Welcome to the Fieldhockey.com Archives

Daily Hockey news updated @ 10:00 GMT

News for 21 September 2018

All the news for Friday 21 September 2018


Hockey Series Open - Santiago 2018 - Day 3
Santiago (CHI)

Men's results 20 September

VEN v BRA (RR)     1 - 3
URU v PER (RR)     2 - 0
BOL v CHI (RR)     0 - 27

Pool Standings

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Brazil 3 3 0 0 34 1 33 9
2 Chile 3 2 1 0 34 0 34 7
3 Venezuela 3 2 0 1 17 3 14 6
4 Uruguay 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
5 Peru 3 0 0 3 0 18 -18 0
6 Bolivia 3 0 0 3 0 63 -63 0


Women's results 20 September

BOL v URU (RR)     0 - 17
PER v PAR (RR)     0 - 3
BRA v CHI (RR)     0 - 10

Pool Standings

Rank Team Played Wins Draws Losses Goals For Goals Against Goal Difference Points
1 Chile 3 3 0 0 42 0 42 9
2 Uruguay 3 3 0 0 37 1 36 9
3 Brazil 3 2 0 1 4 10 -6 6
4 Paraguay 3 1 0 2 4 20 -16 3
5 Peru 3 0 0 3 0 18 -18 0
6 Bolivia 3 0 0 3 0 38 -38 0

FIH Match Centre



Day 3 - Men Hockey Open Series 2018

Rebecca Kanter


FIH Hockey Series Open (men) - Bolivia vs. Chile. Photo: Oscar Munoz Badilla

Match 1: VEN 1-3 BRA (VEN 0-0 BRA)

With two wins each, Venezuela and Brazil met for the first men's match on Day 3 of the 2018 Hockey Open Series. Despite each team with a couple of penalty corners towards the end of the second quarter,  the match remained scoreless at halftime. Both teams came out battling in the second half; leaving the crowd to wonder who would might come away with their first loss of the competition. A few minutes into the third quarter, Brasil earned a couple penalty corners. Brasil's Joaquin LOPEZ converted the second penalty corner for the first goal of the match to give Brasil the lead in the 36th minute. Brasil's lead was short as Venezuela pressured hard on attack and also earned a couple of penalty corners. Venezuela's Wilber BRACAMONTE converted Venezuela's second penalty corner of the third quarter to tie the match a minute later.

Brazil quickly countered with another penalty corner goal, this time by Matheus BORGES, to make the score 2-1 in the third quarter. Brazil continued to pressure on attack, but with the leadership of Venezuela's keeper Heliber LOPEZ, Venezuela prevented Brazil from increasing their lead. Venezuela went into the fourth quarter with the momentum and earned a couple penalty corners in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter. Unable to convert either penalty corner, Brasil ran fast into their attacking circle and earned their first penalty corner of the fourth quarter. LOPEZ made another big save for Venezuela. Brazil kept pressuring on attack, but Venezuela continued to play strong defense. Brazil's persistence on attack paid off as PAIXAO scored in the final minute to close the match with VEN 1-3 BRA.

Match 2: URU 2-0 PER (URU 1-0 PER)

On Day 3 of the Hockey Open Series 2018, Uruguay and Perú were both looking for their first competition win; as well as first goals. Both teams had some attacking pressure in the first quarter, but with either able to convert their few shot opportunities the first quarter ended scoreless. A few minutes into the second quarter, Perú's Fabrizio CORNO had a beautiful cross to Sebastian DENNISON right in front of the goal, but DENNISON lost control of the ball.

Uruguay earned the first penalty corner of the second half. Uruguay's Alexis LOPEZ lifted the ball beautifully into goal to give his team the lead in the 22nd minute. Uruguay, however, not only played good offense, but incredibly strong defense, to hold off strong attack by Perú, especially in the final minute of the second quarter.

It was Uruguay who started on offense at the beginning of the third quarter; earning a penalty corner a few minutes into the third quarter. Perú played strong team defense to prevent Uruguay from capitalizing off their penalty corner. Uruguay continued to keep possession in their attacking half of the pitch. For much of the third quarter, neither team could penetrate their attacking circle. With a minute and a half remaining in the third quarter as Perú was awarded a couple of penalty corners. Both of Perú's penalty corners were well stopped by Uruguay's defense. Uruguay nearly scored in the final seconds of the third quarter, but Perú's defense came up with the ball; ending the third quarter URU 1-0 PER.

In the beginning of the fourth quarter, Uruguay's attacking fire from the end of the third quarter paid off and LOPEZ found the back of the goal again, this time in the 50th minute, to give his team a two goal lead over Perú; and their first goals of the competition. With about 6 minutes remaining in the match, Perú substituted their keeper, Felix MAFFERETTI with a kicking back.

Uruguay kept up their attacking pressure, but Perú's defense was able to withstand it. Perú was still at least trying to score for the first time in the competition.  In the final two minutes of the match, Perú earned both a penalty corner and a penalty stroke, respectively, but could not convert either. Thus, Uruguay came away with its first win of the tournament.

Match 3: BOL 0-27 CHI (BOL 0-6 CHI)

Host Chile took a quick two goal lead over Bolivia off two back-to-back goals by Franco BECERRA.. Axel Trancoso made it BOL 0-3 CHI off a penalty corner in the 6th minute. Chile continued their scoring barrage at the end of the first quarter.   First off a penalty corners by Pablo PURCELL in the 13th minute and in the 14th minute, off goals by Martin RODRIGUEZ and another by TRONCOSO, respectively. Thus, the first quarter ended BOL 0-6 CHI.

The second quarter was much like the first, with Chile dominating possession and getting on the scoreboard early. Nicolas RENZ scored the first goal of the second quarter for Chile off a penalty corner in the 20th minute. By the 25th minute, RODRIGUEZ had scored two more goals and BECERRA a third goal to make the score BOL 0-10 CHI. After a goal by Juan AMOROSO in the 26th minute, Bolivia's defense ended strong to keep the score at BOL 0-11 CHI to end the first half.

