of two Commonwealth Games – a big catch while Ben Johnson (from Waterford). Sam Grace, James Walker and Ali Haughton all return to the club after spells away, augmenting the talents of Mitch Darling, Ben Walker and Jody Hosking, the fulcrum of a strong line-up.
On the coaching front, Niall Denham stepped down in the summer; his assistant Gareth Borland was due to take on the role but a work promotion meant he had to step away. Elun Hack, therefore, takes on the role following success with the club’s second team, winning the Irish Junior Cup and an unbeaten Leinster league run.
UCD celebrate during their EYHL2 playoffs campaign. Pic: Adrian Boehm
UCD
Last season: 2nd EYHL promotion playoffs; 3rd Leinster Division One, Irish Senior Cup Round 3; Mills Cup first round
Coach: Michael Styles (1st season), Manager: Reece Jordan (1st season)
Players in: Guy Sarratt (Monkstown), Conor Empey (Three Rock Rovers), Alex Flynn (Three Rock Rovers), Cian Murphy (Pembroke), Jamie Pullen (Three Rock Rovers), Tito Henry (Monkstown), Riain McDonald (Pembroke), Gauth Beirnaert (Waterloo Ducks)
Players out: Andrew Fogarty (Monkstown)
Overview: UCD’s return to the top flight of the EYHL was welcomed by a new coach in Michael Styles and many strong new players. EYHL top scorer from last season, Guy Sarratt, and fellow Irish Under-21 internationals Conor Empey, Cian Murphy and Alex Flynn have all joined the college side, joining an already strong Irish underage contingent in the sky blue.
Speaking after a preseason game, and the opening of a brand new pitch in Belfield, against Loughborough University, coach Styles said: “The aim is to try and create a place for these lads to study and play towards their goals. Hopefully we can start to match the women and get players into those international teams.”
Despite losing Andrew Fogarty, UCD are bolstered by a St Andrews alum in Matteo Romoli, Jazze Henry, Ziggy De Boe Agnew and David Nolan, and look well placed to try and produce a few shocks over the course of the EYHL.
YMCA
Last season: 8th EYHL; Irish Senior Cup third round; Neville Cup quarter-final; Mills Cup quarter-final
Head Coach: Jason Klinkradt (6th season), assistant coach – Justin Sherriff (3rd season), Manager – Sam Mawhinney (2nd season)
YMCA’s Ben Campbell. Pic: Sinead Hingston
Players in: Ethan McInerney, Gearóid O’Brien, Harry McCarthy, David Gahan (all Waterford); Matt Walker, Sam Ryder, Iain Paterson (all Three Rock Rovers); Tony Brophy (Cork C of I); Eric Prehn (Trinity).
Players out: Wilf King, Cillian Hynes, Eoin Buttanshaw, Andrew Jones (Moving country during the season)
Overview: With all the new players and hard work put in, the club has evolved over the summer with a new state of the art water based turf soon to be completed which they hope will add to the playing level of all players.
Under-21 international Matthew Walker is the big addition of nine new arrivals while the mercurial talents of Eric Prehn are usually well worth a watch. Four players move up from Waterford following the club’s awesome season last time out with a third place finish in Munster.
Ben Campbell, Sam Hyland and Grant Glutz are the driving forces and they will anticipate that the squad should have enough about them to move away from potential relegation issues.
Coach Jason Klinkradt is in his sixth season in charge and he said of their chances: “ I am really excited for this group of players, there are many talented players in this group and have started to gel over the past few weeks. I’m looking forward to the season ahead and to pick up where we left off last season after a strong finish!”
The Hook
Razak Cup show to go on despite haze
By Jugjet Singh
An aerial view of National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil shows the haze condition at 5pm yesterday. - NSTP/Muhd Zaaba Zakeria
The haze that has choked the whole of Malaysia wasn’t much of an issue at the Razak Cup team managers’ meeting yesterday.
The sky over the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil, where the officials were having their meeting, may look dark and foreboding, but the Malaysian Hockey Confederation (MHC) competitions committee is bravely sticking to the schedule.
So, the nine-day Razak Cup tournament will start today even though schools around the vicinity, as well as in the Klang Valley, have to be closed.
They are going ahead with the Razak Cup competition despite some sports science experts have warned that training or playing outdoors during the haze period can be hazardous to health.
