Matt Olszewski
Staff Writer
The College of Wooster field hockey team has had a very strong season so far with two regular season games remaining. Wooster has possessed a 12-5 record up until their game against Kenyon College on Thursday, Oct. 25. Notable, however, is the fact that four players for the Fighting Scots are in the top-five for different categories of statistics so far this season.
Sydney Schuster ’21 ranks in the top-five for goals and points. She is also number one in shots so far this season with 80. Caitlyn O’Connor ’21, is in the top-five for goals and points, and teammate Erica Womack ’19 is in the top five for assists, points and shots. Lastly, goalie Katie Shideler ’21 ranks in the top five for saves, save percentage and goals-against average.
When asked about why the team has been so successful this season, Schuster was sure to mention all of the hard work that the team put in this summer.
“We have had a challenging conditioning packet that we all have been working very hard to accomplish,” O’Connor said. “As a team we have been working very hard on that and making sure we are all in shape. I think a lot of our success comes from our coach. The fact that she is new to our program has pushed us to be at our best and bring us to the point we are at now.” The team averages 3.5 every game, with a 1.32 goals against the average in the NCAC.
Their offense has been very successful, with 60 total goals so far this season. When asked about key moments this season, Womack talked about the game against 18th ranked Washington and Jefferson. “We took them into OT and we played really well against them. It was a major confidence booster for us.” She also added that the team dynamic has been a huge part of the team’s success this season. “We all love each other and we spend a lot of time with each other. We are very good friends and we know each other’s playing styles which helps a lot,” said Womack. Schuster mentioned that they have an older and more experienced team. “Our forward line has been playing together for a year now and together we have gotten over the kinks from last season. The same goes for all of the other lines.”
Another important point of discussion was about the team’s goals for the future. “We want to be second at conference, so our second game against Kenyon is a big one, and then we will most likely play Denison again and really want to be able to come away with a win,” said Shideler. The four of them were also asked about what it feels like to be in the top five in the NCAC for various statistics. “It feels amazing and it gives you something to work for every single game,” said Womack. “I think it’s really humbling to be on there and the fact that we have four girls up there ranked so highly in stats shows a lot about our program and what we have been working towards. But it is important to not just recognize ourselves individually, but also to realize that we would not be there without the help of our entire team,” said Schuster.
One of the main reasons for so much of a change from last season to this season has been their new coach Jill Dixon. “Now that we have a coach that we know will be here for a while, it’s easier to build off our successes and continue to build a strong team culture,” said Shideler. “We want to make her proud. I work hard on and off the field because I know she is working hard for us every single day on the field and in her office coming up with game plans and helping make us a better team,” added Schuster.
The Fighting Scots look to pick up another victory against the Oberlin College Yeomen on Saturday, Oct. 27 before beginning the NCAC tournament.