While Chile continued their quick scoring pace in the third quarter, the scoring was shared amongst different players; with Jose MALDONADO, Sven RICHTER and Nils STRABUCCHI all scoring for the first time in the match. A fourth goal by BECERRA off a penalty corner made the score BOL 0-15 CHI in the 34th minute. The third quarter ended BOL 0-20 CHI, including three more goals by Martin RODRIGUEZ in the final three minutes of the third quarter. Chile scored 7 more goals in the fourth quarter; Nicolas RENZ and Jose HURTADO had two goals apiece, Jose Maldonado scored his second goal of the match; while Luis ESPARZA and Felipe RENZ scored their first goals of the match, respectively. Chile’s 27 goal win over Bolivia now makes for the largest goal differential of the competition thus far; surpassing Brazil’s 22 goal win over Bolivia during the first match of the competition.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



The Diablas leading the standings

Macarena Ilabaca Burrows, PAHF


FIH Hockey Series Open (women) - Brazil vs. Chile. Photo: Oscar Munoz Badilla

An intense morning full of hockey and goals at the PWCC's court.  Chile and Uruguay thrashed their opponents, Paraguay won their first game in the 2018 Hockey Series.

With 42 goals and none against and 3 matches won, Chile finishes the third day of the Hockey Series with the first place in the classification. Close behind are the 'Cimarronas', who also seek to continue advancing to the following phases.

Morning win -  Uruguay vs Bolivia

When the clock was already ticking at 08:00 hours the ones led by Nicolás  Tixie came out  super solid and concentrated.

The first goal of the day was achieved right at the beginning of the game, María Teresa Viana, who wears shirt number 17 scored the first of 13 field goals for Uruguay.

The other four goals were obtained by different penalty corners.

Manuela Vilar, was Uruguay Top scorer of the day with 3 goals.

In spite the pressure that Bolivia tried to make, the 'Cimarronas', materialized and played almost all of the game in Karen Santos area.
 
Manuela Vilar (x3), Janine Stnaley (x2), Anastasia Olave (x2), María Teresa Viana (x2), María Barreiro (x2), Josefina Esposto, Constanza Barrandeguy, Milagros Algorta, Sol Amadeo and Agustina Taborda, scored for Uruguay.

Paraguay obtains their first victory in the Hockey Series

In a very even match, Peru and Paraguay faced each other trying to win the game and celebrate the victory.  Paraguay, managed to attack and capitalized different situations in order to score three goals.

Maria Rodriguez (# 15) capitalized a penalty corner while  Nicole Van Jaarsveld (24) and Andrea Cardozo (# 27) scored field goals. Final Result: 3-0

Chile won and leads table of positions

The pressure and speed of the Brazilian players was not enough to beat the 'Diablas’.

The local team won 10-0 against the Verdeamarela squad who started day 3 without goals against and this being their first match they lost in this tournament.

The goals were scored by María Jesús Maldonado (x2), Kim Jacob (x2), Francisca Parra (x2), Denise Krimerman (x2), Carolina García and Francisca Tala.

Encouraged by the local audience, Las Diablas are already preparing their last two games this Saturday and Sunday.
 
Hockey Series in numbers

With a total of three games played the partial standings are:
Chile - with 9 points, 42 goals in favor and none against.
Uruguay also with nine points, have 36 goals in favor.
Brazil, it is in third place with six points and a total of four goals in favor.

The tournament will continue this Saturday, September 22 08:00 Paraguay vs Bolivia, at 10:00 the 'Cimarronas' will face Brazil and Chile receives Peru at noon.

Pan American Hockey Federation media release



Amin: Argentina not invincible

By Jugjet Singh


Assistant Coach, Muhamad Amin Rahim. - NSTP FILE PIC

KUALA LUMPUR: The national team will play World No 2 Argentina in the Darwin International at the Marrara Hockey Stadium in Australia on Friday.

Malaysia were defeated 5-2 by Australia in the opening match before a 3-3 draw with Japan.

Even if they beat Argentina, Amin Rahim’s team will likely play Japan again in the classification match for third spot.

Argentina have collected maximum points from two matches and they will likely play Australia in the final.

Amin said: “Argentina did not bring their best players here, so we have a chance.”

"Penalty corner specialist Gonzalo Peillat is among the notable players absent from the Argentina team.

“But we cannot afford to underestimate them as their young players showed their mettle by overcoming Australia 2-0 in an earlier match.

New Straits Times



Ramandeep, Birendra under consideration for World Cup

Tazeen Qureshy



Ramandeep, Birendra under consideration for World Cup Injured players Ramandeep Singh and Birendra Lakra might still have a chance to be part of the Odisha Hockey World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018.

Talking to the media, head coach Harendra Singh said the duo are undergoing rehab for knee injury and are still in the fray for the World Cup scheduled from November 28 in Bhubaneswar.

“They are into the rehab process and will be considered (for the World Cup). Doctor, physio and scientific trainer are closely monitoring them. After the doctor certifies them fit, the physio and scientific trainer will analyse the amount of load they can take. Based on their observations, they will be referred for selection,” said coach Harendra Singh.

The coach and the team had come under pressure after the semi-final defeat against Malaysia in the Asian Champions Trophy. In fact, several quarters had raised objection on the team selection, including former player Deepak Thakur stating that the team lacked quality strikers.

“How did we score 86 goals then? People should know the data and then speak. The best players have been chosen and our work is ensure they play as per our tactics,” Harendra said.

However, he acknowledged the team had made one mistake, which made them learn a ‘big lesson.’

“We need to improve on ball possession. We are playing attacking game and have increased circle penetration and shots on goal. But, if we keep losing possession, the opponent gets a chance. We have been training a lot on possession.”

Stick2Hockey.com



RUPINDER PAL: I have lost my rhythm after injury

Tazeen Qureshy



Bhubaneswar: The India men’s hockey team might have come back with a bronze from the Asian Games in Indonesia, but the glaring mistakes they committed, has taken much of the sheen viewed from its entirety.

Out of the several loopholes that came to the fore, penalty corner has been one area, where the Indian team continues to remain inconsistent.

However, drag flick expert Rupinder Pal Singh, who faltered at crucial situations, denies any pressure. <>“I don’t think I falter in pressure situations. I had lost my rhythm after injury. I am building up on it. So, consistency was a problem. But, I am working towards it and hopefully it will be sorted soon,” says Rupinder Pal who negotiated unsuccessfully half a dozen penalty corners in the first quarter of the ill-fated semifinal.

In the five group stage matches, India had scored 76 goals, with Rupinder scoring 12 goals. Therefore, the lapse was glaring.

With the Asian Champions Trophy and World Cup coming up in the following months, Rupinder and the team is currently toiling hard at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, with a hope of a better show.

“I am building on my fitness. This month, I am trying to be in a better shape to face the upcoming challenges,” he says.

The Indian team is also enjoying the services of Chris Cirrielo, former Australian drag-flicker, whose expertise has been an advantage for Rupinder.

