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News for 25 September 2019

All the news for Wednesday 25 September 2019


Black Sticks men wary of Korea threat, says head coach Darren Smith



In the latest of a series of video interviews with the teams that will participate in the upcoming FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers, New Zealand (FIH World Ranking: 9) men’s head coach Darren Smith looks ahead to his team’s crucial two-game clash against Korea (WR:16). The all-important matches will take place in Stratford, on New Zealand’s North Island on 2/3 November 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 will your team prepare for these hugely important matches?

Darren Smith: “It’s been a big first six months. We’ve played a lot of international hockey through the [FIH] Pro League, went to the Olympic Test Event [in Tokyo, Japan] in August. Just recently we completed our Oceania Cup against Australia, so it has been all go in 2019. We’ve given the guys a little bit of downtime, they are playing in the national hockey league for their regions, then they come back in October for a big preparation for Korea at the beginning of November. Preparations have been ongoing throughout the year, and now we hone in and see if we can do a good job at the beginning of November.”

What can we expect to see from your team in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?

Darren Smith: “We just want to be in good form. The Koreans, the Spanish and all of the teams that are in these ‘do or die’ matches, you just want your team playing well, fresh, in good form and playing great tactical hockey. That’s all we want to see, our guys at their very best so that we can do the business when we are required to.”

What are your thoughts about facing Korea, your opponents in the FIH Hockey Olympic qualifiers?

Darren Smith: “We’ve been big admirers of Korea for years. Through the 1990s their hockey really grew, and in 2000 they were [Olympic] silver medallists. Through the 2000s we saw them regularly in the semi-finals of world tournaments, and then most recently they won the [Sultan] Azlan Shah [Cup] in April this year. It’s a team we are very wary of, they’ve got some quality players, a good flicker and a good goalkeeper, some key men who can do some damage. We are going to have to be on guard and make sure we are at our best, or else this is a Korean team that can hurt you.”

How is your squad feeling about these matches?

Darren Smith: “It’s exciting, it’s Olympic qualification. Every team goes through it, whether it’s Belgium winning the Europeans, Argentina winning the Pan Ams, it’s all high pressure as they try to get that ticket to Tokyo. We are going to be no different, going through a qualification event where all you want to do is make sure you are on the starting blocks in Tokyo so you can compete in that tournament as well. There is a lot of excitement in the group, as well as some nerves, of course. It’s Olympic qualification, so excited, nervous, looking forward to it and hopefully everything goes our way.”

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



Browne and Revington appointed GB assistant coaches


Kwan Browne & Paul Revington

Great Britain Hockey are delighted to announce Kwan Browne and Paul Revington as our new men’s and women’s assistant coaches respectively.

With a huge 12 months coming up for the senior Great Britain teams – with the Olympic Qualifiers, the second season of the FIH Pro League and Tokyo 2020 all on the horizon – we are privileged to have been able to make these two appointments.

Browne will join Russell Garcia in assisting the men’s team alongside head coach Danny Kerry, while Revington will work with David Ralph and head coach Mark Hager in the women’s set up.

They bring a wealth of international experience to the role, with Browne having recently retired from playing for Trinidad and Tobago after making in excess of 300 appearances for the country. Meanwhile, Revington has been head coach of the Ireland, Malaysia and South Africa senior teams.

Both have also been involved with the GB Elite Development Programmes (EDP) since their inception, with Browne working closely with Jon Bleby and overseeing a hugely successful period for the men’s programme that saw them win the 2018 Sultan of Johor Cup.

He was also was the assistant coach for England’s U21 men as they won an impressive European silver back in July while, in the absence of Danny Kerry, he supported Russell in delivering GB’s impressive 5-1 win away over reigning Olympic champions Argentina in this year’s FIH Pro League.

Revington has been in charge of the women’s GB EDP since 2017 and played a significant role in helping several players ascend to and excel in the senior team. This includes Tess Howard, Lizzie Neal, Izzy Petter and Esme Burge.

He has also offered assistance to the senior teams on top of that, most notably with England at the 2018 Vitality Women’s Hockey World Cup.

Speaking about their appointments, GB Hockey Performance Director Ed Barney said: "As we look to maximise the senior women's and men's programmes over the coming months, we are delighted to be drawing some additional coaching resource into the programme.

“Kwan and Revs will bring some world-class experience, points of difference and truly a brilliant set of technical and inter-personal skills. The coaching teams leading into 2020 look exciting and I'm sure both programmes will reap huge rewards over the coming months.

"We are hugely appreciative of the support that St Lawrence School and Hampstead and Westminster Hockey Club have offered in supporting Kwan's involvement in the programme."

Great Britain Hockey media release



Does Indian men’s hockey goalkeeping bench strength exude promise?

