Field Hockey Looking to Stay Perfect in Ivy

The field hockey team will step onto Marsha Dodson Field tomorrow to take on Ivy foe Yale and then return Sunday for a game against Lehigh. Coming off a tough loss against Fairfield, the Red is looking to redeem itself this weekend, especially against Yale.
“The competition in our conference is fierce, and really that means that anything can happen,” said head coach Donna Hornibrook. “Ivy competition is really tight, on any given day anything can happen. But our main intention is to go out there and win.”
The Red (4-4, 2-0 Ivy) currently holds a .500 record but is undefeated in Ivy play, having just netted a tough victory against Columbia last weekend.
The Red is returning home after a road stint against Columbia and Fairfield. Both matches were close and competitive, with the Red taking a win against Columbia, 4-3, and a loss against Fairfield 1-0. Though Ivy matches tend to be tight, the Red will look to follow its usual strategy to get on the board first. The team is known for starting off the game well.
“The key to our matches so far is really opening up the game well, we had a great start against Georgetown and against Columbia,” Hornibrook said. [img_assist|nid=32393|title=Ball control|desc=Sophomore attacker Catie de Stio (17) vies for the ball with opponents from Penn on Sept. 20. The Red won the game, 3-1.|link=node|align=left|width=|height=0]
Compared to its previous competitors, Cornell’s conference foe for this weekend has been less successful. The Bulldogs are coming off a close loss to Lock Haven, which has received votes to be ranked in the top-20 nationally. However, the rest of Yale’s season has been far more mediocre. Yale (2-5, 0-2) was thrashed by No.15 Princeton last Saturday, 6-1. Junior Forward Ashley McCauley is Yale’s best offensive asset, putting 10 points on the board. However, Yale can be competitive, and the Red is taking notice.
“We go into the mindset of winning every game, we don’t any take game lightly,” said junior goalkeeper Melanie Jue.
The Red may choose to develop some of the younger members of their team, when almost all of the current starting lineup will be graduating this year. The freshman class has yet to add much to the scoreboard, but is contributing in a small way.
“We’re definitely looking to get opportunities to play our whole squad, everybody is really able to contribute, but we really just need to play our best game,” said assistant coach Ellen Davies.
Lehigh (3-6) stands on very much the same ground as Yale in terms of its record so far. Lehigh has, however, had to play many more quality teams. The team is coming off a loss to Villanova, 4-1.