“He has brought in some new attacking techniques and structural changes. He also talks about player mentality on ground and tells us how we need to proceed in the attacking circle. In penalty corners also, he monitors our stance and keeps correcting our mistakes,” Rupinder says.

Chris is nowadays under the unofficial watch list, as his services doesn't seem to get the team any difference in the area of penalty corner conversion.

Stick2Hockey.com



Ford NHL women neck and neck, men’s semifinals set



The Southern men surprised Capital today in the men’s final round robin game.

Heading into the game, Capital had already secured their spot in the semifinals, while Southern were sitting bottom of the table with nothing to lose.

Capital got out to an early start with a goal from Rowan Yeo in the 11th minute of play to make the game 1-0. Southern’s Jordan Ward responded in the 2nd quarter to tie the game at 1-1.

Lachie Davidson managed to pop one in in the 33rd minute to give Southern the lead only to be counter with a Dane Lett goal eight minutes later to tie the game at 2-2.

Southern weren’t giving up though as Jack Gilbert found the back of the net in the 44th minute of play to regain the lead, 3-2. As the clock started to wind down, Dylan Thomas extended Southern’s lead with a goal in the 53rd minute (4-2) but Capital weren’t done yet. In a sizzling last minute, both Benedict van Woerkom and Dane Lett fired shots into the net to tie the game up, 4-4, sending the match into a shootout.

Southern came out on top in the shootout, 2-1, to give them the victory.
Final Score: Southern 4, Capital 4 (Shootout: 2-1 win to Southern)

Up Next

The men will begin their semifinal rounds tomorrow. The Canterbury men will face North Harbour in the first semifinal at 2:00pm, followed by the second semifinal between Capital and Auckland at 4:00pm.

The women’s competition is still neck and neck with the final round robin games tomorrow. North Harbour, Auckland, Canterbury, Central, Midlands and Capital are all in the running to make the gold and bronze medal matches.

Northland will take to the turf against Central who will need an outright win to give themselves a chance to make the Gold Medal match on Sunday.

Auckland are facing off against Canterbury in a heated battle as Auckland sits at No. 2 while Canterbury is one point behind them in 3rd.

Capital and Midlands will go head-to-head as they are both sitting on 12 points in the 5th and 6th positions. 

The final women’s game of the day will be the ladies of North Harbour up against a Southern team who has yet to get a win.

Currently, North Harbour’s Cory Bennett leads the Ford NHL men’s division in scoring with 10 goals for his 2018 campaign, while Central’s Katilin Cotter and North Harbour’s Kirsten Pearce are tied for the lead with six on the women’s side.

Finals to be livestreamed

Both the men’s and women’s gold and bronze medal matches on Sunday will be livestreamed via the Hockey New Zealand Facebook page and Black Sticks YouTube Channel.

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Tough battles ahead for Ford NHL Finals Weekend



Men

Bayleys Midlands vs John Turkington Forestry Central Mavericks

This Midlands side were looking for a bounce back performance after their shock loss to Southern yesterday. In the first few minutes of the game, Midlands converted a penalty corner through a Mark Weber drag flick. Mark Weber was back at it again just a few minutes later with another converted penalty corner. One minute Midlands’ Maks Wyndham-Smith swept a ball past the goal keeper to make the score 3-0.

Central regained their composure in the second quarter and were rewarded with a Dylan Thomas field goal to get on the scoreboard. Tim Neild then jumped on a loose ball in the circle and scored Bayleys Midlands 4th goal of the game.

At the start of the 4th quarter Central pulled their keeper and were rewarded with their second goal of the game to Dylan Thomas. Central then pulled another one back through a Hayden Phillips goal. They kept pushing in search of the equaliser but fell short to end the game 4-3 to Midlands.

The loss ended Central’s chances of making the semi-final, finishing the round robin in 5th, one place ahead of Midlands.
Full Time: Bayleys Midlands 4, John Turkington Forestry Central Mavericks 3

Tiger Turf North Harbour vs Canterbury

North Harbour came into this game knowing that the Central loss to Midlands ensured that no matter the result they had qualified for the semi-finals. They came out playing like a team with absolute freedom. Canterbury withstood a lot of pressure and eventually conceded a goal to Warren Wild to put North Harbour up 1-0. Canterbury looked stronger in the second quarter and scored a goal in the 3rd minute when Moss Jackson managed to sneak one into the back of the net.

North Harbour came out firing at the start of the second half and sent a ball across the circle where George Muir got a deflection into the circle. Canterbury kept searching for the equaliser and were rewarded after a rebound was slammed in by Dominic Newman. Canterbury then drag flicked in a goal to give them a 3-2 lead. North Harbour then kept pushing and managed to get a drag flick in themselves with 7 minutes to go from Cory Bennett to tie the game. The scored remained equal at the end of regulation, sending the game into a shootout.

Canterbury thoroughly dominated the shootout winning 3-0 to add another 4 points to their tally.
Full Time: Tiger Turf North Harbour 3, Canterbury 3 (Shootout 3:0)

Women

Mark Cromie Holden Northland vs Bayleys Midlands

Two teams who both needed to secure an outright win to make the top two for the weekend turned up for what was going to be a tightly fought game. Northland scored 6 minutes into the game from a penalty corner goal to Alana Laybourn. The lead was then extended in the 15th minute when Anna Alexander put in a cross from Madison Doar. Northland were up 2-0 at the half.

Midlands entered the second half looking more composed and trying to get themselves back into the match. At the 51 minute mark, Midlands scored their first goal of the game from a Georgia Morton penalty corner. They continued to apply the pressure and had a number of penalty corners. Midlands hard work eventually paid off with another goal in 55th minute from a Frances Davies shot on a penalty corner to tie the game, 2-2. Needing the win, Midlands kept their goal keeper off the field but it wasn’t enough and the game went to a shootout where Northland proved clutch to win yet another shootout game.

The win to Northland ends both teams chances of making the top two. They’ll both be looking to come back on Saturday to secure a place in the bronze medal match on Sunday.
Full Time: Mark Cromie Holden Northland 2, Bayleys Midlands 2 (Shootout 3:2)

Auckland vs Southern

Auckland was facing a Southern women’s side who were hoping to build some momentum on some of their improved performances over the past few days. Southern started the game strongly and had a number of scoring opportunities. Auckland managed to knock some of the momentum back with a penalty corner goal to captain Belinda Smith. Auckland’s Deanna Ritchie then put a second goal into the net with some quick passing and eliminating the keeper to make the game 2-0 at the half.