By Suhrid Barua



There is always a great deal of buzz generated about the Indian men’s hockey team’s ‘heavy reliance’ on vastly experienced goalkeeper PR Sreejesh. In fact, the sheer consistency of the 33-year-old shot-stopper over the years almost makes us lose sight of whether the team think-tank needs to build a goalkeeping bench strength. The man from Kerala has had a decorated 13-year international career (with the senior team) since making his debut at the 2006 South Asian Games (SAG) in Colombo – featuring in three World Cups – 2010, 2014 and 2018, two Olympics – 2012 and 2016, two Commonwealth Games (2014 and 2018) and two Asian Games – 2014 and 2018.

The talk of Indian men’s hockey team’s goalkeeping bench strength brings into focus the names of Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera and Akash Chikte – the youngsters who have donned the role of the reserve goalkeeper to Sreejesh over the last few years.

Krishan Bahadur Pathak, who made his senior international debut at the 2018 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia, has been part of the national team set-up for the last year and a half. The 22-year-old has been the number one choice reserve goalkeeper to Sreejesh in three tourneys this year – Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Australia Tour and FIH Men’s Series Finals. He was handed a bigger role – the mantle of being the first-choice goalkeeper at the Olympic Test Event in Japan, where Suraj Karkera was picked as the reserve goalkeeper as Sreejesh was rested. It could be observed that the Indian team management is looking to give Pathak as much game time experience as possible.

At the 2019 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, Pathak played in the entire first half of India’s opening tie against Japan (which India won 2-0) and was again deployed in the opening quarter of the India-Malaysia match (which India won 4-2) before he was replaced by Sreejesh. He was entrusted with the responsibility to handle the shootout responsibilities in the final against Korea which India lost 2-4 after being tied 1-1 in regulation time. Even during the Australia tour, he was handed significant game time.


Krishan B. Pathak has been the number one choice reserve goalkeeper to Sreejesh in three tourneys this year

There is no denying the fact that Pathak has gained considerable experience by virtue of being in the national fold since mid-2018 till date. The youngster was a part of the national team in three major tourneys last year as well – World Cup, FIH Champions Trophy and Asian Games.

Suraj Karkera, who made his senior international debut at the 2017 Europe tour, got the opportunity to prove his worth in the Olympic Test Event alongside Pathak. The Mumbai youngster, who was the reserve goalkeeper to Sreejesh at the 2018 Commonwealth Games before losing that place to Pathak, is also considered highly in hockey circles.


Suraj Karkera is also considered highly in hockey circles.

Akash Chikte, who made his senior international debut at the 2016 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, is another young goalkeeper, who has exuded promise but his career got derailed a bit after he was served with a two-year ban by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) for taking a prohibited substance – a ban that has been reduced to thirteen months.

The 27-year-old Pune lad had last played for India at the 2017 Hockey World League Final Round held in India – he was also part of the team that won the gold at the 2017 Asia Cup and had also featured in the 2017 Hockey World League Semifinal. Interestingly, the 2017 Hockey World League Final Round and the 2017 Asia Cup were tourneys where Suraj Karkera performed goalkeeping duties along with Akash.

So how has the Indian men’s hockey team’s goalkeeping bench strength shaped up so far?

Two-time Olympian and former Indian shot-stopper Devesh Chauhan says:

"Sreejesh has been a great servant of Indian hockey, and he seems to be getting better and better with every match and carries loads of experience under his belt. However, it is also imperative that India has its next line of goalkeepers ready. Pathak is our best bet after Sreejesh although the skill gap between Pathak, Suraj Karkera and Akash Chikte is not much as all three are promising."

Chauhan, who represented India at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and 2004 Athens Olympics, thinks highly of Pathak. “He has been around in the Indian team for a long time, and he is getting more game time now, which will increase his confidence and enable him to take more responsibilities under the cage. I like Pathak’s agility and body movements, which is so important for any goalkeeper. No matter how fit you are, you cannot be a good goalkeeper if you don’t score high on agility and body movements,” he pointed out.


The sheer consistency of PR Sreejesh over the years is unmatched among the goalkeepers

Former Indian men’s hockey team chief coach Harendra Singh believes it is critical that the likes of Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera and Akash Chikte are persisted with alongside Sreejesh:

"If you look at the global trends, you will find that goalkeepers tend to mature and peak in the late twenties. Even Sreejesh has peaked only after 26 or 27. I just hope that Krishan Bahadur Pathak, Suraj Karkera and Akash Chikte are persisted for another four-five years in the team set-up so that they are allowed to mature and peak. Pathak is very athletic and daring, while I like Suraj’s agility – Akash has also got good goalkeeping skills, and I have seen from his junior hockey days."

