By Kirsten McKenna
Coming off of a tough loss to Drexel on the road, Hofstra’s field hockey team is putting the past behind them, and looking to the weekend ahead. The team prepares for two difficult conference match-ups versus Virginia Commonwealth (4-4) and James Madison (7-2).
The Pride, who anxiously anticipates the arrival of both teams, sits with a record of 4-5 overall (0-1 CAA). Challenged this season by complications of the new stadium’s construction, consistency issues, and injured starters, the field hockey team enters the weekend with ambition spirit, and team effort.
Brit Blankmeyer is focused on her personal preparation, as well as overall team training as she looks to the weekend ahead. Using the past and postseason as her motivation, she said, “We suffered our first conference loss against Drexel and I want to come out 2-0 this weekend. I want to make the CAA conference playoffs.”
Teammate Shannon Alexander realizes the magnitude of the upcoming games as well. Alexander admitted that this year has required adjustment to various components of the game: the newly- constructed field and new line-ups and teammates. “We’re adjusting to each other’s play, and it has been a little tough finding the perfect click and consistency to work together.”
In addition to what Alexander referred to as “minor obstacles,” Coach De Angelis pointed out that a few starters are on the sidelines due to injury, saying, “We’re hoping to get consistent players back in the line-up, but we are taking every precaution. We want to remain healthy.” The team awaits the return of Reyna Farnum and Katy Vitolo. De Angelis is hopeful that Charlia Warner and Pemba Ramdoo will feel one- hundred percent in terms of health for the challenging weekend.
Despite the challenges thus far, Alexander stated that the team is united and maintains similar aspirations. The senior said, “We’re sticking really well together and we are a team: we want the same goals, and want to work together as one.”
Overall team effort is not optional for the Pride if they want to win this weekend, as the stakes are high for all three teams participating in this weekend’s contests.
James Madison, who currently ranks seventh in the STX/ National Coaches Association Division I Poll, is peaking at their highest national ranking since 1997. The Dukes, who are off to a 2-0 start in conference play with against Towson and Delaware, must exhibit superior play throughout the week if they want to maintain their superior standing in the CAA polls and undefeated conference record. JMU won the CAA conference in 2006.
The VCU Rams and the Hofstra Pride enter Friday’s match with similar consequences. The Pride ranks seventh, right behind VCU in the polls. The loser risks falling into the bottom three spots of the CAA poll: a position that places a team in potential postseason endangerment.
As the key motivator for the team, Coach De Angelis plans to work on any communication and consistency issues during practice this week. The two games against JMU and VCU are of great significance, and according to De Angelis, “Each game is going to be a battle.”