Southern started the second half well and put Auckland under more pressure again. They were rewarded with a goal to Tessa Jopp. Deanna Ritchie got Auckland’s buffer back in the 34th minute. The win was sealed in the final moments when Phoebe Steele scored Auckland’s 4th goal of the day. The win moves Auckland to second on the table with 14 points and sets up a mouth-watering match against Canterbury to gain the final spot for Sundays final.
Full Time: Auckland 4 Southern 1

John Turkington Forestry Central Mysticks vs Canterbury

There was a lot on the line in this game. With an outright win Central Mysticks could play themselves into a chance to make the final on Sunday.

Central came out firing and within two minutes had their first goal - a field goal to Sulette Damons. Canterbury managed to pull one back to make it 1-1 in the 12th minute after Emily Wium converted a penalty corner. Central put themselves in front 2 minutes later when Hope Ralph took her chance and scored a well worked field goal. It looked like this was how the game was going to finish until Canterbury broke down the field in the final minute of the game where Sian Fremaux entered the circle and ripped a shot to the far side of the goal to send the game to a shootout.

Central got redemption in the shootout winning the 2-0 to put them one point behind Canterbury on the table. Canterbury now sets up a winner takes all game against Auckland on Saturday for a spot in Sundays final.
Full Time: John Turkington Forestry Central Mysticks 2, Canterbury 2 (Shootout 2:0)

Ricoh Capital Women vs Tiger Turf North Harbour

North Harbour came into the game full of confidence and sitting comfortably at the top of the table. The Capital women couldn’t make the top 2 but a win would give them a chance to make the bronze medal match on Sunday.

At 11 minutes into the game, Capital shocked North Harbour with a well taken penalty corner. In the hope of getting themselves back into the game North Harbour pulled their keeper and had a number of scoring opportunities but were unable to convert.

Captial’s Charlotte Eastman scored a goal in the 57th minute which sealed a surprise win for the Wellington team. The loss doesn’t affect the Harbour Women who are still sitting top of the table; however, Capital now have a chance to earn a spot in the bronze medal match with a win on Saturdey.

Full Time: Ricoh Capital Women 2, Tiger Turf North Harbour 0

At a Glance

Men

Bayleys Midlands 4 (Mark Weber 3’, 10’, Maks Wyndham-Smith 11’, Tim Neild 37’), John Turkington Forestry Central Mavericks 3 (Dylan Thomas 19’, 47’, Hayden Phillips 52’)

Tiger Turf North Harbour 3 (Warren Wild 15’, George Muir 31’, Cory Bennett 53’), Canterbury 3 (Moss Jackson 18’, Dominic Newman 39’, Richard Bain 50’). Canterbury won shootout 3-0

Women

Mark Cromie Holden Northland 2 (Alana Laybourn 6’, Anna Alexander 15’), Bayleys Midlands 2 (Georgia Morton 51’, Frances Davies 55’). Mark Cromie Holden Northland won shootout 3-2

Auckland 4 (Belinda Smith 6’, Deanna Ritchie 29’, 34’, Phoebe Steele 57’), Southern 1 (Tessa Jopp 31

John Turkington Forestry Central Mysticks 2 (Sulette Damons 2’, Hope Ralph 14’), Canterbury 2 (Emily Wium 12’, Sian Fremaux 60’) John Turkington Forestry Central Mysticks won shootout 2-0

Ricoh Capital Women 2 (Estelle Macadre 11’, Charlotte Eastman 57’), Tiger Turf North Harbour 0

Hockey New Zealand Media release



Georgie Twigg’s all-round class will aid Surbiton, says Sarah Haycroft

By The Hockey Paper


Photo: Simon Parker

Georgie Twigg will focus her efforts on gaining more honours with Surbiton this season after closing her international career.

Twigg, 27, had put her international hockey on hold after Rio 2016 to pursue her legal career.

And after a successful few years in the legal world with Bird & Bird, the Surbiton midfielder announced her England and GB retirement last month.

Now, says club captain Sarah Haycroft, Twigg’s renewed focus will only aid Brett Garrard’s side this season as they open the defence of their Investec Women’s Premier Division title with a trip to Slough on Saturday.

“She is one of my favourite players to play with,” said Haycroft. “She is a pleasure to have around the squad and one of the most competitive people I know, whether that is on the pitch or playing Articulate.

“She has that steely determination that when she’s on the pitch you know she will give everything for the team.”

Twigg earned her first international cap in 2010 and gained world bronze later that year and Olympic bronze in 2012, before capping her career with European gold in 2015 and a memorable gold in Rio.

“She’s been such an ever present on the international stage and that shows how successful she was at such a young age,” added Haycroft. “That sometimes goes unnoticed and taken for granted.

“But what she was able to do for so long, she could have carried on if she wanted to but it shows how good she is all-round with her legal career.”

Twigg tweeted last month: “Thank you to everyone who has supported and believed in me over the years, I feel very lucky to have so many happy and proud memories.”

The Hockey Paper



Extra competitive season brewing in Scottish Women’s National League 1



Early indications are that the women`s National League 1 campaign will be extra competitive this season; at the moment Dundee Wanderers, Clydesdale Western and Western Wildcats share top spot with seven points each. In addition, the clashes between the top sides so far have been pretty close with several draw in the mix.

Looking at the top of the division, Saturday`s clash between Wildcats and Grove Menzieshill at Auchenhowie stands out.

Wildcats, under the coaching aegis of Kaz Cuthbert, have already shown their teeth with a fighting 2-2 draw against Western followed by comfortable victories over Grange and GHK. But they have also been scoring goals with Alex Stuart, Heather Aitken and new recruit Kate Holmes leading the way.

On the other hand, the Taysiders have made a more sluggish start to the campaign, dropped points in the defeat at the hands of city rivals Dundee Wanderers and a draw with Watsonians have left them in mid-table.

On paper the odds must favour the Wildcats, but reality does not always work out that way.

However, last season Grove Menzieshill won the initial encounter 3-0, Jenny Walls scoring twice, but the return finished in a goalless draw.

So what of the champions Edinburgh University? They have only played one league game, and that ended in a goalless draw at Dundee Wanderers.

As is common with university sides, coach Sam Judge confirmed that they had lost six players from last season`s squad, most notably Kirsten Peters, Sophie Newton and Ali Eadie, all experienced campaigners.

Judge said: “Last season was also a rebuilding year for us and this season will be more so I think.

“We’ve recruited three Scottish U18 players and I am looking at a few other 1st years, but the girls who are now in 4th year are going to have to step up.

