By Jason Richland
Off the field, Ashley Webber is fairly unassuming. She’s five-feet, six-inches tall, slender and shy. On the field hockey turf she becomes something very different.
She’s a goalkeeper’s nightmare, like Freddie Krueger with a stick … and a skirt.
She’s a fearless, dizzying blur of black, white and blonde with a nose for the goal and a shot that would make Patrick Roy panic.
The sophomore phenom recorded three goals in just two games to put her season tally at seven and lead the No. 12-ranked Northeastern field hockey team to victories over then-No. 20 Boston University, 3-2, and Princeton, 3-1, at Sweeney Field over the weekend.
Webber scored the game-winner in overtime against BU on Friday and potted a pair of goals, including the game-winner, against Princeton.
“I see the sticks and I see the field,” Webber said. “Stick-handling comes more natural to me than other things.”
The Huskies didn’t even need Webber to be the star this weekend. The real hero was freshman Colleen Duffy.
The Huskies allowed a season high in shots on goal (eight), as well as six penalty corners against Princeton and still came away with a victory thanks to the 18-year-old netminder.
“I still have to work hard, but I feel good,” Duffy said. “The one goal was a little iffy, but I’ll get it next time.”
Duffy has seemingly settled the shaky goalkeeper situation with her inspired play. She made one save in her debut against BU and seven in her second start against Princeton to earn her second victory in as many games played.
Energetic and loud, the freshman goalkeeper is making a believer out of her coaching staff.
“Look at what Colleen Duffy is doing to help us out,” head coach Cheryl Murtagh said. “[The shots] were pretty even, huh? Look at the difference in the score.”
The Colonial Athletic Associations believes, too. They named Duffy Rookie of the Week.
In addition to her seven saves (a season high for a Husky goalie), Duffy made several outstanding plays to knock the ball out in traffic and disrupt crossing passes.
Senior captain Jay Quinn was no slouch either this weekend, netting a pair against BU for her fifth and sixth goals, and junior Whitney Shean nabbed an assist against Princeton to put her point total at 14.
Shean and Webber are now tied for the team lead in points.
The CAA didn’t forget about Webber either. Her play was good enough to earn Co-Player of the Week honors with Old Dominion’s senior back Janelle Engle.
Sophomore Michaela O’Malley recorded her second goal of the season, a deflection of a shot by junior Natalie Singelais.
The Huskies will get a final non-conference tune-up Friday night when NU (6-1) heads to New Hampshire (3-6) for a 7 p.m. tilt. CAA play begins on Sunday at 2 p.m. when Towson (6-2) comes to Sweeney Field.
