2004 Field Hockey Outlook
8/25/2004 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 25, 2004
COLLEGE PARK, Md. -
Expectations are running high for this year's Terrapin field hockey team. Coming off of a 20-4 season, an appearance in the 2004 NCAA Tournament semifinal game and with nine starters returning, including four All-Americans, Maryland is poised to make a serious run for its sixth ACC crown and fourth national title.
"The goal is always to win championships," said head coach Missy Meharg. "Players choose to be student-athletes at Maryland because they want to be in a position to experience ACC and NCAA Championship events," said head coach Missy Meharg.
She continued, "To reach those goals this year, we are focused on maintaining a high spirit throughout the three and a half months. We look to challenge each other on a daily basis and individually bring a high work rate to practice in order to improve our teammates' performances.
"Maintaining a high, positive spirit and attitude and challenging each other daily, from the coaching staff to the players and those surrounding Maryland field hockey will put us in a good position to reach our goals."
The 2004 squad could arguably be one of the greatest teams to ever play in College Park. Playing on the state-of-the-art Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex which saw the Terps go 13-1 last season, the Terps will look to the leadership of six seniors who have garnered numerous conference, regional and national recognition.
"We have six seniors who are awesome. They are amazing people who stand tall in the classroom and on the field. Kristin Harris, Sara Silvetti, Colleen Barbieri, Emily Boyer, Anja Boettcher and Meredith Long have given their hearts and souls to Maryland hockey. I am confident they will leave their mark on the field in their final season. They are great mentors to the six newcomers."
ATTACK
"This year's attacking style will be exciting for Terrapin fans to watch. We return players who have the ability to score goals," said Meharg.
Maryland brings back a high-powered attack which scored 92 goals last season, fourth in the nation. Tallying at least 15 goals each last year, the team's top four scorers in Paula Infante, Anja Boettcher, Jackie Ciconte and Colleen Barbieri return this season.
Infante made the immediate impact expected at the beginning of last year. By season's end, she led the team in scoring as a defender and was one of the NCAA's top players, earning first team All-American honors, first team all-region honors and was named All-ACC and All-NCAA Tournament team at the Final Four.
Entering 2004 in the top 10 in goals in the Maryland record books, Barbieri looks to get back to top form from her first two seasons in a Terrapin uniform when she collected a first team All-America citation. Heralded as the ACC's Rookie of the Year in 2001, she brings speed and is another potent scoring threat with the ability to play a variety of positions within the attacking unit.
Ciconte broke out for a standout season and looks to build on it in 2004. She more than doubled her goal output from her freshman campaign. The most efficient scorer on the team last season, her success on the field was rewarded with All-America and All-ACC nods.
Senior Anja Boettcher has tremendous technical skills which she brings to all areas of the field. Second on the team in scoring a year ago, she played both attacking and defensive roles in the spring and will have an impact on both sides of the field this season.
Junior Tiffany Marsh has been a solid starter for the Terps since arriving on campus. Last year, she started every game in the midfield and scored the game-winning goal in the overtime win at North Carolina. This year, she will play a more offensive role and use her outstanding finishing abilities to score goals.
Meharg will also look to senior Meredith Long to assist in the attack. A transfer last season, she gained valuable experience, playing in every game while starting in three.
Sophomore Lauren Foundos saw limited minutes but played well during the spring season. Classmate Megan Fox, who has good attacking moves, also has some experience under her belt as does a speedy Emily Trycinski. Each will compete for playing time on the attack.
Two freshmen should find themselves in the mix of this potent attack. A forward, Kim Ziegler was one of the top players out of the state of Maryland and hails from the same high school as former Terp Kateri Simon who was an all-regional selection in her final year.
Freshman Janneke van Leeuwen has played top-level field hockey in her home country of the Netherlands. Having played the sport since she was a youngster, she is an attacking midfielder who will be a valuable commodity to the Terps.
DEFENSE
The defense brings back talent, depth and experience. Senior captain Sara Silvetti will be, without a doubt, will govern the defense as the field general in the backfield. Classmate and co-captain Kristin Harris will cover the defense from the midfield. A starter on the field since coming to College Park as a freshman, she is a leader on and off the field and has an unmatched work rate. Also playing in her final season at Maryland, Emily Boyer has been a consistent defender, spending the last two years as a regular starter in the backfield. The three senior defenders earned Mid-Atlantic All-Region honors and will be the cornerstone of the Terrapin defense.
Sophomore Kristina Edmonds spent her rookie campaign as a defensive replacement, earning playing time in games vs. Michigan, Duke and in the national semifinal. She also gained valuable experience playing with some of the elite young talent in the country as a member of the U.S. Under-19 team.
Making her first appearance in a Maryland uniform is Emily Beach, a local product out of Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School and a redshirt junior. Beach will be ready to help the Terrapin defense which was ranked in the top five in the nation last year.
"This depth experience yields confidence in our defensive unit and gives us a solid foundation on which to build the attack," commented Meharg.
First team All-Americans Lauren Powley and Paula Infante will power the Terrapin midfield. The duo's speed, athleticism and intensity make it difficult for opposing teams to contain them.
