Field Hockey Embarks on Long and Hopeful Journey From Worst to First

The lazy daze of summer has faded, replaced by the buzzing excitement of preseason practices, and Harvard field hockey Coach Sue Caples is happy.

The beginning of the season means a fresh start. No heart-breaking losses to wory about. Standings, titles, and NCAA tournament berths are still empty words right now, and anything is possible.

Last year is just that: last year. For Caples and the Crimson, the 1992 season was entirely forgettable.

After leading Harvard to its first Ivy League title in 1990 and its first NCAA tournament appearance in 1991, Caples watched her team fall from first to worst in the Ivy League standings last year. Her young and inexperienced team finished with a 4-9-2 record overall and tied Cornell for last.

But the former All-American Caples begins her sixth season as head coach with the firm belief that Harvard will not frequent the Ancient Eight cellar again anytime soon.

The Crimson also has an added incentive to recapture the Ivy crown this year. For the first time, the league's champion receives an automatic spot in the NCAA tourney.

"We took our lumps last season," Caples said. "We were one or two players shy, and we missed too many opportunities in the close games."

Caples said in 1992 she compromised her lineup too much when she had to move players around to compensate for injury or inexperience.

"One of our goals early is to solidify a lineup," Caples said. "And we have to have everyone healthy."

With nine starters returning, including five seniors who played on the 1991 team and a core of seven sophomores all of whom saw action in 1992, last year's inexperienced players are this year's veterans.

The Crimson should be particularly strong down the right side of the field, where the team's strength, speed and experience are consolidated.

Sophomore midfielder Carrie Shumway and senior forward Sarah Downing overwhelmed opponents down the right side with their speed and quickness all last season and should continue to do so this year.

(Although Shumway has been plagued by an injury lately, Caples said the sophomore will play in the Crimson's season-opener Friday against New Hampshire at Cumnock Field).

Co-captain Francie Walton won Ivy League Rookie of the Year in her first season and was Harvard's only first team All-Ivy player last year.

The Chestnut Hill native will most likely move from her more familiar back position to the midfield this season.

Downing, Shumway, Walton, junior Sarah Winters and sophomore Maureen O'Brien need to bolster a Crimson attack that could only muster 19 goals last season.

Harvard must work on its corner battery until it poses a serious threat to opponents every time and makes good use of Walton's deadly shot.

Co-captain Emily Buxton leads the Crimson defense with sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Milhollin.

Milhollin played every minute of every game in her rookie campaign and compiled a 1.74 goals against average and a .869 save percentage.

Milhollin's play between the pipes may be the deciding factor for a team that has the talent to win the Ivy title (and the automatic NCAA berth) this year.

"Last year Jessica didn't feel she could command the circle," said Assistant Coach Donna Lee, who works specifically with the Crimson netminders. "Her game has matured a lot, and she has confidence in herself and the players in front of her."

Also in the black will be junior Megan Colligan. The Eliot resident moved from the midfield to the sweeper position at midseason last year and will most likely stay there, according to Caples.

For the first time ever, Caples has also had a chance to incorporate her freshman recruits into the preseason.

This year the league changed its rules to allow rookies to participate, and Caples said that some of the freshman will definitely play significant roles this season.

Freshman Courtenay Benedict will join the midfield and rookie Daphne Clark will provide even more depth at the back position.

The Crimson defense as well as its midfield must use its size to establish a physical presence and shut down high scoring Ivy teams like Pennsylvania and Princeton.

But right now, Caples and Crimson are still basking in the relatively stressless period of beginnings.

There is something sad about beginnings too, however. Every beginning must also come to an end.

FIELD HOCKEY

Coach: Sue Caples

Captains: Francie Walton, Emily Buxton

1992 Overall Record: 4-9-2

1992 Ivy Record: 1-3-2

1992 Ivy Finish: 6th

FIELD HOCKEY: '93 SCHEDULE 9/17  New Hampshire  3:30 p.m. 9/19  at Maine  1:00 p.m. 9/23  at Connecticut  3:30 p.m. 9/26  Providence  1:00 p.m. 9/29  Springfield  3:00 p.m. 10/2  at Cornell  11:00 a.m. 10/6  Boston University  3:30 p.m. 10/9  Pennsylvania  11:00 a.m. 10/13  at Rhode Island  3:30 p.m. 10/16  at Yale  11:00 a.m. 10/20  Boston College  3:00 p.m. 10/23  Princeton  11:00 a.m. 10/27  at Northeastern  3:00 p.m. 10/30  at Dartmouth  12 noon. 11/2  at Brown  2:30 p.m.