“It’s going to be difficult to retain our title but the girls have been working hard in pre-season training and we won’t give it up easily. It’s an exciting time too because of the new faces in the team.”

While this might be good news for the potential chasing pack, there is still a lot of quality in the champions’ line-up to maintain their presence in the top reaches of the league table.

On Saturday Judge`s charges are away to GHK, last season the students rattled in 14 goals over the two league encounters.

Watsonians will look to continue their presence in the top four with a win over newly-promoted Glasgow University, although last weekend the students broke their duck in the top flight with a single goal victory at Hillhead.

Dundee Wanderers have made a promising start to league with victories over Grove Menzieshill and Hillhead along with a draw with Edinburgh University. The Taysiders will hope to continue their renaissance with a win over a Grange side that has yet to get going, especially if Charlotte Watson and Heather Elder can keep finding the net.

Clydesdale Western are also up there in the mix and will be aiming to confirm that status with the three points at Hillhead.

Scottish Hockey Union media release



The season starts here: Irish Men’s EY Hockey League preview


Glenanne celebrate their EYHL victory. Pic: Adrian Boehm

The men’s EY Hockey League tips off this weekend as the battle to become the third champion of the national league begins.

With the World Cup on the horizon, it is a league with plenty of fresh faces with a large cohort of leading internationals moving to pro contracts around the continent.

It means an unpredictable season awaits with the fortunes of many sides to be decided by how they cope and react to their changed line-ups.

Three Rock Rovers have won the last two Champions Trophy titles under the coaching of Niall Denham and will take on the mantle of favourites, particularly as the side to have lost the least players to foreign shores in World Cup year.

Indeed, Rovers won an incredible six trophies last term including the Irish Senior Cup, the National Indoor Trophy and the EuroHockey Indoor Club Challenge II.

They have yet to win the EYHL regular season title, however, finishing second for the last two years. Mitch Darling, Luke Madeley, Ben Walker, Jamie Carr and Daragh Walsh make up a big international quintet while Mark English arrives after many years as Railway Union’s top scorer.

They start off their campaign with a potential cracker on Saturday evening at the refurbished pitch at Havelock Park.

Banbridge missed the playoffs last season after a slow start but look well equipped to challenge this time with Eugene Magee and John McKee fit from the start this year though Owen Magee’s move to Braxgata means a major talent is not around again.

Glenanne won last year’s regular season with something to spare but they will miss the services of Shane O’Donoghue who has taken up a pro contract in Belgium with Dragons.

On the plus side, they have add brought in Brad Venter from South Africa and Cedric Jakobi from Gladbacher in Germany and so will continue to be more than competitive.

They start at Garryduff at 1pm. Cork C of I are always a threat with John Jermyn – Ireland’s record goalscorer – continuing to be one of the league’s most threatening corner experts.

The Munster men have the vastly experienced Denis Pritchard coaching them, taking over from Neil Welch, while Jonny Bruton’s return after almost 10 years away is a boost in replacing Julian Dale who is now in Belgium.

Pembroke travel to Comber Road to play Lisnagarvey in a tie that will give a good indication of both sides credentials following a big turnover in the summer months.

Pembroke are in a transitional phase with Kirk Shimmins and Alan Sothern moving to Belgium and Mark Ingram to Rotterdam but they do have a new coach, Paudie Carley, with lots of experience of winning top competitions at Serpentine Avenue.

Like Glenanne, they have gone to foreign shores to plug the gaps with players from Australia, Spain and Canada joining up.

Lisnagarvey are in a similar mode, looking to their youth section to replenish a first team that has seen Neal Glassey, Michael Robson and Paul Gleghorne move to Germany and Sean Murray to Rotterdam amid several departures.

It means that if the likes of Annadale or Monkstown can put a run together, they can break into the playoff places. Dale, for instance, have brought in Ryan Getty and Andrew O’Hare from Lisnagarvey and Ryan Burgess from Bangor to complement their panel while Callum Robson is fit from the start of the season.

Town will miss Stephen Cole’s guile in midfield but his younger brother David and Dave Fitzgerald are strong personalities to make a difference and Kyle Good is back after taking a year out.

While it is only day one, Cookstown and YMCA’s meeting at Steelweld Park is already an important one for their respective campaigns and potentially avoiding a relegation battle.

Cookstown survived last season by a relegation playoff but have not seen many departures while Callum Anderson, Raymond Miller and Andy McWhirter are back in the mix. Michael Haycock takes sole charge of the side for a 13th year as coach with regular co-coach Stephen Cuddy taking a step back.

“I don’t really know much about YMCA but we’ll trust our preparation – we’ve had a great pre-season and hopefully we’ll get the three points,” said Cookstown captain Greg Allen.

“Obviously you don’t qualify for the EYHL without being a damn good team and I am sure that YMCA will come out all guns blazing on Saturday. They will certainly be keen to mark their debut in the competition with something a bit special.”

YMCA earned promotion with Ben Campbell and Grant Glutz netting over 60 goals between them last term as they spectacularly edged out Bangor for the ticket to the top. It will be their maiden EYHL season, replacing Railway Union and looking to make their mark. To that end, they will hand out at least six debuts on Saturday afternoon

The season follows the same format as the women’s competition with 18 rounds of regular season matches from which the champion will got Europe. The top four move on to the Champions Trophy with the Irish Senior Cup no longer earning a spot.

IHL2 for the men comes into play this season in October which will act as the route to promotion to the top tier.

In Pool A, Railway – coached by Kenny Carroll – will take their place in Pool A alongside a UCD side who have attracted flying full-back Mark Samuel from Three Rock. Bandon and Bangor renew acquaintances after a number of meetings last term.

The other four team group includes Instonians, Kilkeel, UCC and Corinthian. The top two from each group advances to the promotion playoffs with one automatic place in the EYHL available and another playoff spot against ninth in the EYHL on offer for a ticket to the top.

Men’s EY Hockey League (all Saturday): Cork C of I v Glenanne, 1pm, Garryduff; Monkstown v Annadale, 2.30pm, Merrion Fleet Arena; Lisnagarvey v Pembroke, 3pm, Comber Road; Cookstown v YMCA, 4pm, Steelweld Park; Banbridge v Three Rock Rovers, 6pm, Havelock Park

** Click the following links for full, team by team previews **
Annadale
Banbridge
Cookstown
Cork C of I
Glenanne
Lisnagarvey
Monkstown
Pembroke
Three Rock Rovers
YMCA

The Hook



A fiery halftime speech fueled Maryland field hockey’s comeback win over Princeton

By Lila Bromberg


Head coach Missy Meharg observes gameplay from the sideline in Maryland's game against UVA on Oct. 25, 2016. (Marquise McKine/The Diamondback)

With Maryland field hockey trailing Princeton 3-1 at halftime Tuesday, coach Missy Meharg felt she had to be brutally honest with her team.