Harendra, who coached the bronze-winning Indian team at the 2018 Asian Games as well as at the 2018 World Cup, believes that Sreejesh should be figure only in major tournaments. “There is no point in playing Sreejesh in Invitational tourneys and Test matches. Pathak, Suraj and Akash can be deployed in such tourneys and groomed for future battles. This will help Sreejesh prolong his career and help stay injury-free – I think Sreejesh was overused during the 2012-2017 period by various coaches that led to a knee injury, which kept him of out of international action for eight months in 2017.”

The 2016 Junior Men’s World Cup-winning coach reckons the team can draft in three goalkeepers in the side whenever possible. “I understand that it is not possible to pick three goalkeepers in a 16 or 18-member squads, but when we pick 20 or 21-member squads, having three shot-stoppers is not at all a bad idea.”

The Bridge



Shahnaz appointed PHF spokesperson



ISLAMABAD - Pakistan Hockey Federation President Brig (R) Muhammad Khalid Sajjad Khokhar Tuesday appointed former Olympian great Muhammad Shahnaz Sheikh as official spokesperson of Pakistan Hockey Federation with immediate effect.

Shahnaz Sheikh, who had played between 1969 and 1978, was capped 68 times and scored 45 goals for the Pakistan hockey team. He won silver medal in 1972 and bronze in 1976 Olympics.

Shahnaz won the 1971 World Cup and was runners-up in 1975 and again won the World Cup in 1978. He was one of the most skilled hockey players Pakistan ever produced. In the early 1970s, he was the most acrobatic Pakistani forward.

Shahnaz also had a ‘good hockey head’ over his shoulders. One lasting impression of him was his rather brief stint as coach of the Pakistan junior team, which won the Junior Asia Cup.

In recognition of his outstanding services for hockey he was awarded “Pride of Performance Award” in 1990 from the President of Pakistan.

The Nation



Jeammot’s Saint Germain inspired by famous past victories at the Pau Negre Stadium



After 17 years with the club, Saint Germain-blood runs deep in William Jeammot as he looks forward to captaining the Parisian club at the EHL KO16 next week in Barcelona.

There, they will play Russian champions Dinamo Kazan with a new look side with some big stars like Kevin Mercurio (Klein Zwitserland), Francois Goyet and Blaise Rogeau (both La Gantoise) moving on.

It means the 23-year-old always knew he would be taking on more responsibility this season but he said the captaincy was an extra boost.

“I grew up in this club and I consider it like a second family,” he told the EHL website. “It gave me a lot of values, a lot of incredible experiences, and the taste for competition.


EINDHOVEN – Euro Hockey League 2018/2019 KO16: Saint Germain HC – Club Egara Photo: ROGEAU Blaise celebrates his goal. ©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics

“So when the coach [Matthias Dierckens] told me I will be the captain, I received it as an honour. The fact he gives me his trust helps me to find more within myself and improves my self confidence, even if that particular responsibility was a source of stress initially.

“I will really enjoy this extra responsibility. But I know I should always take a step back in order to keep my head on my shoulders. I think it will be crucial if I want to fulfill my role in a good way.”

So far, it has worked out well with away wins over Antibes, Paris Jean Bouin and FC Lyon with Jeammot scoring six times in three games.

It sees them sharing top spot at this early stage with Racing Club de France and CA Montrouge – the other French side in the EHL KO16 – after three rounds.

“We did lose a part of our key players this summer,” Jeammot said of the challenges his side faces this season. “But, it had to happen. As international players, they had to reach for more competitive championships and now all the team wish them the best in their respective new clubs.

“We recently registered two Spanish players [Sergi San Martin and Marc Font]. The other new faces come from our youth section and I’m (positively) surprised with how they have quickly taken their place in the team. Now everyone must prove themselves, even the most experienced players, but I’m confident with the investment of each and I think we’re armed to be competitive.”

Saint Ger are returning to the scene of one of their most famous victories, beating Club Egara 6-4 to win their ROUND1 group in 2017 with a dramatic late penalty stroke.

And Jeammot hopes his side can repeat those heroics against their Russian rivals whom they met all the way back in 2008 in the first season of the EHL. They went on to reach the KO8 that year while they only missed out on a repeat run at Easter this year in a shoot-out.

“This EHL will be really interesting for us and especially significant to see what level we will be able to reach this season. The KO16 is coming very soon and the preparation is short.

“A lot of players in our team have not really experienced it before and we will not have the opportunity to count on as many leaders as last year. We are expecting a tough match against Kazan and we are working hard to be ready the D-Day.

“If we keep a good structure and a strong defense, I think we will have our chances against Kazan.

Obviously it is easier for us to draw a Russian team than a Dutch or a German one, but if we pass that first match, we will face Surbiton or Real Club de Polo and it will be a new big challenge. So reaching the KO8 is still far from us, but which competitor would not dream about it?

