Wake Forest Athletics
Gold Rush: A Different Ending
9/1/2002 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Sept. 1, 2002
By Jay Reddick
"Let's finish it."
That's Jennifer Averill's battle cry for the 2002 field hockey season.
The 2001 edition of Wake Forest hockey went a long way. A 16-5 record, a No. 1 national ranking, a second consecutive NCAA semifinal berth. But the season still left all those involved, Averill said, "thinking 'What just happened?' There's a bitterness there when we look back."
What happened was, in the NCAA semifinals, the team held a lead on Maryland for most of the second half before giving up the tying goal with less than seven minutes remaining. Then in the final seconds of overtime, the Terps scored again to finish off the Deacons and move to the championship game.
Averill's convinced that won't happen again.
"The year before (in an NCAA semifinal), we got drummed by ODU, and the kids were really humbled. 'Wow, that was embarrassing.' When they got the opportunity to get back, what a totally different experience," Averill said. "We had fun, we played our hearts out, and they can't stop talking about it. 'How did that game slip out of our hands?' So this year will be about, how can we keep that bitterness in our memory banks and allow it to be a productive motivator? When we're in the driver's seat, let's finish it. Hopefully, we'll be in a position this year where we can."
The talent on the team certainly is enough to get them there. Beginning from the back, junior Katie Ridd returns for another year in the cage, with sophomore Merrilee Robbins there to back her up.
Ridd anchors a solid and experienced defense that also returns all three starting backs: Lynne Shenk, Lucy Shaw and Claire Laubach. Freshmen Martha Ferger and Claire Meyers have been impressive in preseason and could also get playing time in the backfield.
As Averill characterizes the starters, Laubach is the sparkplug, Shenk brings the most experience, and Shaw is the rock.
"Claire played on the under-19 national team this summer," Averill said. "She's just an incredible athlete, and her play is brilliant and aggressive. Lynne is a very disciplined player and one of the most skilled on the team at any position. Lucy is our quarterback, a very calming influence and a great distributor of the ball."
Shaw's passing ability will be very important to the Deacons this season. Without the massive scoring threat that Jemima Cameron provided last year, Averill is looking to the entire team to step up their offensive production, and the ability to pass the ball into scoring situations will be key.
"It's amazing to watch those players step it up," Averill said. "We won't have the skill in one player that a Jemima had, but we'll change the style a little bit, be more about distribution, and not rely on one player as much."
But to whom will they be dealing the scoring opportunities? In the midfield, the experience will come from senior Heather Aughinbaugh and junior Kelly Doton. Aughinbaugh is one of the team's leading returning scoring threats, as well as a dangerous ball-carrier. Doton, according to Averill, is "coming on strong" as one of the team's most improved players and also is arguably the best passer among the midfielders.
Several others could split time between the midfield and forward lines, but sophomore Kelly Dostal, a big-time scorer, and freshman Kelly Wood from Lititz, Pa., could form the remainder of the midfield lineup.
Up front, a mix of upperclassmen and newcomers could provide several different looks on the attack. Senior Maria Whitehead will certainly play, either in the middle or along the outside. Juniors Katie Ackerman and Emily Ruth are both capable of scoring at any time. Sophomore Claire Lawhon, who had what Averill called maybe the best spring of anyone on the team, is a dynamic playmaker and passer. Antoinette Baines, a freshman, will provide depth and vitality.
The aggressiveness of the offense will be one key to the Deacons' success, Averill said.
"We've always been an attacking team by nature," she said. "We've made mistakes and learned froim them. When we've been ahead, we've laid back. We need to finish teams when we have the opportunity. An aggressive attack and risk-taking defense. You'll see more of it because we need to finish it."
There's that phrase again. Wake Forest lost only five games all of last season, but one of them came at the worst possible time. This year, the schedule is as tough as ever, opening with defending national champion Michigan and including an exhibition against the U.S. national team at Kentner Stadium on Sept. 5.
The team is confident about the coming year -- so confident, in fact, that Averill is talking seriously about stealing a victory from the national team.
"We go into that game, it's a win-win situation," Averill said. "What kid in college can say they matched up against the national squad? Given the right game plan and the right attitude...it'll be a fun game. Maybe we catch them a little flat-footed, and come out with some surprise results."
At this rate, few Deacons victories would come as surprises. Even at the Final Four.