An Air Pollutant Index (API) reading of more than 100 is considered to be unsafe for outdoor activities. At 5pm yesterday, the API reading was an unhealthy 152.
Though the API reading in most areas in Selangor and Kuala Lumpur has shot up to an unhealthy level of 200, MHC competitions committee manager Bryan Fernandez said yesterday none of the team managers voiced their concerns.
“We had a team managers meeting (yesterday) and discussed the contingency plans to counter the haze but none of the team managers present (Division One, Two and women's Division) had any issue with it. None wanted the tournament to be postponed.
“So, the show will go on. But we will have extra water breaks and we will monitor the situation.
“If it reaches an unhealthy level, we will make another stand,” said Bryan.
The MHC were of the opinion that since other sports activities like the Malaysia Cup football matches, are still being held as usual, their show should also not be disrupted.
“We did ask around and since there has been no directive from the Health Ministry for sporting activities to be shelved, we will run the tournament as usual,” said Bryan.
Johor coach Sarjit Singh, who is fielding a young side in Division One, said since his manager did not bring up the issue, he has no problems sending his boys into the hazy situation.
“The thick blanket of smoke around the national stadium does bother our eyes and throats, which we experienced during a night friendly session on Wednesday.
“But since my manager, as well as the other managers present at the meeting, did not bring up the matter of postponing the tournament, I will prepare my players to the best of my ability.
“Every team will face the same problem, and so there is no advantage or disadvantage in this situation.
“My mission will be to remain in Division One even though I have only two over-21 players while three are under-16 while the rest are eligible for next year’s Malaysia Games,” said the former national skipper and Olympian.
Negri Sembilan team manager S. Chandran said he had no qualms about his players playing under hazy condition though they may be huffing and puffing around in smog.
“I am of the opinion that the situation is not too bad and is still under control.
“The MHC have promised us that they will keep tabs on the situation and monitor the API before they stop any match or the tournament as a whole.
“And since none of the team managers from the other states had any issue with the haze, I will follow the wind,” said Chandran who plans to see his men win promotion from Division Two by reaching the final.
Men's Division One: Group A: Melaka, Johor, Perak, Police;
Group B: Penang, Kuala Lumpur, Terengganu. Pahang.
Division Two: Armed Forces, Kelantan, Selangor, Perlis, Kedah, Negri Sembilan.
Women's Group A: Kuala Lumpur, Police, Johor, Penang.
Group B: Selangor, Melaka, Armed Forces, Terengganu.
New Straits Times
Nurul aims to make her penalty corners count for Selangor
By AFTAR SINGH
KUALA LUMPUR: National defender Nurul Safiqah Mat Isa wants to accomplish a double mission when she gets into action for Selangor in the Razak Cup starting today at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil.
The 24-year-old wants to convert as many goals as possible from the penalty corners and she wants to help Selangor reach their second consecutive final in the eight-team women’s competition.
Nurul, who has represented Malaysia over the last five years, wants to make it memorable as Selangor are hosting the event.
“Last year, we came very close to lifting the title but lost narrowly to Kuala Lumpur (1-2). We’ve been training hard despite the haze and I believe that we have a reliable team to put up another good outing, ” said Nurul, who scored three goals in the Razak Cup last year.
“Unfortunately, we won’t have the services of top scorer Nor Hidayah (Ahmad Bokhari), who is six months pregnant.
“But I aim to step up and deliver the goals from penalty corners as I’m the No. 3 penalty corner specialist in the national team, ” said Nurul, who played in the FIH Series Finals in Banbridge, Ireland, in June.
Selangor have to play three Group B matches in three days.
Selangor open their campaign against Melaka on Sunday followed by matches against Terengganu on Monday before they wrap up the fixtures against Armed Forces on Tuesday.
“Playing three matches in three days will be a challenge but I’ve faith in my team, ” said Nurul.
Defending champions Kuala Lumpur are drawn in Group A with Police, Johor and Penang.
