The women’s field hockey team enters the 2013 season with six incoming freshmen joining the squad. The Red is coming off a 2012 season of ups and downs, containing a four game losing streak alongside a six game winning streak. However, the team finished the 2012 season with one more win than the previous year, so the Red remains positive, according to head coach Donna Hornibrook..
“We are very optimistic about this season, especially looking at the progress we made the second half of last season. The team has the right mentality and will take advantage of the positive momentum,” Hornibrook said.
The Red will also be entering the 2013 season with strong leadership as seven experienced seniors take the field, including forward Hannah Balezza, who ranks third all-time at Cornell in goals scored. Senior goalkeeper Carolyn Horner also returns at the helm of the Red’s defense. She ranks fourth in Cornell history in career shutouts with six.
“We have a strong, balanced team. In terms of defense, we were second in the conference last year,” Hornibrook said.”We hope to take steps forward to create a more balanced attack this season. The combination of the two will allow us to achieve the high goals we’ve set this year.”
The class of 2017 brings experience and talent to the group. The players hail from all over the United States, and two have travelled from overseas to play for the Red.
Elizabeth Horak, from St. Louis, MO, played field hockey for four seasons at Cor Jesu Academy prior to this season. She served as team captain her senior year and led her squad to a state championship. She was a two-time first-team all-conference player and was awarded the Metro Women’s Athletics Association Conference Player of the Year as a senior.
Georgia Lord joins the Red all the way from Cranleigh, England. She is an experienced player as she competed for five years with the Surrey county team, serving as team captain during her final four seasons. Lord also played for one of the most prestigious clubs in London, the Teddington Hockey Club, propelling the U18 team to a league championship and a trip to the 2013 national club finals.
Madeleine Parish, hailing from Hershey, Pa., was a four-year letter winner at Hershey high school and served as team captain as a senior. Parish was also a first-team Patriot News Big 11 selection as a senior and was a two-time first-team All-Mid Penn selection. She played for the Pa. Mavericks field hockey club and helped the team to a Top-10 national ranking.
Luisa Schulte-Bockum joins Lord from England. She helped her Berkshire County team to a second place finish in South England after winning the County and Regional championships in 2010. Her natural athleticism and drive helped her to qualify for the Triathlon world championships, held in New Zealand in 2012, as a member of the Great Britain team.
Kat Varga, from Highland, Md., earned three varsity letters at River Hill high school, serving as team captain during her senior season. She was named the 2012 Howard County field hockey player of the year. After Varga completed her senior season, she was named to the Maryland field hockey all-star team and was a first-team all-state selection, a first-team Washington Post All-Met selection and a Baltimore Sun All-Met second-team selection.
Katy Weeks, joining the Red from Kenilworth, Ill., was a three-year letter winner at New Trier high school, where she helped the team earn back-to-back state championships in 2010 and 2011. She was named the 2012 Illinois State Player of the Year and was a two-time all-state selection in 2011 and 2012.
“We’re so excited and ready for this season to begin,” said sophomore goalkeeper Elizabeth Schaeffler. “We are all confident in each other and the hard work we’ve put in over the summer. It’s going to be an awesome year.”
Head coach Donna Hornibrook has announced the team’s game schedule for the upcoming season, which features nine home games and four battles against 2012 NCAA tournament participants. These include contests against Princeton, the reigning national champions, and Syracuse, 2012 final four participants.
The season begins on Friday, Sept. 6, with a contest against Lock Haven at 5 pm at home on Martha Dodson Field.
Original Author: Sydney Altschuler