Colgate, Rider await field hockey
The field hockey team travels to New York for two non-conference games over the weekend.
The team plays Colgate at 7 p.m. today and Rider at 2 p.m. Saturday.
“We are looking for a good start with a win or two this weekend,” said coach Cristy Freese. “We have started slow the past couple of years and it is important for us to get off to a good start.”
A year ago, CMU scored a season-high seven goals against Colgate in Mount Pleasant. But Freese said the game could have a different outcome since CMU is on the road.
“They are very good at home,” Freese said. “Two years ago, we lost to them at their place in a tight one-goal game. Whereas last year, we beat them 7-1 at our field. They also have good speed offensively and they will be a good challenge for our defense.”
This trip to New York will serve as a homecoming for five members of the team. Sophomore Paulina Lee is from Pittsford, N.Y., and she is excited for the opportunity to play in front of her parents.
“My family will be there and that will be fun,” she said. “But also these are our first games of the season, so it is exciting to get back out there and play.”
Freese said she will look for more than just wins over the weekend. “We lost a lot of goal scorers over the year to graduation,” she said. “I think, with these first two games, we are going to be finding out who is going to be our goal scorers and who is going to take on that offensive identity.”
Potent Offense
The team’s other opponent, Rider, has a very fast offense and that should serve as a test for its young defense.
“They have a kid on their team that seems to be a great goal scorer and another that seems to be setting her up a lot,” Freese said. “They have got some quality players and they are used to winning. Our defense really needs to buckle down in this game.”
