Field hockey stays unbeaten

Author: Maeve McGilloway

Fitter, Faster and Relentless-not just the slogan from a Gatorade commercial but also the words coach Katharine DeLorenzo uses to set expectations for Middlebury's 2008 women's field hockey team. Those expectations were certainly fulfilled this weekend when the team continued its undefeated streak with a decisive 5-2 home victory over Amherst.

The win brings the Panthers' record to 3-0 on the season, a promising start for a team hungry for the national championship after placing second last year. The Amherst matchup was the Panthers' first conference game of the season after previously beating Skidmore and St Lawrence.

Middlebury sophomore Chase Delano '11 marked the first goal midway through the first half, which was answered by Amherst with 2:34 remaining in the half. The 1-1 tie was broken early in the second half when Amherst briefly took the lead, but the Jeffs could not make it last as Heather McCormack's '10 corner feed to Marnie Rowe '08.5 tied up the game. It is not surprising that McCormack gave such a perfectly placed pass to Rowe since she leads the team in assists and, as defensive player Dana Heritage '10 commented, Rowe always seems to be "in the right place at the right time" to finish.

The Panthers superior fitness and determination were apparent for the rest of the game, as Middlebury took control of the contest with a three goal run in a 5:55 span to secure the win. Heritage applauded on the offense's second half energy.

"Our offense's passes and dodges wore out the Amherst defense, which sparked the team and gave us momentum."

Strong offensive performances came from McCormack with three assists as well as from Rowe and Delano with two goals apiece. Delano's move to forward this year from last year's center midfield position has been a tremendous success, with Chase recording her sixth goal of the season on an impressive .667 shot percentage. Of the seven goals scored in the game, four came off penalty corners, with three by Middlebury. To score off a penalty corner and capitalize on the seven to four offense to defense ratio, the team must make sure that all passes are precise and that all players are in their exact positions on the circle. Middlebury did just this on four of its penalty corner goals, while Middlebury goalkeeper Caitlin Pentifallo '09 and the defense allowed only Amherst's penalty corner score.

Pentifallo's amazing 16 save performance in goal as well as the defensive support from co-captain Taryn Petrelli '09 helped secure the win for Middlebury. Just three games into her season, Pentifallo has already made 23 saves, giving her an unbelievable .852 save percentage. The backfield combination of Pentifallo's agility in goal, Heritage's strong drives and Petrelli's speed made it hard for the Lord Jeff's fast-moving forward line to penetrate and score. Center midfielder Mullery Doar '10 attributes much of the game's success to the strong defensive play in the first half.

"We had a really strong corner defense that made it hard for Amherst to get the ball in the goal," she said.

The closeness and supportive nature of the team off the field certainly can be seen during games and contributes to its success. Combined with its improved stamina, this teamwork will definitely allow Middlebury to continue adding to its winning record.

Kerry Reilly '10 commented on the on-field team dynamics.

"We have strength all over, this is unusual and makes it challenging for opponent's to defend us since we can't be singled out or easily face-guarded."

The Panthers, currently tied for first in the NESCAC, face one of their biggest challenges in early October when they take on Bowdoin, the defending national champions. However, the Panthers are not looking too far in advance and continue to approach the season game by game, with games this week against Springfield and Wesleyan.

After out-running Amherst this past weekend it seems that the team is fulfilling its coach's goals by being fitter and faster than its opponents. Combined with the 16 goals they have scored this season, it seems as if the Panthers do not just set goals, but score them as well.

- Additional reporting by Alex Lovett-Woodsum