by Adam Tobin

Two senior members on the field hockey team scored the two goals against Transylvania University during their final game of the season Monday night. Unfortunately, the team lost 3-2 in overtime on a breakaway, but the game was close in the second half and head coach Jill Butcher was pleased that two seniors finished the season with goals. 

“We got behind early and they got ahead 2-0,” she said, “We didn’t seem like we were ready to play in the first half, we didn’t set a fast tempo.”

In an overtime play in field hockey, only seven of the 11 initial starters are allowed on the field. Butcher decided to go with three freshmen. 

“I thought that spoke highly of the caliber of this year’s new class,” commented Butcher on the level of talent she believes the freshmen displayed this season.

Senior forward Cassie Gage echoed Butcher’s comments with her own evaluation of the game.

“The first half, we started out really slow, but we started playing harder in the second half because we didn’t want to lose. We came up short, though, and you can’t expect to win if you don’t play both halves all out.”

Through determination and perseverance, the Quakers came back in the second half with two goals scored by Gage and senior midfielder Nicole Van Scyoc. Gage’s goal in this game marked her 16th goal of the season and has made her the all-time leading scorer in Earlham history. She has 92 total points on the season, breaking the previous record held by Margaret Kerrick (1983-86) although Kerrick still holds the all-time goals record, with 42. 

Gage finished her field hockey career with 38 goals and 14 assists, second all time in goals and third all time in assists behind Rebecca Aldred (2000-2003), who holds the assists record at 18. Gage became the all-time leading scorer for the Quakers last Saturday when they fell to Denison 4-1.

Gage said, “I didn’t realize I was close to earning a record until someone pointed it out to me in the Word. I play because I like the sport, not to get awards.” 

Gage has also been chosen to play in an all-Division-III All Star match this month at Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts. The match is set for Nov. 22, during the Thanksgiving break. 

“It’s really exciting,” Gage said. “I don’t see it as a big deal now, but once I book those airplane tickets and everything is set in stone, it’ll hit me. With this award I feel like I have an accomplishment, because we didn’t have a winning season, but this certainly makes me feel good about my four years on the team.”

At the end of this season, the field hockey team is waiting to hear news of their situation in both the North Coast and the Heartland Collegiate athletic conferences. Transylvania University is the only field hockey team currently in the Heartland Conference, so Butcher is waiting to hear a decision from the presidents of the NCAC in December whether or not the team will remain a member of the NCAC, known as an affiliate member. This affiliate member continues to abide by the same policies and procedures as other NCAC teams.

If the NCAC presidents vote affirmatively, the team will continue to compete in the NCAC fall 2010 while other Earlham athletics teams will already be competing in the HCAC. However, should the committee decline the request, the Quakers will remain in the NCAC schedule, but “we will try to find other games outside of the NCAC,” Butcher stated. 

Saying goodbye, looking ahead

Seniors Gage, VanScyoc and Katie Putney played their final game on Monday.

Butcher commented on the season overall saying, “this season fell short of my expectations in that in several games we underachieved. However, I am extremely pleased with the caliber of the freshman class. They are still in learning mode, but they have talent.

 “This year the speed of the game proved to be a bit of a challenge,” Butcher said. “With a year behind them and hopefully with another good recruiting class next season, there is lots of promise for the future. Although to replace the seniors and Cassie [Gage] is something we will have to be able to do. We need more depth and more competitive players.”

Gage said that leaving this team will be tough and she will miss the locker room banter and the inside jokes. 

“The typical team bonding,” she said. “I’ve been playing since 10th grade — it feels like I’ve been playing forever.”