It was the first time the Terps had trailed at halftime this season, and it was clear the Tigers posed the biggest threat to their undefeated start so far.

"The other team is winning the 50-50 balls, they have more heart than you and, quite frankly, this is not the standard by which we train," Meharg told her squad. "So before you embarrass yourself completely, get out there and compete, because we're an extraordinarily good team."

At first, the message didn't sink in — Princeton extended its lead to 4-1 early in the second half. But after that, a switch flipped in the team, defender Nike Lorenz said. Maryland came back and notched its ninth consecutive victory to start the year.

"Everybody was just like, 'Well, it can't go on like this,'" Lorenz said.

Lorenz said the realization got players to start communicating more effectively and offering each other positive support, allowing the team to come together and begin chipping into Princeton's lead.

It was the largest deficit Maryland had faced this season — and the hardest it had to fight. Players and coaches said the game and the series of tough talks helped them build momentum.

"It's always good to have a game like that just to test ourselves and kind of see where we're at with teams like that," defender Kelee Lepage said. "When you have great competition, it exploits your mistakes and your weaknesses. … We were able to improve off that."

Maryland has two more games against ranked opponents — No. 23 Ohio State and No. 8 Michigan — coming up this weekend. While neither are the top-five threat Princeton was, Meharg doesn't anticipate the team having any sort of letdown after its most exciting and tenuous win of the season, and believes the team has learned lessons from the win that will pay off going forward.

"I don't anticipate that this team will rest mentally," Meharg said. "They're very clear on what it feels like to compete at a certain intensity. Very clear, and Princeton gave us that opportunity."

The Diamondback



Weekend College Games



Each week, USA Field Hockey highlights some of the top college games in Division I, II and III.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21

DI: Lafayette vs. Drexel | 7:00 p.m. ET
Drexel will host Lafayette this Friday in Philadelphia at 7:00 p.m. ET. Drexel suffered their third loss of the season this past Sunday when they fell 1-2 to neighbor Penn. Although the Dragons struck quickly in the first half, Penn responded by scoring two goals before the break. In the second half, both teams held strong on defense preventing any more goals from being scored. The loss dropped Drexel to 4-3 overall this season. Lafayette earned one win and one loss this past weekend. The Leopards defeated Lehigh 3-2 in overtime on Friday and then fell to Albany 0-4 on Sunday. The overtime victory was Lafayette’s first win of the 2018 season, and improved them to 1-0 in conference play, but 1-6 overall.  When these two teams met last year, Drexel defeated Lafayette 4-1.

DII: Mercy vs. Bellarmine | 3:55 p.m. ET
Bellarmine will host Mercy this Friday in Louisville, Ky. at 3:55 p.m. ET Bellarmine won three consecutive matches including a 5-1 win over Concordia this past Sunday. The Knights held a 21-6 shot advantage and a 13-5 advantage in penalty corners. Despite scoring five goals, Bellarmine missed several opportunities and was disorganized at points during the game. The win improved them to 4-1 overall this season as they look to compete for the entire 70 minutes against Mercy this Friday. Mercy is coming off its first win of the 2018 season after defeating American International College 2-1 this past Saturday. The game was evenly matched with shots tied at 14-14 and penalty corners favoring AIC 13-11. But the Mavericks were able to capitalize on their opportunities by scoring off a corner in the 52nd minute to secure the win.

DIII: Springfield vs. No. 5 Babson | 6:00 p.m. ET
Babson will host Springfield in a New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference match-up this Friday at 6:00 p.m. ET. Babson is coming off back-to-back shutouts including a strong 11-0 win over UMass Dartmouth this past Monday. The win improved the Beavers to 6-1 overall with their only loss being against top ranked Tufts. Babson will be looking to have another dominate offensive performance against Springfield. The Pride are also coming off a high scoring win defeating Husson 10-3 this past Saturday, where they recorded 34 shots while Husson only recorded 8. The win improved Springfield to 4-1 overall this season. Both teams will be looking to continue their high scoring momentum this weekend.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22



DI: Penn vs. Cornell | 12:00 a.m. ET
Cornell will host Penn this Saturday in Ithaca, N.Y. at 12:00 p.m. ET. Cornell suffered back-to-back losses this past weekend when they fell 0-5 to Maine on Friday and then to Vermont 1-2 on Sunday. The first half between Vermont and Cornell was scoreless but the Big Red were able to get on the board in the 47th minute of game play. Despite scoring first, Vermont scored a pair of late goals to secure the win. The back-to-back losses dropped Cornell to 1-5 overall this season. Penn was able to end their two-game losing streak when they defeated Drexel 2-1 this past Sunday. The win improved them to 3-3 overall this season. This game will be the first Ivy League conference match-up for both teams.

DII: No. 2 Stonehill vs. No. 8 Assumption | 1:00 p.m. ET
Assumption will host Stonehill at 1:00 p.m. ET this Saturday to kick off Northeast-10 (NE10) Conference play for both teams. After losing their first game of the 2018 season, Assumption bounced back and has won their last three games. This past Saturday, the Greyhounds dominated the stats to shutout Pace 3-0 while showing their offensive capabilities recording 24 shots and earning 18 penalty corners. The win improved Assumption to 3-1 overall this season. Stonehill is coming off a big 9-0 shutout against Saint Thomas Aquinas College this past Saturday. Ranked No. 2 in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division II National Coaches Poll this week, Stonehill moved to 3-1 overall this season. Both teams are coming off shutouts and have similar overall records so expect this game to be a close one!

DIII: Wesleyan (Conn.) vs. Bates | 12:00 p.m. ET
Bates will host Wesleyan this Saturday at 12:00 p.m. ET in a New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) match-up. Bates will be looking to earn their first win and end their three-game losing streak this weekend when they take on Wesleyan. The Bobcats are coming off a 2-4 loss to now No. 3 Tufts this past Saturday. Despite losing, Bates finished strong against Tufts battling until the very end of the game. The loss dropped them to 0-3 on the season overall and in conference play. Wesleyan has had an up and down season, splitting their first two weekends of game play with a win and a loss. This past week, the Cardinals defeated Roger Williams 3-0 on Tuesday and then loss to now No. 8 Bowdoin 0-2 on Saturday. The win and the loss moved Wesleyan to 2-2 overall and 0-1 in conference play. Both teams will be looking to get their first win in the NESCAC.

