Field Hockey Comes Home

Jess Jecko in goal - © 2013 cuse.com

Field Hockey Comes Home

By: Robin Deehan

The Syracuse field hockey team is making a triumphant return to open Coyne Stadium this weekend after going 4-0 in Ohio over the past week. 

The Orange women beat Ohio State 3-2 in overtime, Miami (OH) 5-1, Ohio University 7-0, and Kent State 6-1.

Syracuse, ranked number five in the Penn Monto/NFHCA preseason poll, is set to face Albany (3-0) Saturday and Ball State (2-0) Sunday.

“This will be a really good test for us this weekend; both Ball State and Albany, to continue to be able to get ready for the start of the ACC season,” head coach Ange Bradley said.

Albany

For the second time this season the Orange will face a tough Albany team and this time it counts.  The teams first met several weeks ago for a preseason scrimmage.

“Albany’s a really good team, they’ve been un-scored upon this year and when we played them in the scrimmage they beat us so this is a great opportunity for us to restart our love of playing on Coyne, and get 1-0, and create a new legacy for this freshman class,” Bradley said.

The Albany defense has only allowed six shots on goal in its first three games.

Senior back Jordan Page says she is confident in the SU team’s growth since that Albany scrimmage.

“Both teams are two totally different teams," Page said. "We’ve had a couple more weeks under our belt now and I think it’s going to be a great game I’m really excited to get to play on Coyne.”

Offensive Dominance

In its first four games the Orange has combined for 21 goals thanks to the efforts of seven different players. 

Junior co-captain Emma Russell and freshman Annalena Ulbrich combined for nine goals on the road and Jordan Page, who had no goals last year, already has four this season.

Russell attributes the team’s offensive success to teamwork.

"This year we’ve had a lot more depth, that’s been an issue," Russell said. "Like last year we didn’t have as much depth as we wanted to off the bench.”

Defensive Pressure

Even though the team has only given up four goals the season, Bradley says the defense needs work.

“We’ve had to spend more time on our defense right now because we have newer people in those positions so the link up play that we’re used to, our timing, it’s just not there yet and I expect that to grow as we grow in the season,” Bradley said.

The uncertainty in defense can be attributed to the ten freshmen who joined the squad this year.

“They’ve really stepped up and helped our team," Page said. "We were a small squad in the spring and adding ten new people is always difficult but they’ve accepted the challenge and they’re really contributing and they’re doing well.”

Looking Ahead

The team may be focusing on taking it one game at a time but the sting of last year’s tournament loss is always in the back of coaches' and players' minds.

The 2013 season ended when No. 20 Michigan State upset No. 2 Syracuse 2-1 in in the first round of the NCAA tournament, despite SU's home field advantage and 21-4 shot advantage.

“In the locker room there was a countdown from the day we lost to when the national championship is," Bradley said. "That was started by Kati (Nearhouse) and everyday in spring they’d knock off a day, X amount of days closer.” 

Russell said playing the first four games in the span of five days was essential for successful post-season play.  

“I think it was a really good idea because it prepares us for tournament play later in the season so it’s good to get the mindset right for tournament play.”

For now, the team will chip away team after team with Albany and Ball State up next at home and no one is more excited than freshman Annalena Ulbrich.

“Just playing on our own field is probably the best thing ever, and I like playing on Coyne, and can’t wait!”