TODAY’S FIXTURES
Men
Division One
Group A: Police vs Melaka (6pm), Perak vs Johor (8pm)
Division Two: Kelantan vs Perlis (4pm), N. Sembilan vs Kedah (4pm), Selangor vs Armed Forces (6pm)
Women
Group A: Kuala Lumpur vs Penang (8am), Police vs Johor (8am)
(All matches at the National Hockey Stadium in Bukit Jalil)
The Star of Malaysia
Weekend College Games
USA Field Hockey's weekly feature of highlighting some of the top college games in Division I, II and III is back for the 2019 season.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 19
DI: UC Davis at American | 4:00 p.m. ET
UC Davis will fly east to take on American on Thursday afternoon in Washington, D.C. The Aggies are 3-2 on the year with big wins over Quinnipiac, Ball State and Central Michigan. American sits at 3-3, and their losses to top-25 opponents were closely contested. The two teams have not met in the past few years, making it anyone’s game as they battle to imrpove their overall records.
DII: St. Thomas Aquinas at Manhattanville (DIII) | 7:00 p.m. ET
A game spanning across two NCAA divisions, St. Thomas Aquinas will meet Manhattanville on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. ET in Purchase, N.Y. The two teams have made the match-up a tradition each season, which Manhattanville has won in the past five meetings. They are 4-3 in Division III play thus far and come off a tough weekend in New York, where they suffered two close losses. In Division II, St. Thomas Aquinas is 2-2 but will look to notch a win in this cross division game. 
DIII: Keene State at No. 17 Trinity | 6:00 p.m. ET
No. 17 Trinity will host Keene State on Thursday at 6:00 p.m. ET in Hartford, Conn. When the two teams competed in 2018, Trinity beat Keene State 3-0. They hold a 2-1 record with their only loss coming from Colby. As part of the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC), the Bantams are no stranger to a tough game as their schedule is packed with hard opponents. Keene State will prove to be just that as they defeated strong teams in Lasell and Westfield State.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
DI: La Salle at Towson | 2:00 p.m. ET
After meeting for an exhibition game in preseason, La Salle and Towson will make it count in this second meeting on Friday at 2:00 p.m. ET in Towson, Md. In 2017, La Salle walked away victorious with a 4-1 win. The Explorers hold a 3-2 record after defeating LIU in a shootout last week. The Tigers meanwhile will look to continue their historic winning of the series and gain their first win of the 2019 season in front of a home crowd.
DI: Virginia Commonwealth at Richmond | 3:00 p.m. ET
Virginia neighbors Virginia Commonwealth and Richmond will face off at 3:00 p.m. ET on Friday to see who has bragging rights in the city they share. VCU is coming off a loss to No. 22 Old Dominion, who topped them 2-0, making their current record stand at 2-3. Richmond is currently 3-3 as they have split their tough schedule to this point. This game is also a Goal 4 the Goal game, where the teams will play for the organization that benefits child cancer patients in the local community.
DII: No. 7 Assumption at Mercy | 3:00 p.m. ET | NE10 NOW
No. 7 Assumption will travel to Dobbs Ferry, N.Y. to face Mercy on Friday at 3:00 p.m. ET. Assumption has walked away victorious in the four game-history of the teams, but they have not faced each other since 2015. With entirely new squads on each side, it is anyone’s match. Assumption moved in to the NFHCA Division II Coaches Poll Week 2 with a record of 3-1 and a sole loss to Stonehill. Mercy is 1-3 and just defeated formerly ranked Pace 1-0.
DII: Bellarmine at Converse | 6:00 p.m. ET
Bellarmine will venture to Spartanburg, S.C. to compete against Converse on Friday. A relatively new program with only two seasons under their belt, Converse is 0-4 with a close loss to Coker most recently. In their first season as a program in 2017, they met Bellarmine who beat them 3-0. Bellarmine sits at 2-2 after two weeks which include a thrilling overtime win over formerly ranked No. 9 Bloomsburg and a 9-1 victory against Frostburg.
DIII: Drew at Delaware Valley | 7:00 p.m. ET
Drew will travel to Doylestown, Pa. to meet Delaware Valley at 7:00 p.m. ET on Friday. When the Bears and Aggies met last season, it was Delaware Valley who added to their winning streak of two games over Drew with a score of 2-1. Drew is currently 2-5 and Delaware Valley is 2-3, so both teams will work to improve on the year with another win in their favor.