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 23



DI: No. 15 Delaware vs. No. 24 Albany | 1:00 p.m. ET
Albany will host Delaware in Albany, N.Y. this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. Albany is coming off a 4-0 win against Lafayette this past Sunday, where they showed their depth and offensive threats with four different players scoring. The win was a great team victory with everyone contributing and playing the full 70 minutes. The win improved Albany to 4-2 overall this season. Delaware is coming off a 2-4 loss to No. 5 Princeton this past Sunday. The Blue Hens are using the loss to learn and gain more experience against top ranked teams. The loss dropped Delaware to 4-4 overall, with all four losses coming against opponents ranked in the Top-18.

DII: Saint Anselm vs. LIU Post | 11:00 a.m. ET
LIU Post will host Saint Anselm this Sunday in Brookville, N.Y. at 11:00 a.m. ET. LIU Post is coming off a huge 2-1 overtime win over NE10 opponent, Adelphi University. The win marked the first of the season for the Pioneers and improved their record to 1-2 overall and 1-1 in conference play. LIU Post will be looking to get another NE10 win against Saint Anselm this weekend. Saint Anselm opened its 2018 season with back-to-back losses but was able to turn it around securing back-to-back wins this past week. Saint Anselm defeated Southern New Hampshire 4-1 on Wednesday and then went on todefeat St. Michaels 3-1 on Saturday. The Hawks will be looking to extend their winning streak to three and earn their first conference win this weekend.

DIII: Converse vs. Rhodes | 12:30 p.m. ET at Sewanee
Rhodes field hockey will host Converse at Sewanee, a neutral site, at 1:30 p.m. ET this Sunday. Converse opened their 2018 season with back-to-back losses against Mercyhurst 1-3 on Saturday and then to Millersville 0-7 on Sunday. This dropped them to 0-2 overall this season. The Valkyries will be looking to turn their season around with a big win over Rhodes this weekend. Rhodes started out their 2018 campaign strong winning their first four games, and are coming off a dominant 11-0 win over Hendrix College this past Saturday. The win improved the Lynx to 4-0 overall and they will look to remain undefeated when they take on Converse this weekend.

USFHA media release



Newly ranked Cal field hockey team ready to prove itself against 2 top teams

By Tim Sun



Cal field hockey head coach Shellie Onstead believes her team is one of the best in the country, and after getting a bit of validation from coaches around the country, the Bears have an opportunity to more firmly establish themselves this weekend in Evanston, Illinois.

After a dominating 3-1 victory over Yale last Sunday, the Bears made their season debut in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll at No. 25, and moved up to No. 7 in the NCAA rating percentage index, or RPI, rankings.

This weekend, Cal (3-3) is set to face two solid teams — Iowa and Northwestern, which rank No. 13 and No. 14, respectively, in the coaches poll, but below Cal in the RPI rankings at No. 22 and No. 18. With wins over these teams, the Bears can justify their RPI ranking and demonstrate to other programs that they are a top-tier team.

“I think we have a lot more grit than a lot of teams and coaches think we have” said junior Fionna Jensen. “Our hearts are very in it. … We’re a good team; we’re going to show other teams this year that we shouldn’t be messed with.”

Saturday’s game will be against Iowa (7-1), a team that has won six straight games, with five coming as shutouts. The only loss for the Hawkeyes this season was to now-No. 1 North Carolina in overtime, and in its eight games, Iowa has outscored its opponents 25-4.

The Hawkeyes are led by junior midfielder/defender Katie Birch, a first team All-Big Ten and third team All-American selection last season. Birch makes an impact all over the field — she was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her performance last weekend, as Iowa allowed just six shots in two shutout victories. On offense, Birch is second on the team with five goals, and leads the team with six assists.

Anchoring Iowa’s defense is junior goalkeeper Leslie Speight, who leads the nation with a 87.5 save percentage. Speight has conceded just four goals thus far in 2018.

The Hawkeyes and Bears have faced two mutual opponents, and the results have been inconclusive: Though both teams fell to North Carolina, Cal lost in a blowout, while Iowa lost in overtime; and though both teams defeated Providence, Cal won in a blowout, while Iowa won 1-0.

On Sunday, Cal will face host school Northwestern (5-4), a team that, like Cal, has faced a tough schedule so far this season. The Wildcats have played six of their nine games against top-25 schools, going 2-4 against these opponents.

Northwestern has also gone head-to-head with two of the same opponents as Cal — Miami University of Ohio and Louisville, sharing the same outcomes both times. Both teams beat Miami — Cal by one and Northwestern by two — and both squads fell to Louisville by a single goal.

Iowa and Northwestern will provide solid competition for Cal this weekend; two wins for the Bears would make a statement to the rest of the nation.

“I [(said) the same thing as when we went to Louisville,” Onstead said. “We have a chance to come away with two really big wins.”

The Daily Californian



Field hockey (5–3) looks to reclaim Ivy League title for 2018 season

By Molly Milligan

Field hockey at Princeton enjoys a history of success, but under head coach Carla Tagliente, there has been a new pattern of dramatic moments to go along with these achievements.

The 2016 campaign, Tagliente’s first, was highlighted by an NCAA Final Four run and followed by an Elite Eight berth in 2017. Last season closed after a defeat by No. 4 North Carolina just one day after a 3–2 double-overtime victory over No. 5 Virginia in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Despite the earlier exit from the postseason, Princeton reclaimed its Ivy League Championship title and saw two athletes named All-Americans in the same season for the first time since 2013.

For the 2018 season, the Tigers are looking to replicate and build upon these triumphs, and they are well on their way. Princeton started the season ranked tenth in the Penn Monto/NFHCA Division I Coaches’ Poll but has since risen to fifth place, breaking into the top tier of collegiate field hockey alongside powerhouses North Carolina, Connecticut, Maryland, and Duke.

It’s no coincidence, then, that the Tigers have faced some of these teams already. Overall, Princeton will play six teams who began the season ranked in the Top 10 and three more within the Top 25. Harvard was the only other Ivy League program to be ranked in the preseason poll, coming in at No. 15.

Tagliente, a national champion herself in 1999, led the Tigers into a Top 5 match-up against her alma mater, No. 3 Maryland, this past Tuesday. A meeting with the Terrapins was sure to be a highly competitive affair, especially given Princeton’s 2–1 upset win in last year’s clash.

