The field hockey team hopes that this season will turn out to be a small step towards greater success in the years to come.
“We had lots of disappointing losses, but overall it was a positive experience,” said senior co-captain Gina Testa.
The team started off strong, winning its season opener against Lehigh, 6-3. Despite this promising start, the team struggled to connect and play as a unit throughout many games. The Red finished with a record of 3-13, including a 1-6 mark in Ivy play.
“We hoped to do much better,” said head coach Donna Hornibrook. “We were competitive in about 12 of 16 games. We competed fairly well and the team didn’t quit.”
While the team faltered as a whole, there were several individuals that had outstanding seasons for the Red.
Senior Danielle Dunn earned STX/NFCHA Mideast Regional second team honors and was also named to the all-Ivy team. She recorded 20 points on eight goals and four assists.
Testa also earned recognition in the Ivy League, getting an honorable mention nod for her 13 points this season.
There were also flashes of what’s to come from the underclassmen throughout the year. Sophomore Lindsay Moyer notched three goals in the opening weekend of the season. Junior Blair Corcoran was a solid presence at both ends of the field, anchoring the defense and leading the team in assists.
“They were a team, working together in every capacity,” Hornibrook said. “The intangibles made progress and the young players got a chance to play.”
Six of the teams losses were decided by a margin of two goals or less, which Hornibrook said indicated the Red was more competitive than the team’s record reflects. The team took Ivy League co-champion Penn into overtime before falling, 2-1.
“They are one of the best teams in the Ivy League and we took them into overtime,” Hornibrook said. “It was a very key game.”
The Red also shone against Yale, earning its only Ivy win behind a two-goal performance from Dunn. The face-off against Rutgers was also a high point for the team, in which Testa notched four goals to lead a dominating performance by the senior class.
“The high points were definitely the Yale and Rutgers games,” Testa said. “More Rutgers because all the seniors contributed. It was a nice way to go out.”
Hornibrook felt the team made the most progress in its last game of the season, a 5-2 loss to Dartmouth.
“That was definitely a statement game,” she said. “They didn’t do themselves proud in the first half and there was a lot of pride on the line in the second half. It was a gut check, and they responded as a team. They could’ve rolled over but they didn’t. I hope it carries over to next year.”
Both Hornibrook and Testa agree that the lessons from this season will have an effect on the team through the off-season and when they take to the field again next fall.
“There will be a lot of open positions and lots of opportunities to step up,” Testa said. “I think they’ll do great.”
Archived article by Olivia Dwyer
Sun Staff Writer