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Check back throughout the season for senior back Laura Miller's weekly diary.

Field Hockey report 11/7/03

WE WON!! WE WON!! WE WON!!

Do I have to say anything else? Honestly, we brought home the championship cup, there is not much more that needs to be said. However, I am sure there are some of you who would like to hear the details and I am more than happy to share every heart stopping moment.

Nothing like a long bus ride to start off a championship weekend . . . we started our hike to Holy Cross at 9:00 AM on Thursday morning and reached our hotel at 6:30 PM. This gave us exactly 12 minutes to don our best and get back on the bus to go to the Patriot League Field Hockey Banquet. We were fashionably late. The banquet was short and oh-so-sweet. We were well represented and got to hear our name called time and again. Those who were honored were, Steve - Coach of the Year, Cami - Freshman of the Year, Javi, Cami, and myself made First Team All - League, Melis and Moei earned Second Team All - League, and I was able to keep the Defensive Player of the Year in DC for one more year. Needless to say, the banquet was great and certainly gave us renewed focus on our goal. We returned to the hotel, had a meeting and went over our scouting report, and then it was off to dream about holding the cup high over head.

Friday was a great day to play field hockey. We took the field trying to make it our own. Honestly, I am having a hard time recalling all my emotions because the end result has taken over all of my senses. But, warm-up was certainly a blur. It was time for announcements and this is when it sunk in for me, we were at championships and the next seventy minutes would determine our immediate future. Clawed (AKA: My very loving brother, Timmy) joined us for some high fives, the national anthem played and we were playing. We did not come out as we should have and looked tentative and nervous. Lafayette scored first off of a rebound. Instead of feeling defeated we surged with energy and quickly answered with our own goal. Cami made the play of the game with at least a fifty-yard run to the left side of the circle and took a shot their goalie will have nightmares about. The ball hit the boards after slipping past the near post. Back to square one, a tied game. Cami’s performance ignited further excitement and we were able to earn a penalty stroke. Once again Cami came up big with a beautiful goal. 2-1 and Lafayette was not backing off. The rest of the half seemed to be mostly in our defensive end. Moei made a great save, unfortunately it was illegal and I had to defend a stroke. I missed – a good stroke to the bottom right corner. 2-2 and the half ended.

At half time we recognized we were not playing our best and talked about adjustments to help us through the second half. The second half was scoreless and we were lucky. With thirty seconds left on the clock we gave up a corner. It was one of the few corners they actually got off. However I was able to get my glove on it and Javi collected the rebound and safely took it out of the circle. After reminding myself to breath I realized we were headed into overtime with Lafayette, again. We took the field and I knew we were going to win. Granted I didn’t have much time to think about it. Just 57 seconds into OT Javi received a great pass from Moei and found the cage from the top of the circle. We all made the hundred yard sprint, had a pile up and where definitely screaming! Finals here we come.

Saturday we woke to a cold front, bringing in fresh freezing air from Canada. No worries. We all had our cold gear, bundled up and took the field once again. The adrenaline and energy help to disguise our fatigue from the previous days battle. Again, warm-up was a blur. I remember being totally focused, determined to deny anything coming my way. From what I could gather the girls were thinking the same thing . . . focus - don’t look at the cup. Melis and I went to the coin toss. Holy Cross thought that they would throw us for a loop by switching sides. However, Melis and I were not fazed, we got possession. Announcements, anthem, pass back, and then it was clear who the better team was. The girls dominated the first half. We were able to take quite a few shots but nothing was going in. We went into the second half confident that if we continued to apply pressure they would break eventually. And they did, about half way through the half Melis found the back of the cage after a scuffle in front of the goalie. Once scored on, Holy Cross regained their energy and earned their first series of corners. This turned into six and a few close calls. But we all know the ending. WE WON!! I anxiously watched the clock count down and took off to celebrate with the team. Melis was rewarded for her amazing goal by being named Tournament MVP. Running that victory lap with our cup held high is something I will never forget!

There were lots of hugs, tears, screams, and pictures, pictures, pictures. We finished our victorious weekend with a fabulous tailgate.

I want to send out a special thanks to our many dedicated parents. Your continued support is amazing. It means a lot to me, and I know others, when we can walk off the field and be literally embraced by so many proud fans. Thank you!

Luckily, your job of support and ours as players is not over. Winning the Patriot League Tournament earned us the right to play in the NCAA Play-in game. We have ‘home field’ advantage on Tuesday at 1 PM when we take on Quinnipiac. A win on Tuesday will advance us to the NCAA Tournament.

Go Eagles,
Laura