Stickwomen Face BC

Boston College football coach Tom Coughlin has performed miracles with his team this year. Maybe he'll be asked to sprinkle a little of his magic on another Eagle squad--the BC field hockey team.

But as long as Coughlin concentrates on football, the Harvard field hockey team should feel safe when it faces the Eagles tonight at BC.

The Eagles have lost eight out of their last ten games and trudge into tonight's contest wearing a 5-9 record like an albatross around its neck.

The Crimson, on the other hand, has won two of its last three contests (blowing out Holy Cross 3-0 in its last game), and is in the middle of turning around its 3-5-2 season.

"We have some momentum going into the game," junior Emily Buxton said. "We're creating a lot of opportunities, and our adrenaline is flowing."

Harvard Coach Sue Caples said that she was optimistic about the game and believes the Crimson should have no trouble with BC.

"If we play well, we can expect to win," Caples said.

The two teams play completely different styles of field hockey, and Caples said that Harvard must assert its style in order to be successful.

"They have a sweeper who looks to hammer the ball up the field and then they chase it," Caples said. "We have to control the midfield and play our possession-oriented game."

Makeshift Lineup'

But the Crimson does have one other obstacle in its path--the injury of junior Amy Belisle.

Belisle has provided solid defense, and she scored one goal and one assist against Holy Cross Sunday.

She is also the Crimson's designated penalty shooter.

The Quincy resident has played with a stress fracture in her leg all season, but the injury has now become too painful for her to ignore.

"We're going to have someone fill in and go with a makeshift lineup," Caples said.

Harvard will also have to find someone to watch the Eagles' leading play maker: Tri-Captain Allison Conradi, who boasts one goal and four assists.

As for its offense, Harvard has been fueled by juniors Sarah Downing and Francie Walton as well as freshman Maureen O'Brien.

Downing leads Harvard with three goals and three assists, while Walton has tallied three times and dished out two assists. O'Brien's five scores makes the rookie Harvard's leading goal scorer.

If the Crimson continues to play and score the way it has, it should clip the Eagles' wings with no problem.

Unless, of course, Coach Coughlin lends BC field hockey coach Sherren Granese some of his magic dust. (Tulane looks tough, coach).