The Oberlin Review
<< Front page Sports October 13, 2007

Field Hockey Prepares for Final Stretch

“We have to take it one game at a time,” said field hockey coach Deb Ranieri on the rest of the season. The team has only five games remaining, all of them against conference opponents. They had an up and down week, first defeating Denison University 1-0 and then falling to first place Kenyon 0-2.

The Oberlin squad played a tough defensive game against Denison. The defense, led by senior tri-captain and senior goalkeeper Lauren Malinowski, had another excellent game. Malinowski had 11 saves, including one coming off of a penalty stroke. Her play helped the Yeowomen record their second shutout in a row, and the North Coast Athletic Conference named her one of its Players of the Week.

“I kind of wanted to be Player of the Week before I graduated but it was not just me who shut those teams out; it was the whole team,” said Malinowski.

Ranieri was pleased with the play of her non-starters since “they really stepped it up.” This effort that the Yeowomen showed should help the team as it heads into the conference playoffs, where tired legs become a factor and a whole team effort is a necessity.

Junior Abigail “Prunie” Brox scored the only goal in the game; it was her fourth goal of the season. Unfortunately, Oberlin was again outshot 9-14, a problem the team has been trying to correct all season.

The game against Kenyon was almost the complete opposite. The Yeowomen outshot Kenyon 20-17 and had the advantage in corners 14-11. Oberlin took more shots against Kenyon than in any other game this season. “We had lots of opportunities but we just could not get the ball in the cage,” said Malinowski.

The Ladies scored both their goals in the first half as Lauren Keiling scored the team’s first goal and Caroline Graham soon followed with the second. Oberlin was not able to answer in the second half. Malinowski had six saves in the game but could not repeat the performance of the previous two games.

Kenyon improved to 6-2 in the conference while Oberlin fell to 4-3. The win for Kenyon helped stretch its lead in the standings as Oberlin is now tied for second with three other teams.

The Yeowomen’s next game is at home against Wittenberg University on Saturday, Oct. 13 at 2 p.m. In the past Oberlin has had difficulty playing Wittenberg at home: “We haven’t been able to beat them,” said Malinowski. A loss to Wittenberg would put Oberlin in second-to-last place. If Oberlin can come out shooting, as it did against Kenyon, it should have no problem.


 
 
   

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