“That [win over Egara] is a good memory. More than that, I think that weekend was one of the best hockey memory of many players of the team. Winning in the ‘money time’, against the local team, in front of many of our supporters, that was just crazy!

‘We hope that it will give us inspiration for this year and the strength to play as best we can to not regret anything.”

Euro Hockey League media release



Tasman Tigers hit new hockey heights with first Floyd Shield win

Tim O'Connell


Despite limited game preparation and seven new squad members, Tasman went through the tournament unbeaten.

The Tasman Tigers women's hockey side has made history at the Ford National Association hockey tournament in Tauranga, riding an unbeaten streak on its way to winning a maiden title.

For the first time,Tasman's name will be engraved on the 106-year-old Floyd Shield after a come from behind finish against Tauranga/BOP to record a 4-2 victory in the final.

While Marlborough had previously won the shield, the individual Nelson, Buller and West Coast districts were never able to achieve a win prior to combining as Tasman eight years ago.

The historical significance was not lost on Tigers coach Paul Jones, who put the win down to "an unbelievable team spirit and culture", trust and the work done off the turf that all came together.

"They've made history and no one can ever take that away - they've got their name on it for the rest of their lives - when they're 60 they can look at it and say 'that was me'."

Despite limited preparation as a full squad and seven new players in the mix, Tasman made a strong start to the tournament with a 5-3 win over Tasmania, courtesy of goals to Tanya Hawley, Jessica Davidson (2), Pip Lunn and Hannah Mowat.

Jones said while other teams had begun trials two months ago with high-performance and ex-Black Sticks in their squads, Tasman had only played its first game together on that first day of tournament.

"Because of where we come from, we cannot always get together - so we'll come together to train for one weekend but not all of the team can make it."

"I send away a training programme to the girls in Westport, Greymouth and Blenheim - they turn up and I trust they've done the work."

A place in the top four was secured with subsequent pool wins over Otago, Counties-Manukau and a win on penalties over Tauranga/BOP.

In their semifinal, Tasman got revenge on North Harbour for last year's final loss by beating them 4-1 to set up a showdown with the home side.

In the final, Tasman's proactive game plan initially failed to deliver, finding themselves 2-0 down at half time.

"We try and play very attacking, aggressive hockey - I call it high-risk, high reward hockey - the risk was that we went two goals down because we left ourselves vulnerable at the back."

"In rugby, when you're 20-nil down at halftime it takes a lot to come back ... the funny thing about it was I said the girls the night before 'let's look at different scenarios here - what if we're two goals down after 15 mins' and guess what? We were two goals down after 20 minutes."


The Tasman Tigers womens side is celebrating a maiden Floyd Shield triumph at last week's National Associations Hockey Tournament at Tauranga, beating the hosts 4-2 in the final.

Two goals in the third quarter brought the score back to 2-all before a brace of goals in the final ten minutes secured the maiden title for Tasman.

The Shield is now back in the top of the south and will spend some time at each area in the coming months, while each area was given a gold medal to hang in their clubrooms.

"Without even talking about winning - we all wanted to give something back to our areas - hopefully the next girl coming through can look up at it and say 'I want one of those'."

The Tasman Boars mens team came ninth, despite only losing one match at the tournament - a 2-1 defeat to South Canterbury.

The team finished well with wins over Counties Manukau, Taranaki, Southland and the NZ Defence Force.

In the Newmans Cup mens final, the Canterbury Beavers secured their sixth National Seniors title with a 3-1 win North Harbour.

Stuff



Quiet game for strikers

By Jugjet Singh


Faizal Saari scored twice through penalty corners. -- NSTP Archive

WHERE have all the strikers gone?

That must be the question bothering national coach Roelant Oltmans as well as his South Korean counterpart after their second friendly ended 2-2 at the Jincheon National Training Centre yesterday.

The first friendly saw Malaysia win 2-1, but all the goals so far have been converted via penalty corners.

Malaysia's Razie Rahim netted twice in the first friendly, but it was Faizal Saari’s turn to shine with goals in the 11th and 13th minutes yesterday.

Penalty corner specialist Jang Jong Hyun has scored all the goals so far for Korea. Yesterday, he netted in the 25th and 56th minutes.

“The only difference between both teams was the penalty corner conversion rate. Malaysia received four and scored two, while Korea won three and scored one,” said Oltmans after the first friendly.

Both teams are preparing for the final Olympic Qualifier in November. Malaysia will play Britain, while Korea are up against New Zealand.

Only the winners will qualify for the Olympics.

New Straits Times



Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll College Rankings: Week of September 24

Fairfield, Monmouth break into Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll


Image Courtesy of Northwestern University Athletics

GILBERT, Ariz. - September 24, 2019 - For the first time this season, Fairfield University and Monmouth University have earned a place on the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Stags make their debut at 23rd while the Hawks of Monmouth debuted at 25th.

