2008 Woodie Awards
Field Hockey upsets Centre; first SCAC title in team history
By: Steve Powell
Issue date: 11/6/07 Section: Sports
- Page 1 of 1
The DePauw field hockey team sailed into uncharted waters this weekend as the Tigers won the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference championship for the first time in the sport.
The SCAC does not garner an automatic bid into the Div. III playoffs, so the Tigers' season is likely over, as the team finished 12-8 under first-year head coach Gina Preston.
Entering tournament play as the No. 3 seed on Saturday, DePauw faced the No. 2 seed, the Centre College Colonels. The 12-3 Colonels came into the game ranked No. 1 in the Div. III Great Lakes Region and had outscored their opponents 45-14.
DePauw pulled off the 1-0 upset courtesy of a goal from junior forward Beth Seegers and a flawless defensive performance. Seegers said the team increased its defensive focus.
"We played as though the 25-yard line of our defense was the goal, and none of [the game] was played on our defensive end," Seegers said. "We were set on winning, and we definitely showed that during the game."
The Tigers outshot Centre 13-4. The services of freshman goalkeeper Liz Attewell were only needed for one save.
The championship game ended in a 3-2 win over the University of the South-Sewanee. Junior forward Carolyn Mueller, junior midfielder Meredith Ellis and freshman forward Katie Sowar each scored for the Tigers, who outshot Sewanee 25-14 en route to the championship.
"I think our hard work has finally paid off," said junior midfielder Jackie Smith. "I don't even know how to describe the feeling."
The team was so focused on winning DePauw's first field hockey crown that it was able to overcome late-season fatigue.
"Usually our team gets tired towards the last 10 minutes, and this game it did not happen," Smith said.
Sowar's game-winning goal came with fewer than seven minutes remaining in the game. Smith said Preston put the situation in perspective before the game.
"Right before that game our coach said we have had 81 practices," Smith said. "We knew we had worked too hard all season to get second place. We knew we wanted first."
Preston has met unprecedented success in her first year as head coach, and she expects the team to be even better next season. The team will return all players except for senior Melissa Davis.
"The fifteen people we have coming back have worked so hard, and they know what they need to improve upon in the off-season to be ready next fall," Preston said. "They understand what is expected of them from the coaching staff. I'm excited to have everyone back, and I think we will be even better next year."
The SCAC does not garner an automatic bid into the Div. III playoffs, so the Tigers' season is likely over, as the team finished 12-8 under first-year head coach Gina Preston.
Entering tournament play as the No. 3 seed on Saturday, DePauw faced the No. 2 seed, the Centre College Colonels. The 12-3 Colonels came into the game ranked No. 1 in the Div. III Great Lakes Region and had outscored their opponents 45-14.
DePauw pulled off the 1-0 upset courtesy of a goal from junior forward Beth Seegers and a flawless defensive performance. Seegers said the team increased its defensive focus.
"We played as though the 25-yard line of our defense was the goal, and none of [the game] was played on our defensive end," Seegers said. "We were set on winning, and we definitely showed that during the game."
The Tigers outshot Centre 13-4. The services of freshman goalkeeper Liz Attewell were only needed for one save.
The championship game ended in a 3-2 win over the University of the South-Sewanee. Junior forward Carolyn Mueller, junior midfielder Meredith Ellis and freshman forward Katie Sowar each scored for the Tigers, who outshot Sewanee 25-14 en route to the championship.
"I think our hard work has finally paid off," said junior midfielder Jackie Smith. "I don't even know how to describe the feeling."
The team was so focused on winning DePauw's first field hockey crown that it was able to overcome late-season fatigue.
"Usually our team gets tired towards the last 10 minutes, and this game it did not happen," Smith said.
Sowar's game-winning goal came with fewer than seven minutes remaining in the game. Smith said Preston put the situation in perspective before the game.
"Right before that game our coach said we have had 81 practices," Smith said. "We knew we had worked too hard all season to get second place. We knew we wanted first."
Preston has met unprecedented success in her first year as head coach, and she expects the team to be even better next season. The team will return all players except for senior Melissa Davis.
"The fifteen people we have coming back have worked so hard, and they know what they need to improve upon in the off-season to be ready next fall," Preston said. "They understand what is expected of them from the coaching staff. I'm excited to have everyone back, and I think we will be even better next year."
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