"Lauren and Paula have played exceptional hockey, not just for Maryland but also for the U.S. U-21 and Chilean National teams, respectively. They will set the standard for the team and will be a marker for which their teammates will be measured. They are incredible athletes who bring the highest level of hockey to the college game," said Meharg.
Completing the midfield unit, along with van Leeuwen and Fox, are redshirt junior Heather Kenney and newcomer Katie Mockus. After transferring from UMass, Kenney redshirted last season due to an injury and brings a contagious, hard-working attitude. Mockus comes from a nationally ranked program in Medford High School in New Jersey. Both will compete for playing time.
High expectations are waiting for newcomer Linzi Jones. A sophomore, she is an exciting player who brings plenty of international experience and will compete for a spot in the backfield. Rookie Kendall Beveridge out of the state of Maryland will also vie for minutes on the defense.
GOALKEEPING
Protecting the net will fall on sophomore Christina Restivo and incoming freshman Kathryn Masson. Restivo played the best game of her career in her first-career start against Old Dominion, a 3-2 Maryland win on Oct. 18, 2003. Restivo also made a career-high five saves in that game. She went on to have an outstanding spring and summer. At the U.S. Field Hockey Summer League, she helped the Tidewater Tempest reach the league championship game against the U.S. U-21 team.
"Christina is ready to play and Kathryn has played at a high level in her country of Canada. Between the two of them, I know our goal is well defended. They both have high work rates and it is exciting to have two great goalies in the program," said Meharg.
The six new faces joining the team come with a lot of talent and will be relied upon to contribute at all positions and to the team's goals of winning another ACC and NCAA title.
"This is a strong recruiting class which will be worked into the system quickly. All come to College Park with high aspirations and expectations, academically and certainly on the field. It is an honor to have the six of them here," said Meharg.
SCHEDULE
Maryland looks ahead to another tough schedule which will prepare it for the challenges that come when a team is looking to win a national title.
Opening the year in New England for the second-straight year, Maryland faces future ACC opponent Boston College on Aug. 28, followed by a matchup with Boston University the following day. Closing out the weekend, the Terps face Harvard in an exhibition game on Aug. 30. All three games will be played on the Crimson's turf.
Opening the home slate is the highly-anticipated clash with Old Dominion on Sept. 4. The Terps then return to Norfolk, Va., to close out the home-and-home series on Oct. 15.
"We enjoy our series with ODU. Beth Anders is back to coaching on a full-time basis and she is a tremendous coach," said Meharg. "Old Dominion is always tactically and fundamentally well prepared. Playing them in early September and again in October has proved to be a quality learning experience for our program."
Following a Sept. 5 game at home vs. Drexel, Maryland hosts the annual Terrapin Invitational, Sept. 11-12, with American, Northwestern and UMass completing the foursome. The Terps are undefeated in the seven-year history of the tournament.
Closing out a five-game homestand, the Terps host nearby foe Towson on Sept. 14. Maryland has never lost to the Tigers and it will be the first meeting since the year 2000.
A tough three-game road stretch begins up Interstate-95 when Princeton plays host to the Terps on Sept. 17. Two days later, Delaware will be welcoming Maryland on its field.
There will be little rest for the Terps. The road swing ends with the team opening the ACC schedule at Wake Forest on Sept. 25.
The ACC has separated itself from the rest of the country and is the best field hockey conference in the country. Four of the five squads were ranked in the top four in the nation, including the Terps, and three advanced to the national semifinal game. It will be another vigorous race for the conference crown.
ACC action for the Terps continues after a brief stop at home to play Quinnipiac on Sept. 26. Maryland will then travel to Virginia on Oct. 2.
The Terps will play its final two ACC games at home with Duke visiting on Oct. 9 and North Carolina on Oct. 23.
In between, Maryland hosts cross-town rival American (Oct. 3). The weekend of Oct. 15 will be another challenging road journey for the Terrapins who will travel to ODU then go out to Ann Arbor, Mich., for the first time ever to face Michigan, the only non-ACC team to make the final four last year.
The regular season comes to a close with James Madison on Oct. 29 at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex. It will also mark the final home regular-season game for the Terps' six seniors.
The ACC Championship will be at the site of the NCAA finals and two-time defending champion Wake Forest will host both events. Maryland will have the advantage of having played on the field during the regular season and hopes that advantage will lead them to a sixth conference title. The ACC crown will be determined Nov. 4-7. NCAA Tournament action begins Nov. 13 and 14 when first and second round play begins. The semifinals and championship games will be played on Nov. 19 and 21 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
With the hard work and sacrifices put in by the returning players and the addition of six talented newcomers, Meharg is looking forward to a successful 2004 campaign.
"We had a successful spring season leading up to the summer. Our players had strong individual performances at the U.S. Field Hockey Summer League. Their level of commitment, sacrifice and excitement gives us a great platform from which to start the year. We want to be sure the team is playing quality hockey on a daily basis, challenging each other in a positive way. We are well prepared for this senior class to make a strong run at their first national championship."
