By Jason Richland
The field hockey team is on a roll of historic proportions.
After weeks of imperfect defense the Huskies showed consistency in a triplet of victories since last Wednesday over Brown, 3-2, Hofstra, 4-0, and Delaware, 5-1, extending their winning streak to 10 games.
This is the longest winning streak for Husky field hockey since 1998, when the team won 10 in a row beginning with a 1-0 victory over Old Dominion on Oct. 4 and ended with a 4-3 overtime loss to New Hampshire in the America East championship on Nov. 8. The 11-1 start to the season is the best in the Huskies’ 26-year history.
Strategic adjustments on offense have translated into 52 goals in 12 games, 13 more tallies than the Huskies had through the same total last season.
Those adjustments led to miscues in the back line of junior Megan Troxel, junior Sarah Eckhoff and senior Lauren Edelmeier. The Husky defenders struggled to stop long runs from opposing offenses. In the past three games, the defense has come together, complimented by impressive freshman goaltender Colleen Duffy.
“We know each other better as players in the formation we are in,” Troxel said. “With Colleen back there we are starting to click really well.”
The Huskies outscored this week’s opponents 13-4, outshot them 59-19 and saw Duffy earn her first shutout in Friday’s conference victory over Hofstra. Sunday’s decision against Delaware is the most important, given the Blue Hens were the 2004 Colonial Athletic Association champions.
“We have a long season ahead of us,” said coach Cheryl Murtagh. “The opponents have gotten tougher and our schedule is going to keep getting tougher.”
Tougher may be an understatement, as the Huskies are scheduled to face four nationally ranked opponents this month. This stretch includes a conference test with No. 6-ranked Old Dominion on Oct. 21 that may end up being a preview of the conference championship.
Old Dominion and NU are both 3-0 in the conference with William ‘ Mary just behind at 2-0.
The Huskies’ offensive explosion was keyed by a four-goal week for junior Whitney Shean who took over the conference lead in points at 31. Sophomore Stephanie Casper scored her first two collegiate goals while Eckhoff, senior Jay Quinn and sophomore Michaela O’Malley each scored twice. Edelmeier potted one as well.
Shean was named CAA Player of the Week for the second week in a row.
“We have an incredible forward line of scorers,” Troxel said. “Our passing combinations are coming together right now. We have incredible forwards with great skill who know how to use it.”
The Huskies will face Harvard today at Sweeney Field at 4 p.m. On Friday, they head to Philadelphia to play a conference game with Drexel.
“We feel pretty good about the conference right now,” assistant head coach Scott Smith said. “The big emphasis has been on defense and I think we’re taking care of that.”
Drexel (7-5, 0-3) is paced by Rachael Bloemker, who has tallied 13 points. The Dragons are 6-2 at home.
“Our team looks fantastic right now,” Troxel said. “Last time we played Delaware two years ago, we lost. That was on our mind. Beating them, now that they are in our conference, is that much sweeter. But we have another conference game and we have to come out strong.”
