Field Hockey picks up first victory
Greg BurghardtSophomore Alisa Folk scored two goals as the field hockey team won at Cornell 3-1 for its first victory Sunday.
The win came after a 3-2 loss at Syracuse Friday.
Freshman goalkeeper Danielle Frank split her first two career starts, allowing only four goals during the weekend.
Folk and senior Tarah Trottier lead the team with four goals each this season.
“Alisa has done well scoring goals,” said Head Coach Cristy Freese. “This is why we recruited her and she has really turned it on.”
Cornell’s Gina Testa opened the scoring Sunday before Folk scored two unanswered goals. Junior Kristy Reed also scored late in the second half on a penalty stroke to close the scoring. The Chippewas outshot Cornell 16-5, and had a 7-4 edge in penalty corners.
Freese is happy with CMU’s win, but would like defensive improvements.
“We like to have at least two defenders back at all times, but we got caught with none back and we can’t let that happen,” she said.
CMU dominated Syracuse statistically Friday, but could not beat goalkeeper Betsy Wagner late in the game. Folk and Trottier each scored.
The Chippewas outshot the Orangewomen 18-9, and had five more penalty corners.
“Syracuse was happy just to get the win,” Freese said. “We had them on their heels, we just couldn’t get a goal.”
Freese said her team is starting to turn things around.
“Our game plan is to step up and steal balls, and to get fast breaks,” Freese said. “We were able to do that last season, and we were able to do that this weekend.”
Frank is the starting goalkeeper but seniors Laura Plese and Kerri Krasnow are in pursuit of the job.
“We’ve got three good goalkeepers, so if we have to make a change, I am confident in all our goalkeepers,” Freese said.
The team has turned things around from the first two games, Freese said.
“I am really proud of the team,” she said. “As well as we played Friday, we still lost. But, we stayed focused and we didn’t just focus on our record or let it get us down, and then came out and played well against Cornell.”
Up next for the Chippewas is a game at No. 8 Michigan State Thursday.
