Field hockey loses another heartbreaker

In a fight to the absolute finish, the Yeowomen lost another heartbreaker to the Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops last Tuesday, again by a deficit of just one goal. This much anticipated rematch took place precisely two weeks after Oberlin and Wesleyan's first game of the season, which the Battling Bishops won 1-0. OC was clearly out for revenge, backed by a small but enthusiastic crowd and energized by continuing team progress and a palpable home field advantage.

This time, Oberlin took their opponents to overtime caught in a 1-1 stalemate, and the home team continued to struggle valiantly until Wesleyan forward Erin Rivers netted the winning goal for the Bishops.

Going into the game, Oberlin goalkeeper Pam Walker had several thoughts on how her team should approach Wesleyan, a team known for its strength on offense. "They don't drive the ball deep," said Walker, indicating - as was evident in Tuesday's game - that the Bishops rely on short, tight passes to reach the opposing goal. Walker added that intercepting Wesleyan's short passes could therefore be crucial in the rematch. Junior attacker Danyel Brisk also emphasized the importance of keeping possession of the ball. "Before the game," she said, "one of the things [Coach Graham] told us to focus on was taking free hits quickly." In other words, when Oberlin can get the ball off a penalty or an out-of-bounds shot, urgency is the key.

OC's recent push towards aggressive offense was evident against Wesleyan, as the Yeowomen began the game with a series of strong drives deep into Bishop territory. "Wesleyan was probably not expecting us to come on that strong," Head Coach Elizabeth Graham remarked after the game. Wesleyan goalkeeper Liz Shipps - who, according to Graham, was unusually solid against the Yeowomen - deflected numerous Oberlin threats to the Bishops' goal before sophomore Vanessa Wirth broke through to score for OC roughly five minutes into the game. After Wirth's goal, the Yeowomen maintained a solid passing game and dominated on offense until midway through the half, when the tide turned and Wesleyan increased the pressure on Oberlin's goal. The Bishops eventually succeeded in evening the score, netting their first goal off an Oberlin penalty.

Throughout the game, the Yeowomen took comfort from several other OC sports teams who voiced their support from the sidelines. Most notably, the men's soccer team performed a memorable rendition of "The Hey Song."

Despite this spirited show of support, the second half of the game turned into a frustrating tug-of-war, with OC and Wesleyan alternating offensive drives only to be turned around each time by a penalty or an opponent's interception. On defense, the Yeowomen repeatedly flushed the ball away from their own goal, tended with the usual care by Walker, and passed it on to their teammates in the midfield in an attempt to "push up" and move forward offensively. Still, the Bishops' stingy defense kept the game tied until the end of regulation time, after which overtime rules applied: seven players on each side in sudden death format. Wesleyan scored the winning goal within five minutes, making this incredibly hard-fought game a tough loss for the Yeowomen.

When compared to Oberlin's first game against Wesleyan this season, Tuesday's match demonstrated much progress within the OC squad.

"This time we were definitely more intense," first-year Briana Quinn said of the rematch. She noted that the Yeowomen headed into the game with every intention of evening the score between themselves and the Bishops, and she attributed the intensity of Oberlin's first offensive drives to the team's desire for revenge. She also cited home field advantage as a significant factor.

"It's great having fans support us," she said.

When a game goes to overtime, she added, the smaller squads make the field seem bigger, and defense is particularly crucial. Coach Graham commented that overtime between two evenly matched teams is as much a matter of chance as of talent. "When you go into OT in field hockey," she said, "it's kind of like the flip of a coin." A flip that on Tuesday, despite the Yeowomen's endurance and skill, fell against their favor.

Now Oberlin must look ahead to Kenyon College, their next NCAC opponent. The game is set to take place at Kenyon on Sunday, and it will be the first matchup of the season between these two teams. With unfailing optimism, Quinn set the right tone for the game. "We beat [Kenyon] in the scrimmage," she said, "so we're really looking forward to beating them again." One thing's for sure: the Yeowomen are fully intent on giving Kenyon a challenge to remember.

Kicking them where it hurts: The field hockey team lost their last game in overtime, despite their determination, solid passing and a dominating offense. (photo by Brian Hodgkin)