A mix of youth and experience provide higher expectations for field hockey season
After a season without compiling a two-game winning streak, the Central Michigan field hockey team believes that maintaining a high level of play will be instrumental for it to be successful.
“It’s just a matter of working hard, staying enthusiastic and dealing with the ups and downs of the season,” said CMU field hockey coach Cristy Freese.
Freese pointed to inexperience as the reason for the Chippewas’ instability. At the beginning of last season, seven freshmen were on the field at one point.
“You’re not going to really have that consistent season because not only are they trying to figure out the Division I college game, but it’s about a team effort too, and they have to learn how to play with each other,” Freese said.
Over half the squad is underclassman, but nine of 11 starters are returning.
“Twelve is going to take hard work, but it’s definitely doable,” said CMU senior midfielder Paulina Lee. “Just take it game by game and work hard each and every day to reach that goal.”
Lee embraced the role of leader, but realizes she needs assistance from her counterparts.
“I’m very vocal. I try to use that on the field as well as in practice,” she said. “At the same time we are a team, so my teammates rely on me as much as I rely on them.” Freese expects the team to be more aggressive calling the team “hungry.”
Freese has high hopes for Lee and fellow senior Brooke Sihota, along with last year’s scoring leader Erin Dye, as well as sophomore Simone Lazar and senior goalkeeper Anastasia Netto.
“I think last year at this time, I wasn’t talking about that many players,” Freese said. “There were too many unknown players.”
She thinks Netto’s year of guarding the net will be beneficial to this year’s team. Last season, she was in a position battle that stretched until the third game, when she notched the first victory of her career.
“Ana comes into this year our starter and she can be practicing and preparing that way,” Freese said. “She has a whole season under her belt, so we certainly anticipate that she is going to be able to step up.”
High expectations for freshmen
Lee believes the freshmen have brought energy, insight and skill. While it is difficult to judge the success of freshmen by highlights and a box score, Freese looks for freshmen Cayleigh Immelman and Mary Alice Moore to break through the starting lineup.
An invitation to participate in the 2013 U-21 Junior World Cup is evidence of Immelmann’s success in South Africa. Before joining the team, Moore thrived as well. The New York native was a two-time all-state selection in high school.
With only two players donning the Chippewa jersey for the last time this season, successful results most likely will ensue in 2012. However, CMU must begin taking steps forward this year, after tallying its lowest win total in the past 10 seasons.
“Were trying to position our team to not only push for that conference championship this year, but win the conference in 2012 and for years to come after that,” Freese said. The Chippewas open the regular season with a home game at 3 p.m.. Sept. 2 against Saint Louis at the CMU Field Hockey Complex.