DIII: Notre Dame of Maryland at Widener | 7:00 p.m. ET
Undefeated Widener will host Notre Dame of Maryland on Friday night at 7:00 p.m. ET in Chester, Pa. Coming into the match-up, Widener is riding high at 6-0 and will look to continue their winning streak to seven games. Notre Dame of Maryland is 2-4 but has had strong showings over Neumann and Southern Virginia. They will look to spoil Widener’s perfect record and build upon their own.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21
DI: Lehigh at Colgate | 11:00 a.m. ET
In a Patriot League match-up, Lehigh will meet Colgate in Hamilton, N.Y. on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. ET. Historically, the two teams are even in wins and losses, so the winner of this game will gain the overall series advantage. Lehigh took the win in 2018 and they are currently 3-1 on the year. Colgate is 2-4 so far, but with conference standings on the line, they will rise to the occasion to improve their record and make a statement in the Patriot League.
DI: No. 8 Iowa at Kent State (at Michigan) | 12:00 p.m. ET
No. 8 Iowa and Kent State will meet in Ann Arbor, Mich. on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET. Having similar records this year, the two teams have not met since 2016. In that game, Iowa walked away as the victors as they beat Kent State 2-0. That win moved the Hawkeyes ahead in their series meetings and improve to 6-1. Kent State comes off a strong 5-0 win over Saint Louis and will look to bring the momentum to action-packed weekend in Michigan.
DII: Bentley at Southern Connecticut | 12:00 p.m. ET
Bentley will travel to Southern Connecticut to face the Owls on Saturday at 11:00 a.m. ET. The teams are both part of the Northeast-10 Conference, making this contest an important one in conference standings. Last season, the Falcons topped Southern Connecticut 5-2 when they met in their fifth game of the season. So far Bentley sits at 2-1 with their only loss coming against No. 5 Saint Anselm. Southern Connecticut will look to find a positive result and tally their first win of the season on Saturday.
DII: No. 10 IUP at No. 2 West Chester | 4:00 p.m. ET
This top-10 game will see two undefeated teams, IUP and No. 2 West Chester, meet on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET in West Chester, Pa. West Chester will prove to be a tough opponent as they hold twelve wins in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rivalry with IUP, including a 5-1 win in the 2018 conference tournament. IUP has accumulated strong wins against worthy and ranked opponents, the last being Bloomsburg.
DIII: Kean at Oneonta | 1:00 p.m. ET
Kean will go north to Oneonta, N.Y. on Saturday to play the Red Dragons at 1:00 p.m. ET. With only one loss so far in 2019, Kean will fight to keep their winning streak alive. Oneonta is 3-3 and will look to shift their record to the winning side. As the teams have met in the past, Kean has taken the win four times in the last five matches, including in 2018.
DIII: Dickinson at Swarthmore | 4:00 p.m. ET
Two Centennial Conference rivals will meet in Swarthmore, Pa. when Dickinson and Swarthmore kick off conference play on Saturday at 4:00 p.m. ET. With a rich history of games, Dickinson holds the most wins in the series at 14-11 since 1993. Dickinson is even at 3-3 this season, while Swarthmore is 2-3. Both teams will look to start conference matchups at 1-0.
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 22
DI: Davidson at Lock Haven | 12:00 p.m. ET
Davidson will take a trip to Lock Haven, Pa. on Sunday to face the home team of the Lock Haven Bald Eagles. Lock Haven has dominated the past meetings between the two teams, winning the last five contests. They currently sit at 2-4, most recently losing in a shootout to Appalachian State. Davidson also fell to Appalachian State Mountaineers but bounced back for a win over Merrimack and improve their record to 1-5 on the year.
DI: Hofstra at Brown | 1:00 p.m. ET
Brown will look to end their losing streak with a decisive win over Hofstra as they host on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. Their last win was their season opener against Bryant before they went on to face four tough opponents. Hofstra will also fight to improve their record from 2-4 and continue their winning streak to three straight games. Although the two teams play many of the same opponents on their schedules, they have not faced each other in the last few years.
DII: Mercyhurst at Millersville | 12:00 p.m. ET
After defeating last year's National Champions Shippensburg, newly ranked No. 1 Millersville will host Mercyhurst on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET. The undefeated Marauders will look to keep their record spotless and carry the momentum into the match. Mercyhurst’s schedule is packed with top-ranked opponents, but a win over Millersville would be a big condifence booster early in the season. This will be the first of two meetings for the teams, so the winner will set the tone for the second game occurring next week.
