Vets lead talented ‘04 squad
If the CMU field hockey team loses this season, it will not be chalked up to a lack of talent.
With a strong veteran core supplemented with a talented freshman class, expectations are up for the team’s first season at its new field.
“We are going to make the NCAA Tournament, hands down,” said senior co-captain Amy Kauffman. “We have a lot of hard work ahead of us, but we are not settling for anything less.”
Coach Cristy Freese is excited about the team’s veterans, but also concedes it could take some time for the team to learn to play together.
“The strength of our team is our returning players,” Freese said. “We also have very talented freshman who will need to overcome the intimidation factor and learn to play as a team.”
Central begins its season Sept. 5 against Dartmouth.
One of the strongest players returning for CMU is senior forward Kristy Reed, a First Team All-MAC selection last season.
Reed scored 12 goals and assisted on six others in 20 games last season. She ranks sixth all-time is CMU history in goals scored with 26, and needs to score 15 more to set the record for goals in a career.
“Every team is always going to have its best players but we need to have other people step up to take the pressure off her,” Freese said. “She is going to be double-teamed a lot.”
Freese said she is working with Reed to improve her passing skills in order to help offset the double teams.
Junior Alisa Folk will be counted on heavily to provide additional scoring for the Chippewas, especially after the graduation of forward Tarah Trottier.
Trottier led the Chippewas in scoring last season with 16 goals. Folk and a slew of younger players will be looked upon to pick up the load.
“We always have players waiting in the wings when we lose a player like Tarah,” Freese said. “Alisa is a very good player and has really improved her game.”
Leadership will not be hard for the team to find as co-captains Kauffman and Michelle Fogle guide the Chippewas.
“We have to make sure everyone has a positive attitude,” Fogle said. “We have to keep everyone on the same page on the field.”
Fogle and Kauffman are smart players and Freese said she views them as extra coaches on the field. Kauffman was No. 2 in the nation in defensive saves last season, with 18.
Central finished third in the MAC last season after compiling a 9-11 overall record, with a 6-4 mark in the conference.
The Chippewas finished behind Kent State and Louisville and Freese figures those two teams to be at the top once again.
Both Louisville and Kent State tied for first place in the MAC preseason coaches poll. Ohio University was picked to finish third, with CMU being tabbed to finish fourth.
Freese said the Golden Flashes and Cardinals play drastically different styles of field hockey.
“Louisville plays tough defense and goals will be hard to come by when we play them,” Freese said. “Kent State plays a more offensive attacking style of game.”
No matter how tough the MAC is this year, the Chippewas will be prepared because of a non-conference schedule that includes Michigan, Michigan State and Northeastern, all NCAA Top 15 squads.
Central’s first home game is Sept. 24 against Miami.