The Top Five
The University of North Carolina was voted into first place on the poll this week, trailed closely by their neighbors eight miles to the northeast, the Duke University Blue Devils. This week, the two programs share more than just an area code, the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) rivals also share a 7-0 record.

The University of Connecticut came in third this week, while the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia came in fourth and fifth, respectively. Each of the top-five teams will take on at least one ranked opponent in the upcoming week.

Games to Watch
The game to watch this week is between No. 1 UNC and No. 5 UVA - the two top-five teams will meet on Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET in Charlottesville in each team's second ACC game of the season.

Tuesday will feature the first of three "can't miss" non-conference games - No. 10 Princeton University will visit the No. 4 Terps for a 6:00 p.m. ET contest. Then on Sunday, No. 11 Saint Joseph's University will visit No. 17 Boston College for a noon game and No. 15 Stanford University will travel to No. 2 Duke for a 1:00 p.m. ET pushback.

2019 Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll - Week 3

Rank Institution Points (First Place Votes) Previous Ranking
1 University of North Carolina (7-0) 1289 (41) 1
2 Duke University (7-0) 1221 (11) 2
3 University of Connecticut (7-1) 1133 4
4 University of Maryland (7-1) 1098 3
5 University of Virginia (6-1) 1018 5
6 University of Louisville (6-1) 944 7
7 Northwestern University (8-2) 875 11
8 University of Iowa (5-2) 872 8
9 University of Michigan (5-2) 836 9
10 Princeton University (3-3) 735 6
11 Saint Joseph's University (6-1) 698 15
12 University of Delaware (5-1) 683 10
13 Liberty University (5-1) 622 13
14 Ohio State University (4-3) 569 12
15 Stanford University (6-3) 525 16
16 Harvard University (3-2) 468 14
17 Boston College (4-3) 461 17
18 Rutgers University (4-3) 457 21
19 Syracuse University (6-2) 383 19
20 University at Albany (5-3) 272 20
21 Wake Forest University (2-5) 271 18
22 Old Dominion University (5-2) 206 22
23 Fairfield University (7-1) 196 -
24 Michigan State University (5-2) 101 23
25 Monmouth University (5-3) 85 -

* DI Rankings are based off NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll (Posted September 24, 2019)

Follow all NCAA Division I matches and results on the FieldTurf Scoreboard hosted by nfhca.org throughout the season.

The Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll is voted on by NFHCA member coaches and has no bearing on selection to the 2019 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship.

Content Courtesy of NFHCA

USFHA media release



No. 4 Maryland field hockey nets last-second OT winner to stun No. 10 Princeton, 4-3

David Suggs


Defender Hannah Bond calls for the ball during Maryland field hockey’s match against Ohio State at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex on Sept. 21, 2018. (Andi Wenck/The Diamondback)

Hannah Bond stood just outside the goalmouth, gasping for air with hands firmly placed on her hips as her Maryland field hockey teammates slowly made their way toward the defender.

Bond had just lifted her last-second rebounded effort past Princeton goalkeeper Grace Baylis, giving the Terps a 4-3 overtime victory. However, with the referees headed for the replay booth to see whether she had gotten the shot off in time, the Terps settled for a more reserved celebration.

But once the referees signaled that the goal indeed stood, Bond and her teammates celebrated vociferously, ecstatic to secure another comeback victory over a top-10 team.

“When Hannah scored, it was just pure relief,” midfielder Linda Cobano said. “There were so many emotions that came up.”

The back-and-forth affair began with Princeton hounding Maryland’s defense in its own half, forcing a handful of turnovers. Eventually, the Tigers capitalized on those mistakes, with midfielder Sammy Popper picking up a loose ball outside the shooting circle.

The freshman deftly flicked the ball through the legs of an onrushing Maryland defender before depositing her shot into the cage to give Princeton the 1-0 edge.

It was the highlight of an otherwise dour attacking display in the opening frame, with both teams combining for just three shots.

The Terps’ attack proved far more lively in the second quarter, forcing three penalty corners within the first three minutes of the frame.

Maryland (8-1) made the Tigers (3-4) pay for the bevy of opportunities afforded to it, with Cobano firing a shot off a hapless Princeton defender to knot the game up at one.

It was the Terps who looked more likely to score the decisive third goal of the game as the break neared. But Cobano and defender Bodil Keus saw their efforts go wide, sending the two teams into halftime deadlocked.

Both teams got off to a rapid start in the third frame as Cobano saw her third shot of the day blocked 30 seconds into the period. The sophomore was the first to react to the rebound, however, backhanding from distance to give Maryland its first lead of the game.