DII: Coker at Slippery Rock | 1:00 p.m. ET
After facing Frostburg on Saturday, Coker will continue north to meet Slippery Rock on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. ET. Having not played each other recently, both teams will come out strong to improve their records. Coker is 2-2 with wins over Mount Olive and Converse. Slippery Rock is 1-3 after falling to No. 3 East Stroudsburg and No. 4 Kutztown last weekend. The game will be a break from conference play but will still be valuable to a winning record. 
DIII: Concordia at Wooster | 12:00 p.m. ET
Concordia will travel east to meet Wooster in Ohio on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET. With similar records and both teams holding two wins, Concordia and Wooster will fight to find their third win of the season. They have not played one another in the recent past, and either team can walk away victorious following Sunday’s contest.
DIII: No. 18 Centre at Bridgewater | 12:00 p.m. ET
Bridgewater will host No. 18 Centre on Sunday at 12:00 p.m. ET in Virginia. Centre has not lost yet this season, winning all six of their games over other top-ranked teams including No. 13 Christopher Newport. Bridgewater will look to interrupt the winning streak and take their first win of 2019. The two teams have not played each other in more than five years, so the match-up could go either way on Sunday.
USFHA media release
Maryland field hockey’s international players are key for the program’s development
David Suggs
The Maryland field hockey team wins 5-1 over the Richmond Spiders on Aug. 30, 2019. (Gabby Baniqued/The Diamondback)
The national anthem blared across the Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex Sunday, and the Maryland field hockey team stood united, despite its differences in national allegiances.
Instead of placing their hands on their chests, the Terps positioned themselves in a semicircle, each player clasping their teammate’s hand before rhythmically swinging their arms back and forth.
It’s a tradition that has been around for years, one that is rooted in the increasingly globalized nature of field hockey. And with five key contributors coming from European countries, it’s clear that Maryland’s commitment to the international game has played a large role in its growth as a program.
“It’s very challenging and very fun to put together a brand [of hockey] where you integrate people and the culture of their sport into what we do,” coach Missy Meharg said. “That’s why we stand in the U. We don’t have our hands over our chest because we’re not all Americans. That is a very American thing to do.”
Meharg, in her 32nd season as head coach, has overseen Maryland’s transition to a more global brand of hockey, with improvements in scouting technology making it easier to find and contact international players than ever before.
“What I like to look at is global recruiting,” Meharg said, “Ever since I’ve been at Maryland, I have stayed focused on identifying global talent and I think we continue to do so.”
And with international recruits often times bereft of opportunities to compete at the collegiate level in their home countries, Division I programs have looked to bring in an increasing amount of global talent.
“For a young player that wants to use their talents, wants to earn a degree, and wants to play field hockey competitively,” Meharg said, “it makes a lot of sense to want to come to the United States.”
Consequently, Maryland has utilized the global recruiting market to its advantage, with defenders Bodil Keus (Netherlands) and Hannah Bond (England) and attacker Bibi Donraadt (Netherlands) playing key roles in the past few seasons.
And that tradition has continued this year, with midfielders Nathalie Fiechter (Netherlands) and Linda Cobano (Germany) coming into their own in recent weeks after starting the season on the bench.
Fiechter, a freshman, has started each of the last three games, playing 60 minutes in Friday’s shootout victory over No. 6 Virginia before notching an assist against James Madison on Sunday. While Fiechter has proven to be a valuable asset on the field, the transition can be difficult at times for a newcomer — everything from balancing a class schedule to dealing with a new climate.
“I really had to adjust to the heat because it’s very humid here,” Fiechter said. “In Holland, it’s like 20 degrees.”
Meanwhile, Cobano has provided a spark from the midfield, starting all five games that she has played in and scoring twice since becoming eligible.
The emphasis on a more worldly style of play has pushed other Terps to broaden their tactical horizons. Over the summer, midfielder Madison Maguire and defender Kelee Lepage traveled to the Netherlands with the U.S. National Development Team to face some of the top European sides, including the U-21 Belgian national team and SCHC, a Dutch club team.
“Playing internationally [improves] American players’ games tremendously,” Maguire said. “Seeing the different styles of play and bringing back stuff from the … players [we] played with. … Everything is helpful.”
Maryland has impressed throughout the season, entering Big Ten play with a 6-1 record and victories over two top-25 teams. And they owe much of that success to their ability to meld the trappings of European attacking play with the fitness and intensity that is central to the American game.
