The womenís field hockey team has their sights set high this season. They came into their home opener last Saturday against their biggest rival, Wittenberg. Tensions were especially high considering one of Woosterís former players, Elizabeth Dwyer, now plays for the hated Tigers.
Right off the bat, forward Maddie Hart í12 scored two goals in the first two minutes. After the powerful start, Wooster never let up on the gas. Brittney Montgomery í10 scored again for Wooster only a minute and a half later giving them a 3-0 lead not even four minutes into the game. Finally Wittenberg managed to score one with under a minute left in the first half.
After the half with the score 5-1, Wittenberg seemed determined as they slipped one more past goalie Madalyn Myers í12, but the former second team All-North Coast Athletic Conference [NCAC] goalie put her foot down after that slip. She made a number of great saves that kept Wittenberg at bay for the remainder of the game.
After Montgomeryís goal, Amanda Artman í10, Woosterís leading scorer, took over the game. She scored twice in the first half, and twice more in the second half. Assisted by Stephanie Standera í11 on one, Kate Valora í11 on another, unassisted on a third, and lastly on a penalty shot. The penalty shot was right after Wittenberg scored their second and last goal of the game. This penalty shot may have been the dagger that stopped Wittenbergís momentum, or it might have been the diving save by Myers, the most impressive of her seven saves in this game.
This was the first in a stretch of important home and conference games coming up in the next few weeks for the Scots. Their goal is to come out of this stretch still undefeated with a record of 12-0. Right now they stand at an NCAC best, 8-0, and 5-0 in the conference.
Hart, who had the two big opening minute goals against Wittenberg said, ìWeíre definitely gonna need our freshmen to step up this season if we want to be as successful as we plan on being.” With only eight upper classmen, this makes for a very young team, but they are determined to play well even without all the experience that older teams in the Conference may have.
The Scots are determined to make a second straight appearance in the national tournament at the end of the season, only this time they want to go deeper. With returning All-American and leading scorer Artman leading the attack, aided by Hart and Eileen Barrar í11, the Scotsí offense is a force to be reckoned with in the NCAC. Complimented by the dynamic play of Myers, one of the best goalies in the country, as well as a powerful defense protecting her, this may be one of the best teams in school history.
The Scots continue conference play tomorrow against the Denison University Big Red. The game will start in Granville, Ohio at 11 a.m. The Big Red are 5-4 thus far this season.