“I needed some time to get into the new system, get to know the players,” Cobano said. “I feel like I found my position in the team and I’m so glad it worked pretty well for us today.”

Princeton’s reply was swift and direct, though, as forward Clara Roth slotted the ball past Frost less than a minute after Cobano’s goal.

Roth — the reigning Ivy League Offensive Player of the Year — continued to show off her quality, making a slaloming run from outside the shooting circle before whipping the ball beyond Frost and into the far post, pushing the Tigers ahead, 3-2.

“To open up the second half and get right on the board and dominate like that,” Meharg said, “and then take the foot off the pedal and be so disorganized and have to goals against us. That’s kind of a young team.”

Both goalkeepers made a series of impressive saves to keep the scoreline at 3-2. Baylis dove acrobatically to deflect Keus’ effort above the bar, while Frost dove quickly to deny midfielder Julianna Tornetta off a penalty corner.

As the game entered its final frame, it looked headed for a frantic conclusion. And the match’s frenzied nature was intensified after Roth was shown a green card early in the fourth, reducing the Tigers to 10 players for two minutes.

But the Terps struggled to create space, as the Princeton defense got compact in an effort to protect their goal advantage.

“One of the things that Princeton did do when they got a card was they started to play their top attackers in their backfield,” Meharg said.

In fact, the Terps failed to record a shot until the five-minute mark of the fourth. Cobano, the most threatening of Maryland’s attackers, forced a save out of Baylis, who pushed the ball into the path of midfielder Emma DeBerdine.

The freshman deflected the ball across the goalmouth, finding an unmarked Bibi Donraadt, who slotted the ball into the open net for the equalizer, sending her Terps’ teammates into a frenzy with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.

“Bibi’s definitely a person who can decide a game in the end,” Cobano said. “She plays very [well] when she has high pressure on her. … You can really rely on her in those situations.”

And just over 14 minutes of game time later, Bond’s second-effort goal had a similar effect on her teammates, pushing the Terps past an imposing Princeton squad.

“It’s really important to know that even if it does go into overtime, we can still put it away or we can come back from being a goal down,” Bond said. “That gives us a solid base to build on.”

The Diamondback



JMU field hockey falls at No. 5 Virginia

By Courtesy: JMU Athletics |


The James Madison field hockey team lost to No. 5 Virginia, 2-0, Tuesday night in Charlottesville.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- James Madison field hockey dropped a road contest 2-0 at No. 5 Virginia on Tuesday evening. JMU dropped to 3-5 on the season, while Virginia improved to 7-1.

The two teams started the game evenly matched with both playing hard hockey. In the opening frame, Kylie LeBlanc had two of her four saves to keep the game tied 0-0. JMU outshot the Cavaliers 4-3 in the first 15 minutes but UVA outshot the Dukes 11-6 on the game.

Just 30 seconds into the second quarter, Virginia got on the board with a hard shot at the top of the circle for the 1-0 lead. JMU was unable to get a shot off in the second quarter but held the Cavaliers to just one-goal to trail 1-0 at the break.

It was evenly matched in the third quarter as the Dukes looked to score the equalizer. Neither team would put one in the cage in the third quarter as UVA held onto a 1-0 lead with one quarter to play. JMU never quit but the Cavaliers got their fifth penalty corner of the game late in the final frame and was able to capitalize off a save by LeBlanc to go ahead 2-0. The Cavaliers would hold on for the 2-0 win over the Dukes.

HOW THEY SCORED
UVA
15:31 | Adele Iacobucci got into the circle and took a hard shot that went by LeBlanc

57:34 | Makayla Gallen deflected the ball into the air and Anzel Vilojen was able to tap in over LeBlanc

GAME NOTES
--This was Virginia’s fourth shutout of the season and third-straight
--UVA is on a 6-game win streak over JMU
--When Virginia is ranked inside the Top-10, they have a 12-6 record against JMU
--First time being shutout since playing No. 4 Maryland (9/15/19)

QUOTING COACH MORGAN
“I’m proud of this team. We fought from start to finish, we played connected hockey and skilled hockey. It wasn’t physical, it’s wasn’t crash ball, it was skill play. We just didn’t finish, but I’m proud of the fight and the style and I feel like we are definitely defining who we are. Our goal is to grow 1% every day and we’ve done that so far and will continue to do that.”

UP NEXT
JMU will host reigning NCAA Champion and No. 1 North Carolina on Sunday, Sep. 29 at noon at the JMU Field Hockey Complex.

WHSV



Penn field hockey eager to begin Ivy play against Cornell after slow start to season

Quakers open League season with home contest versus the Big Red on Saturday

By Teia Ross


Senior midfielder Alexa Schneck and the rest of Penn field hockey kick off Ivy League play this weekend against Cornell. Credit: Kelsey Warren

When one door closes, another opens.