“We have an incredible amount of diversity,” Meharg said. “We are a field hockey team that plays united, and we just build together to see the best brand of hockey we can play.”
The Diamondback
“You want to destroy it”: Maryland field hockey has set its sights on Penn State
David Suggs
Bodil Keus and Riley Donnelly high-five during Maryland field hockey’s 5-1 win over Richmond on Aug. 30, 2019. (Gabby Baniqued/The Diamondback)
Bodil Keus leaned over on Sunday, waiting patiently for Bibi Donraadt’s corner delivery to reach the defender’s stick, hoping to extend Maryland field hockey’s lead over James Madison.
Donraadt whipped the ball toward a crouching Nathalie Fiechter, who placed a delicate touch on it to tee up Keus. The junior launched the ball into the top-left corner, pushing the Terps’ lead to 3-0.
And as Keus’ shot flew past goalkeeper Caitlin Nelson, she was embraced by her fellow defenders, with Fiechter, Kelee Lepage, and Belle Bressler all rushing to congratulate the captain.
Maryland’s attack has earned plaudits for its ruthless efficiency. However, it is the backline that has proved especially stout this season, with defenders showing tremendous levels of versatility on both ends of the pitch. And with the No. 3 Terps opening their Big Ten slate against No. 24 Penn State on Friday, Maryland’s defense is aiming to put the conference on notice with yet another strong showing.
“It’s our conference,” goalkeeper Noelle Frost said, “we have to show them that we mean business.”
The Terps (6-1) enter Friday’s game off the back of two impressive victories in last weekend’s Terrapin Invitational. After conceding two goals in 80 minutes against No. 5 Virginia on Friday, coach Missy Meharg’s squad shut out the Dukes for its third clean sheet of the season.
“The past couple of games we’ve played against really good opponents,” midfielder Madison Maguire said. “It helped us and motivated us to start Big Ten play and play Penn State.”
Maryland is looking to neutralize a Nittany Lions attack that was particularly impressive in last year’s meeting, as Penn State defeated the Terps 3-1 to end their 13-game winning streak.
The squad is looking to continue its progression on the defensive side of the ball, however, a progression they credit in no small part to improved communication along the backline.
“Me and Bodil go back-and-forth a lot,” Frost said, “so we can get a better communication so we don’t [let up] as many shots.”
And while Keus has struggled with injuries at times this season, the Terps have confidence in their ability to make changes to the defensive lineup and maintain a similar level of performance.
Bressler — a midfielder by trade — has slotted into the defense seamlessly, flashing a combination of strength and technical skill to earn increased minutes over the course of the season.
“We didn’t know how ready Belle Bressler would be as a defender,” Meharg said. “Fortunately she’s doing tremendously and giving us quality output in the midfield and defense.”
Meanwhile, Fiechter, another converted midfielder, has been a revelation since joining the backline, providing the Terps with another set-piece threat. The freshman has earned the trust of the coaching staff and her teammates alike, playing 60 minutes against No. 5 Virginia and 53 minutes against James Madison last weekend.
“She does exactly what you ask her to do,” Frost said. “When she went on against James Madison, I was completely confident in her back there. If I tell her to get back post, she’s going to mark that girl and she’s going to save it.”
With Bressler and Fiechter proving capable of playing in the back four, Meharg has pushed for her more veteran defenders to get more involved in the offensive third.
Lepage and Hannah Bond have seen minutes in the midfield, while Riley Donnelly — scoreless in 25 games last season — bagged a brace on Sunday to push her to three goals on the season.
Given Maryland and Penn State’s rivalry, there will be added motivation for the Terps to get their Big Ten campaign off on the right foot. And with Maryland being led by a strong defensive core that has proved to be dangerous on both ends of the pitch, they are confident in their ability to one-up the Nittany Lions.
“Penn State is a huge rival of our school,” Frost said. “You know we want to destroy it.”
The Diamondback
Iowa field hockey comes off competitive weekend to neutral match
Iowa Hawkeyes prepare for match against Kent State in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Jahlynn Hancock
Iowa forward Leah Zellner tries to shield the ball from two Duke players during a field hockey game at Grant Field on Sunday, September 15, 2019. The Hawkeyes were defeated by the Blue Devils, 2-1 after two overtime periods. Hannah Kinson
No. 8 Iowa field hockey continues the nonconference portion of its season as they prepare for their next matchup against Kent State in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this weekend.