As predicted, the 2018 match did not disappoint. Each offense got going early with Maryland’s first score coming just 96 seconds into playing time, but sophomore striker Clara Roth evened it for Princeton in the seventh minute. Roth added a second goal before the half, deflecting freshman midfielder Hannah Davey’s shot from the right edge of the striking circle. With just four minutes remaining in the first half, Roth continued her stellar play, setting up senior midfielder and striker Jane Donio-Enscoe with a one-on-one against Maryland’s goalie, ultimately giving the Tigers a 3–1 advantage.

The second half would prove to be a different story for Princeton. Though sophomore midfielder Julianna Tornetta added one more goal nine minutes into the second half, a yellow card against the Tigers allowed Maryland to add two goals to make the score 4–3. With four minutes and five seconds remaining in the game, the Terrapins pulled their goalie and played with 11 field players, scoring the equalizer with only 15 seconds left on the clock. Princeton would head to overtime for the second time in just eight games.

The first overtime period saw just one shot, so the teams headed into a second 10-minute period of extra play. Maryland’s Nike Lorenz secured the ball off a penalty corner and scored early in the second overtime, ending the decision 4–5 for the Tigers.

Princeton’s record now stands at 5–3, but the team has already earned victories over Penn State and Duke, who were ranked fifth and fourth, respectively, when they faced then No. 6 Princeton. The Tigers’ takedown of the Nittany Lions also came in double-overtime fashion as senior fullback Annabeth Donovan netted a point in the second sudden-death period.

Princeton also needed a comeback to beat the Blue Devils in their home opener at Bedford Field. Duke was up 2–1 early in the second half, but goals by Roth and sophomore midfielder MaryKate Neff would give the Tigers a 3–2 advantage that they held onto for the final 16 minutes of play. It’s no doubt exciting to beat the nation’s fourth- and fifth-ranked teams in a single week of play, but the stakes in early September are not the same as they might be in November and the early rounds of the NCAA Tournament, the Tigers’ next chance to face either of these squads.

Princeton begins its bid for a third consecutive Ivy League Championship this Saturday at home against Dartmouth. Game time is set for noon.

The Daily Princetonian



Elis open conference play against Crimson

Lucy Liu & Angela Xiao


Yale Athletics

As the Yale field hockey team prepares to open Ivy play against Harvard this weekend, it has a chance to snap a pair of losing streaks: its five-year drought against the Crimson and its two crushing defeats on the West Coast.

The Elis opened the season with three straight wins against Michigan, Hofstra and Drexel before dropping two games to the powerhouse schools out west, bringing their season record to 3–2. On Friday, they will face No. 20 Harvard (5–1, 0–0 Ivy) to mark the beginning of conference play, before they turn their attention to local foe Sacred Heart (6–4, 0–0 Northeast) on Sunday.

“[This weekend’s matches are] a matter of playing good hockey,” head coach Pam Stuper said. “It’s a matter of playing the game that we’re capable of playing and playing Yale field hockey style. Part of the reason why we took the California trip was to prepare for our upcoming Ivy season.”

Last weekend, the Bulldogs saw Stanford pull ahead with two goals in the first five minutes, and the Cardinal continued to pile on to reach the final 5–0 scoreline despite a strong showing by Yale.

The Bulldogs’ play deteriorated against Cal-Berkeley two days later, as they fell 3–1. Despite the respectable scoreline against the Golden Bears, Yale’s performance didn’t come close to reaching the heights of its early season play.

“We want to make up for the past weekend and really come out harder than ever and just play the way we know we can,” forward Anissa Abboud ’21 said. “We plan on using every advantage we have to come out with a win tomorrow and for Sunday at home.”

The Bulldogs have not won against the Crimson since a 2–1 overtime success in 2012. Last year, the rivalry game was particularly bittersweet — Yale jumped out to an early lead and, with the help of 17 saves from then-rookie goalie Sydney Terroso ’21, held off Harvard to preserve its one-goal lead until the final minute. But with just 36 seconds left on the clock, the Crimson notched an equalizer, forcing the match into overtime. Harvard triumphed in the extra time, extending its win streak against Yale another year. But the Elis are looking to put past results behind them, shaking off both last year’s heartbreaker and last weekend’s weak performance at Cal.

“We won’t approach this game any differently than our other games,” said Terroso, who earned first-team All-Ivy honors for her rookie campaign. “We are ready to come out and challenge Harvard by playing our game.”

Harvard is coming into the game fresh off wins against Northeastern and UMass last weekend. The Crimson made strong showings in both games, with goalkeepers Libby Manela and Ellie Shahbo shutting out Northeastern and UMass respectively.

The team as a whole outshot both opponents by a combined margin of 37–6 and has dropped just one match this year, to No. 2 Maryland. In the Crimson’s five other matches, it has won by a combined scoreline of 19–3. Forward Natalie Sicher earned Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week honors after netting a hat trick in the UMass game, leading the team to a sweeping victory.

Harvard, which concluded its 2017 season second in the Ivy League, will undeniably be a strong opponent for Yale, but not one the Bulldogs haven’t prepared for.

“We have trained for this situation, with the countless hours in the weight room and on the field, so we look forward to actually be able to put these new skills, and this new team, into play,” captain and back Jackie Kisa ’19 said. “It’s an incredible feeling to play ‘good hockey,’ where passes are met and goals are scored and it is this relaxed, yet focused style that has led us to many victories in the past.”

After they return from Cambridge, the Bulldogs will be back in the Carol Roberts Field House on Sunday to play Sacred Heart. In their 2017 season opener, the Elis defeated the Pioneers 6–2 for a triumphant start to the season, and they will look to repeat that success this weekend. Neither team will have a home turf advantage over the other — the Pioneers use Johnson Field as their home field.

Sacred Heart started the season strong, with four narrow victories in its first five matches, but enters Sunday’s match on a two-game losing streak. On Tuesday, the Pioneers fell 2–1 in a low-scoring match against Hofstra. The Elis faced the Pride in their second match of the year, battling their way to a 3–1 win.

Yale plays Harvard on Friday at 6 p.m. and hosts Sacred Heart at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

Yale Daily News



Ramp Elimination Passing skill


Sportplan coaches have been working hard this summer to create new AUDIO and VIDEO content. Check it out!

Fieldhockey.com uses cookies to assist with navigating between pages. Please leave the site if you disagree with this policy.
Copyright remains with the credited source or author