After a winless start to the year, Penn field hockey has its sights set on the first Ivy League game of the season against Cornell at home on Saturday. After this League opener, the Quakers will travel to Temple the following day.

“In the past, we’ve never looked at it as two separate seasons, but now we have the advantage of [saying], ‘Okay, that part of the season is behind us, let’s move forward and now attack this part of the season,'” coach Colleen Fink said.

Senior goalkeeper Ava Rosati has saved 63% of the 79 shots she has faced this season. On the other hand, Penn’s offense has only converted 6% of its shots to goals, despite outshooting both Monmouth and Villanova. Cornell goalkeeper Maddie Henry has saved 67% of shots, and Temple goalkeeper Cristina Carotenuto has stopped 68%.

Penn field hockey falls to No. 15 St. Joe's for fifth consecutive loss

Three of Penn’s four goals this season have come from sophomore forward Madison Jiranek. The other goal came from sophomore midfielder Gracyn Banks, who has taken 25 shots for the Red and Blue (0-5). Banks has been putting her own name on what used to be the role of the graduated Paige Meily who was a first team All-Ivy player last year.

Despite being five games into the season, the Quakers will have the opportunity to have a new mentality with the start of Ivy games.

“I think the key is going to be to enter the game confidently, feeling prepared, feeling like we can win, and feeling like we put in the work to be able to reap the benefits despite the fact that we haven’t yet done that,” Fink said.

“It’s Ivy play, so there’s always a different intensity,” senior captain Alexa Schneck said. "I think that’s what we’ve been looking forward to all season.”


Credit: Amanda Shen

Last year, the Quakers were able to edge Cornell in a 1-0 match on the road, a contest that also marked the beginning of Ivy play in 2018. By that point last season, the Red and Blue had a record of 4-3. However, the team's focus is not on this season’s early shortcomings, but rather the opportunities that lie ahead.

“For us, whatever happened is in the past, and we’re looking at it as a way of moving forward and going all out for Ivy play,” Schneck said.

The Big Red defeated current-No. 18 Syracuse in their first competition of the season, so this weekend will be another tough test for Penn.

Following their game against Cornell, the Quakers will turn around and play Temple (4-2) at Howarth Field on Sunday.

“We do take the City Six very seriously," Rosati said. “We’re really excited to come out and prove ourselves."

The Quakers defeated the Owls in the 2018 season by a three-goal margin, and they hope to find similar success this weekend.

A win for Penn this weekend would give the group a morale boost going into the rest of the season, and Schneck has no doubt that the Red and Blue are poised for a win.

“I think it comes down to hard work, preparation, and heart,” Schneck said.

Penn may not have begun the season in the way that it wanted, but a piece of good news for the team is that Saturday's contest represents the beginning of a new season: the Ivy League season.

The Daily Pennsylvanian



"Field hockey is my whole life here": Senior Laura Shelton has been a mainstay at Penn

The field hockey defender has started 18 consecutive games

By Samantha Klingelhofer


Senior defender Laura Shelton has come a long way during her four years at Penn and has started the last 18 games for the Quakers. Credit: Amanda Shen

Laura Shelton might not score much, but she is a force nonetheless for Penn field hockey.

In the 2018 season, the Schwenksville, Pa. native started 13 of the team's 17 games, playing every minute against 10 opponents. So far this season, she has already seen 234 minutes of action against the first five opponents. But the senior defender's field hockey journey and path to Penn started far before her time on campus. For her, the sport runs deep in her family.

“My aunt is the head coach at [North Carolina] and her husband is also a coach at UNC. This is her 39th year, so she was the main reason I got into field hockey," Shelton said. “My mom never played, and I think she was my only aunt that did, so she recommended it for me and recommended what club to go to and it always made sense to me. I played other sports growing up, but field hockey was just always my favorite.”

While she grew up playing the sport like most other collegiate field hockey players, Shelton’s recruiting path was a bit unconventional.

“My path to Penn was a little different than most field hockey recruiting. Typically, you commit in fall of your junior year of high school, but I wasn’t even looking at Penn until winter of my junior year," she said. "I was looking at other Ivies and other schools close to where I’m from, like Villanova and Lehigh … but then I just knew I wanted to go close to home, which is 45 minutes outside of Philly, so I emailed Coach Colleen [Fink] and Coach Colby in probably January of my junior year, and they invited me to a clinic and then offered me a spot. So it worked out perfectly.”


Credit: Gillian Diebold

It really did work out perfectly; Shelton’s reflections of her past three years at Penn have been overwhelmingly positive, both on and off the field. She says her favorite moment thus far was when the team upset ACC powerhouse Syracuse.

