Field Hockey leans on four goals by Lantiere

Ten days deep into the season, the Hopkins field hockey team is already putting up promising numbers  Having lost six of their eleven starting players from last season, there were major doubts lingering over the team for the 2013 season.

However, the skepticism did not shake the team’s confidence as they were able to start off the season with a convincing 4-0 defeat against Washington and Lee.

Returning starter senior Allison Thompson proved her dominance early with a goal at the 2:37 mark. Thompson’s goal brought visible energy to the team, which eventually sparked another goal in the first half, followed by two more in the second half.  Sophomore Zoey Atabek was able to keep Washington and Lee scoreless by providing four crucial saves in goal.

Although spirits were high, the team was unable to sustain a win streak at their first home game on Saturday night.  The team faced off against Denison in their home opener, which ended in a triple overtime thriller, with the Blue Jays falling just short.

Both teams had a matching scoreboard with a goal a piece in the first period and two goals in the second. This brought the first overtime that would finish with a no score. As the second overtime approached, both teams appeared to be worn out but the stakes were high as both teams were trying to hold an undefeated record. When the second overtime period came to an end, it was time for the shootout and the Blue Jays looked prepared.  Unfortunately, Denison would win the shootout 2-1, sending Hopkins to their first loss of the season.

The Lady Jays didn’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as Eastern Mennonite awaited them the next evening. The team bounced back strong on Sunday night as the Blue Jays crushed Eastern Mennonite 4-0. Junior Alexis Lantiere netted two goals for the Jays followed by scores from Junior Storm Kodde and Senior Maddie Fryer. Atabek once again provided a shutout game with 4 saves in the goal. There has been a lot of pressure placed on Atabek to perform this season and to fill the hole left by graduated GK Eliza Peijnenburg.  Atabek has hit the ground running and has already proven her ability with two shutout games and a total of 24 saves over the past three games. She is going to have to maintain this dominance if she wants to help improve her teams record of 8-9 from last season to a winning record this season.

The Blue Jays now hold a record of 2-1, mirroring the start of the 2012 season. This leaves plenty of room for the team to show prominence in the league and prove that they are playoff contenders. The field hockey team has the capability and the talent to finish with a winning record; they just have to continue to work past the stresses of rebuilding and work on continuously improving team chemistry.

Losing almost half of the previous years’ starting lineup, the field hockey team has to work hard to master team play and strategy on the field while staying mentally strong off of it. Coach Megan Fraser has shown her dominance on the field for the past 17 seasons and has the stats to back it up. She has the most wins in Hopkins and Centennial Conference history, only a handful of games shy of the 200 mark. Coach Fraser has led the Hopkins field hockey team to three Centennial Conference titles and five appearances in the NCAA tournament. She believes that the team is showing all of the signs needed to make their way to the championship again this season.

It is safe to say that the Hopkins field hockey team has the opportunity to go far this season, but how far is dependent upon the team’s success in rebuilding chemistry as well as Coach Fraser and her coaching staff’s ability to provide the correct strategies.

The Lady Jays play next at Washington College this Saturday, Sept. 14 at 1 p.m. and have the opportunity to add another win to their record. Washington College has a losing record of 1-3 this season, giving Hopkins the competitive advantage heading into the game. The field hockey team has both the potential and the skill to go far this season, with a Centennial Conference championship and playoff berth awaiting them.