Iowa is 4-2 following their last weekend series in Iowa City against California and No. 2 Duke. The Hawkeyes managed to capture a 4-2 win against the Bears, thanks to scorers Katie Birch, Nikki Freeman, and Sophie Sunderland.
“We take our playing styles and apply it to the game,” Sunderland said. “We have to keep those intact and keep pushing forward.”
The Hawkeyes fell to Duke on Sunday in a second-overtime 2-1 defeat. Iowa had managed to hold off its opponent through the entire game through communication and defending skills.
“We asked the girls to go out their and do what they do best,” head coach Lisa Cellucci said. “They went out there and did more. They communicated, they kept the ball moving, and that’s what we ask for and look for in our girls.”
Kent State is 4-3 on the season but is coming off of back-to-back losses against No. 25 Michigan State and No. 8 Louisville.
“If we use the same communication and connection that we had against Duke, we should be able to go out there and do what we do, and that’s field hockey,” junior Maddy Murphy said.
The performance of the field hockey team is structured off of leadership. Through its wins and losses, there is always going to be room for improvement.
“We know how we played against the number two team in the nation. We just have to be able to take that and apply it to the rest of our season,” Cellucci said.
The Hawkeyes controlled the ball well on offense over the weekend. Their 24 shots against California widely outweighed their four shots allowed, and during the match up against Duke, the Hawkeyes outshot the Blue Devils, 12-11.
“If we are able to play how we played this weekend, I believe that we are going to have a successful season this year,” Murphy stated. “We can hopefully take this all the way to the Big Ten.”
The Hawkeyes are currently leading the all-time record against Kent State, 8-1, with their last defeat coming in 2010. The last time the two teams matched up was in 2016, when the Hawkeyes won 2-0.
“Our teams are not new to one another. However, their game style and mentally preparedness is what we have to adjust too,” Cellucci said. “We have to go out there and stick to the game plan. If we do that, then they did what they were asked to do.”
The Daily Iowan
Elis look to rebound after losing streak
Drew Beckman & Madison Hahamy
Lukas Flippo
Coming off of two hard-fought losses against nationally-ranked opponents Virginia and Liberty, the Yale field hockey team has an opportunity to rebound on Friday when it takes on Wagner in Staten Island.
The Elis (1–3, 0–0 Ivy) have heavily relied on their defense so far this season. During their games against No. 16 Liberty (4–0, 0–0 Big East) and No. 6 Virginia (5–1, 0–0 ACC), the Bulldogs remained within a single goal of both opponents at some point during the second half of each game. Goalie Sydney Terroso ’21 tallied a remarkable 12 saves against Liberty last weekend, keeping the Bulldogs in the contest. Meanwhile, Wagner (1–2, 0–0 NEC) faces Yale in one of the Seahawks’ first games since its field hockey program restarted after lying dormant since 1978.
“We were really pleased with our performances over the weekend against ranked opponents,” forward Imogen Davies ’21 said. “We definitely have a lot to take away and learn, but we definitely feel like it was a really positive experience for the team.”
Led by first-year head coach Niki Miller, the Seahawks are a young team composed of ten freshmen, four sophomores, two juniors and one graduate student. Despite their youth, the Seahawks opened the season with a strong 3–0 win against Hofstra before falling to La Salle and Villanova.
Even without much experience, the Seahawks are not lacking in talent. First year Kira Mordvinov and Hannah Meyer both have six points through the first three games. Mordinov, a forward, joined Wagner after being the leading goal-scorer for her high school’s varsity field hockey team for two years in a row. She was also named offensive MVP during her final high school season.
Meyer, a midfielder, comes to the Seahawks from Germany, where she competed for UHC Hamburg in the German FeldHockey – Bundesliga. Goalies Annabel Zandvoort and Justine Van Spengler have split time evenly so far this season, with neither making the net their own. Both have recorded 13 saves in 90 minutes played, with Zandvoort and Van Spengler conceding five and nine goals, respectively.
Meanwhile, the Elis’ experience both as a team and as a program should play in Yale’s favor in the matchup against Wagner. Terroso, who leads the Ivy League with a .766 save percentage, and Davies, who has tallied six points through the first four games, are key players whose experience should make an immediate impact on Friday’s contest.
“I feel that we are better prepared in general to adapt to changes in the game as a team because we are more comfortable with each other’s tendencies and style of play,” Katie Pieterse ’22 told the News.
