Wake Forest University
Penn State
2002 National Champions!!!
11/24/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 24, 2002
Postgame Quotes | Championship Photo Gallery | More Photos
Aughinbaugh and Doton Named First Team All-Americans
(Click on image for larger version)
Louisville, Ky. - The Wake Forest field hockey team etched its name into the record books this afternoon, defeating Penn State by a 2-0 score to win the 2002 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship at the University of Louisville's Trager Stadium.
The Demon Deacons are the first Wake Forest team to win a national championship since men's golf in 1986 and are the first women's team in school history to accomplish such a feat. In addition, the Deacs went through all four rounds of the Championship without giving up a single goal, an achievement matched only by Old Dominion in 1992.
 Lynne Shenk, Heather Aughinbaugh and Maria Whitehead hold up the trophy following their 2-0 victory over Penn State.  | |
The Deacons did all of their scoring in the first half. Junior and ACC Player of the Year Kelly Doton opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute, taking a pass from freshman Maeke Boreel and hammering it into the back of the cage to give the Deacons the 1-0 lead. Less than three minutes later, senior Heather Aughinbaugh, playing in the final game of her career, fired a shot that bounced off the post and into the net for the unassisted goal to put the Deacons ahead, 2-0. The Wake Forest defense tightened its grip even more in the second half, allowing just one shot in the period to hang on for the 2-0 victory and the national championship.
Wake Forest outshot Penn State, 12-4 and won the penalty corner battle by an 8-6 margin. Deacon goalkeeper Katie Ridd made four saves in getting her fifth straight shutout, while Nitttany Lion keeper Annie Zinkavich made nine stops.
 | "Our team motto all season has been not to want to be a champion, but to act like a champion" Wake Forest head coach Jennifer Averill |
Five Demon Deacons were named to the NCAA All-Tournament team: Aughinbaugh, sophomore Kelly Dostal, Doton, junior Lucy Shaw and Ridd. The ACC and NCAA Champion Demon Deacons finish the season with a 20-2 record.
