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Eagles finish 2002 season with 9-9 overall record; 4-3 in PL
Aguilar, Finn earn top honors for the Eagles

December 13, 2002

Magdalena Aguilar

Kate Finn

WASHINGTON — Led by a pair of fearless seniors and 10 new faces, the 2002 American University field hockey season was one of dramatic growth for the program.

Qualifying for the Patriot League Championships for the second straight year, the Eagles finished with a 9-9 overall record and a 4-3 Patriot League showing under the guidance of fourth-year coach Steve Jennings. AU played against several ranked teams and earned votes in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll throughout the year.

American started off the season with a 2-1 victory over Virginia Commonwealth won in penalty strokes. Keeper keeper Laura Miller (Pennsburg Pa./Quakertown) made 18 saves and was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week and the Division 1 ECAC Goalkeeper of theWeek.

Following a loss to Richmond, American improved to 3-1 with wins over Appalachian St. and Davidson. Freshman Maureen Daniel (Clifton Park, N.Y./Shenendehowa) scored her first collegiate goal over the Mountaineers.

The next weekend, the Eagles went 1-1 at the prestigious Maryland Tournament, losing to Boston University, 2-1 but rendering Massachusetts scoreless, 2-0. Magdalena Aguilar (Buenos Aires, Argentina/St. Catherine’s Moorlands) scored two goals as junior Melissa Snyder (Gaithersburg, Md./Quince Orchard) tallied the game-winner versus the Minutewomen.

Following a difficult loss to top-ranked James Madison in which Aguilar continued on her scoring spree with a pair of second half goals, the Eagles opened their Patriot League season with a difficult 1-0 overtime loss to eventual Patriot League Champion Lafayette. Aguilar powered American past Lehigh with a pair of goals prior to a 2-0 loss to non-league Temple.

From there, the Eagles embarked on a three-game winning streak including two overtime victories. Against non-league Towson, Aguilar fired a shot with 42 seconds left in double overtime for the gamewinner. In a 2-1 OT win over Colgate, senior Kate Finn (Derwood, Md./Col. Zadok Magruder) scored her lone goal of the year on a slapshot on the outskirts of the circle. With the scored tied 1-1, Finn and Snyder set Aguilar up on the game-winner in the 77th minute.

In the final weeks of the season, American would defeat Bucknell, 4-0 to ensure a berth in the Patriot League Championships and lose to a strong Maryland squad. At the tournament, American fell in the first round to Holy Cross after an early first half score by the Crusaders. Miller made nine saves in the loss as Lafayette would go on to defeat Holy Cross in the final, 2-1.

The two seniors, Finn and Aguilar, were honored by the Patriot League as Finn was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year and Aguilar earned her second nomination as a First-Team All-Patriot League. Finn was a stalwart on defense for American, registering many key interceptions while scoring one goal and assisting on seven as the third-leading scorer on the team. On Sept. 23 the Patriot League honored her as the Defensive Player of the Week.

Aguilar, who was second in the league in goals with 15 in addition to five assists, became the program’s second all-time leading goal-scorer with 53. She is also second in career points with 125. Aguilar was named to the 2002 STYX/NFHCA Mid-Atlantic All-Region Team for the fourth consecutive season and tallied an assist at the Division 1 North/South Senior All-Star Game in Louisville, Ky. Two times this season she was named the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week.

Snyder was a Second-Team All Patriot League selection as she finished second on the team in scoring with two goals and six assists. Miller, who returned from a mid-season injury, recorded three shutouts and had a goals against average of 1.60 in 12 games. Sophomore Leah Danoff (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) was a solid left-side defender for the Eagles and will be expected to step into a leadership role in 2003.

Freshmen Sara Carpenter (Boyertown, Pa./Boyertown), Lindsay Carroll (Pittstown, N.J./Delaware Valley Regional), Caroline Vo (Watertown, Mass./Watertown) and Daniel made major contributions for the Eagles, leaving the program with a great deal to look forward to. Carroll, a natural forward, played keeper for five games in 2002, recording a double overtime shutout over Towson. She was named the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week and Division 1 ECAC Goalkeeper of the Week on October 14.

A finesse forward, Carpenter finished as the third-leading scorer with four goals and an assist and earned Patriot League Freshman of the Week Honors. Another skillful forward, Daniel, proved to be a key playmaker when Aguilar stepped into a defensive role. Vo started every game for American on defense, providing much-needed speed.