The game against Wagner is Yale’s final fixture before the Elis open Ivy play against No. 14 Harvard (1–1, 0–0 Ivy) on Sept. 28. After facing two ranked teams in non-conference play, the Bulldogs can apply those experiences on the field versus the Seahawks and later against conference opponents as well.
“Our team has great depth and experience, as well as new talent, so we feel confident that we can put in another great performance on Friday against a new opposition,” Davies said.
Yale faces off against Wagner on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Seahawks’ newly constructed field hockey facility on Staten Island.
Yale News
Sharing knowledge is key to FIH Academy work in Oceania
It was all about the hockey in Rockhampton, Australia, as the Oceania Cup, the Oceania Hockey5s and two FIH Academy courses all took place over a six day period of intense activity.
While the hockey was reaching its exciting climax on the pitch as Australia men and New Zealand women booked their tickets to the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020, so the next generation of coaches and educators were going through their paces on two well-attended courses. In addition, the course leaders spent time with the three nations participating in the Hockey5s, giving player and coach feedback and acting as mentors for the coaching staff.
The FIH Academy Educator course ran for two days from 1-2 September and had 19 candidates on the course, from Australia, New Zealand and Singapore. Among the candidates was Oceania Hockey Federation (OHF) president Clare Prideaux. In reaching the status of FIH Educator, Prideaux becomes the second member of the FIH Executive Board, alongside PAHF Maureen Craig-Rousseau - to be an FIH Educator.
The Educator team consisted of John Mowat, FIH Academy Trainer and Coach Education Manager for Hockey Australia and Barry Vohland, FIH Academy Trainer and Hockey Queensland Talent Pathway Programme Manager.
The ability to share different perspectives and to become more self-reflective were two of the outcomes highlighted by candidates at the close of the course.
Speaking about the course, Prideaux said: “I am passionate about learning and development, and I value the power that education has to build people’s capability and in turn grow the game of hockey in equally amazing ways across every continent.
“It was a privilege to be part of the FIH Educator and Coaching Courses and gain first hand experience of the interactive, professional, globally relevant and inclusive approach that FIH is taking with people development. This was only the second FIH course delivered at this level in Oceania and we would love to see more delivered here in the future.
“Congratulations to FIH course designers, FIH endorsed presenters, OHF and, most importantly, the participants who devoted time and money to attend and grow.”
A further 12 candidates converged on Rockhampton to take part in the OHF-FIH Academy Level 3 Coaching Course, which ran from 3-6 September. Both Mowat and Vohland were also part of the team delivering this course and they were joined by Pat Barwick, FIH Academy Trainer, Sport New Zealand Trainer, and the New Zealand women’s Head Coach at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games and Nicole Youman, FIH Academy Trainer, Community Coaching Manager for Hockey New Zealand. In line with the FIH #EquallyAamzing ethos, all four presenters kept gender equity principles at the heart of their course delivery.
The 12 candidates on the coaching course came from Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan. Among the coaching skills covered on the course were the concept of taking an athlete-centred approach and advice on how to effectively use video technology.
Gill Gemming, speaking on behalf of the OHF, said: “Oceania Hockey Federation was delighted with the calibre of participants who were involved with both the FIH Coach Educators and the L3 Coach workshops held in conjunction with Oceania Cup in Rockhampton Australia. The Coach Educators course had a group of experienced officials participating and their involvement enhanced the range of presentations. The Level 3 coaches had the benefit of viewing the first Oceania Cup Olympic qualifying matches and mixing with high performance coaches of the participating teams.
“The presenters John Mowat, Barry Vohland (AUS), Pat Barwick and Nicole Youman (NZL) prepared well for the courses by having several conference calls leading up to their arrival in Rockhampton. The positive outcome was that all four presenters are leaders in their own nation’s education pathway and delivery and, as such, they were able to collaborate and share delivery methods, approaches and resources which will have a spin off in both Australia and New Zealand, as well as an impact on resources available the developing Pacific Island nations.”
After the courses had finished, three of the presenters stayed on to act as mentor coaches for the Pacific Island teams, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tonga, who were all participating in the Oceania Hockey5s. Sharing knowledge in this way is core to the FIH drive to promote hockey professionalism across the globe.
#OceaniaCup
#Hockey4Life
#Education
FIH site