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by Ian Haynes '04
NOVEMBER 7 , 2002--After Oberlin's field hockey team graduated six seniors last spring, fans had doubts about the 2002 season. Among the graduates were North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) defensive player of the year Pamela Walker, and first-team all NCAC scorer Emily Johnson. But with the help of a strong incoming class, the team has actually come back stronger than ever.
"We really came in with a different attitude this year," says Chaney Stewman '03. "You can tell that the players genuinely want to be out on the field, and that we are really pulling together like a team."
After an 11-7 overall record and a 5-7 NCAC record last season, Oberlin was 11-5 overall and 7-5 in the NCAC this fall, qualifying for the NCAC's first annual field hockey playoffs.
"At the beginning of the season I asked the team if somebody was willing to play goalie," says Ranieri. "[Siv] Tang '06 stepped up and said that the people in the field were players that needed to stay there, and that she would like the opportunity to play goalkeeper. It just turned out that she is a natural."
Meg Reitz '06 has filled in for Johnson offensively, energizing the team. But Ranieri says that all the first-year players all have made important contributions to the success of this Yeowomen team.
Brianna Quinn '03 agrees with her new coach.
"I cannot say enough about what the first-years have given this team," Quinn says. "Six of our 11 starters are first-year players. They have accepted their role and all the pressure put on them."
Please send comments, questions, and suggestions about Oberlin Online news and feature articles to online.news@oberlin.edu.
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