“When we beat them, I think they were ranked [No.] 10 in the country and we hadn’t beaten any ranked teams in any of the past years," she said. “So that was just a crazy, crazy win and a huge stepping stone for the program in showing everyone that we really are here to compete in the NCAA.”

Off the field, Shelton says her favorite thing about Penn is the people, both on her team and in the classroom.

“I come from a pretty small, suburban town and never really ventured outside my city," the senior said. “So just coming to Philly and meeting all different types of people and seeing different personalities has been very eye opening.”

With only a few months left in the season and even in her entire senior year, Shelton, like the other field hockey seniors, must grapple with the reality of her legacy and with making the most out of her remaining time at Penn. Shelton hopes that her legacy with the program inspires younger players to work hard, prepare, and perform.

“I think the biggest thing for me is leaving the program better off than when I came, and I think the biggest thing I can do is just do that by meeting other people, setting a good example, and showing that hard work really pays off," Shelton said. “That’s what I think I want my legacy to be. … When people think of me, I want them to think of someone who is hardworking at every practice and that it shows in games.”

When it comes to what Shelton will do after the season, the future still remains unclear.

“I don’t know yet what I’m going to do yet in the spring, since field hockey is my whole life here. Actually in-season I think it’s a lot easier to cope with school because I’m on such a strict schedule and have to get things done because I have such limited time," she said. “So I’m not sure what the spring is going to look like yet.”

As the season continues, Shelton and the rest of the field hockey seniors will look to make the most of their remaining time with the Red and Blue, both on and off the field, before it is time for graduation.

The Daily Pennsylvanian



Cryotherapy: the new, unique treatment adopted by Penn field hockey

The therapy involves immersing oneself in subfreezing temperatures

By Tyira Bunche


Penn field hockey's players have begun going to team cryotherapy sessions every Monday in Center City. Credit: Amanda Shen

Cryotherapy is the newest fad amongst athletes, and the fad hasn’t skipped over Penn field hockey.

This season, the team has been taking routine trips to do cryotherapy sessions at a special clinic in Center City. Alongside regular strength and conditioning, the team has been taking weekly trips to help with recovery during their long season.

The idea behind cryotherapy is speeding up recovery after intense exercise to help athletes get back onto the field. Cryotherapy involves getting into a cryo tube for two to four minutes and then dropping the temperature to sub-freezing temperatures. The idea is that after you get out from the cold, your body sends oxygenated blood throughout the body, leading to quicker healing. This science is similar to that behind using ice baths for recovery.

“The lifting, the running, the practicing, that’s all critical to success,” coach Colleen Fink said. “But in reality, the re-gen, and the mini rejuvenations along the way are actually what support progress. If you just keep trying to build, and you never take a step back, you’re actually just going to continue to deplete yourself overtime.”

Monday is the team’s recovery day, and the players typically rideshare together to the center every Monday. When they gets to the clinic, they get dressed in their choice of warm gear, including boots, hats, and scarves. While the goal is to embrace the cold, proper protection is important to prevent frostbite. Once they are properly protected, they get into the chamber where the temperature is dropped to a frigid -250 degrees Fahrenheit for three minutes.


Credit: Christian Walton

“I hate the cold more than anyone, so cryotherapy for me is a thing that I dread doing,” senior back Laura Shelton said. “It’s great after, but during I’m like, ‘somebody distract me.’”

Fortunately for Shelton, she has her teammates around her to help distract her from the temperature. The team is gathered in one room with one cryotherapy chamber, meaning that only one person gets treated at a time. Since the chamber is open at the top, the person getting treated can talk with those on the outside, in an attempt to make the time go by quicker.

“It’s so cold, and in those three minutes the rest of us are trying to distract the other person as much as we can. We’re just like pounding them with questions, which makes it fun,” senior goalkeeper Ava Rosati said.

While the cryotherapy trips are a fun bonding experience for the team, the physical benefits of the treatments are noticeable amongst the team.

“I haven’t been sore — strangely — this season, even after playing full games,” Shelton said. “I still might feel a bit tired, but the soreness definitely isn’t there after cryo.”

With early success for the field hockey team, this method could become a beneficial tool for more Penn athletes in the future. For the players, cryotherapy is a quick and unique way to improve their play on the field.

“We’re trying to afford the opportunity for players who are playing week in and week out, significant minutes, that they're getting that extra little boost of recovery,” Fink said.

At the moment, the players have been the only participants in these cryotherapy sessions. However, that may change, and the coaches may take their turn in the cold.

“We actually have it on the schedule that the coaches and [Director of Strength and Conditioning] Corey Walts are going to go down and try it, so I'm kind of scared,” Fink said.

For the Quakers, cryotherapy has become a thrilling and exciting way for them to ramp up their recovery, while also having fun trying something new.

The Daily Pennsylvanian 

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