Strong defense driving field hockey
The field hockey team thinks its defense could result in a Mid-American Conference championship.
Despite being 1-5 overall and 0-1 in the MAC, CMU has played some tough defensive games this season.
"Defense is very important," said coach Cristy Freese. "In the years that we won the conference it started with good defense and good goalkeeping."
Led by junior Kim Erasmus, Freese thinks this year's defensive unit is a quality one.
"I think with our group right now it is a good unit," Freese said. "I think that our aggressiveness as a unit starts with Kim, but really it is how they play together."
The defense has allowed 24 goals this season but has limited opponents to fewer than three goals in four of the first six games, including a 1-0 loss Saturday to Boston University.
"I think the fact we are all playing together helps," Freese said. "This group is more of a 'no name' defense in the sense that it isn't about one person, it is about how they play together. A lot of the development after you develop your individual skills is to put those skills together with other people on the field and obviously we have been able to do that."
With the defense holding teams to fewer than three goals, Freese wants to see her team in several tight, hard fought games.
"I hope we are in tight games, nothing is going to be easy," she said. "The defense is going to be key to us being in tight games. When you can get up and play great defense you are controlling the game at that point."
While the team's defense has been successful, the offense hasn't had so much success. Senior Samantha Sandham thinks the defense could possibly be the key to jump-starting the offense.
"I think the biggest thing is for the defense to work together to get the ball to the forwards so we can hopefully put some points on the board," she said. "It is very important that everyone know what they need to do, everyone has a defensive roll to play regardless of what position they play."
Last weekend, the team failed to score a goal against Iowa and Boston.
The defensive players aren't the only ones who need to work together to have a successful defensive unit.
"Obviously goalkeeping is very important as well," Freese said. "They need to work together with our defenders just as much as the defenders need to work together."
In field hockey, the defensive players can prove to be a key element to the offense as well. So far, freshman Brooke Sihota is doing just that with two goals scored.
"The way she scores her goals is that she is involved in our penalty corners and that allows her to be around the goal," Freese said. "Certainly she has been productive by getting her stick on the ball and being able to tip it in."
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