The Cornell field hockey team will travel to Providence, R.I. this weekend to take on Brown in the hopes of continuing its recent success. The Red (7-6, 3-1 Ivy League) is on a six-game winning streak and will try to extend that against the Bears (3-9, 0-4) on Saturday at noon at the Brown Field Hockey Arena.
After beginning the season with four straight losses and nearing the halfway point with a record of 1-6, the Red has reversed its fortunes completely, roaring past teams with 6 straight victories most recently marked by a 4-0 victory over Harvard, and a 2-1 victory over non-conference foe Davidson.
“It was a challenge set for us, [to win the rest of our games] and so we took it on and tried to really get focused for our games and now we have a good shot at winning the Ivy League,” said senior captain Paige Mollineaux.
According to Mollineaux, the team has worked out its struggles from the beginning of the season in practice, and has been able to translate that hard work into game situations.
“I think that we’ve taken what we’ve been told to do at the beginning of the season and we’ve really been able to put what we’re learning in practice into our games,” she said.
Freshman midfielder Taylor Standiford has played a large part in helping the team to its winning ways. Most recently, Standiford was recognized for her two goal performance in the squad’s 4-0 win over the Harvard Crimson last weekend with the Ivy League Rookie of the Week Honor.
“Our freshman this year have really stepped up. Both Marisa Siergiej and Standiford have been able to score two goals in two of our games,” Mollineaux said
The Bears have a young but talented team. The attack is led by sophomore forwards Meghan O’Donnell and Clayton Christus as well as by freshman forward Hannah Rogers. The team is anchored by sophomore goalkeeper Shannon McSweeney. The Bears are coached by Jill Reeve, a former U.S. Olympian and 12-year field hockey National Team member. It is Reeve’s first season coaching the Brown program and she has a wealth of playing experience to fall back on in order to try and guide the youthful team.
A win over Brown would tie the squad’s team-best win streak of seven games in 2009. Should Princeton also lose this weekend, a win for the Red would put the team in a tie for first place in the Ivy League with three conference games remaining in the season.
Original Author: Shayan Salam