Wake Forest Athletics
Field Hockey Back On Top
10/12/2004 12:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Oct. 12, 2004
Winston-Salem, N.C. - The Wake Forest field hockey team has been ranked the No.1 team in the country by both the National Field Hockey Coaches Association and WomensFieldHockey.com, announced both publications on Monday. The Deacons held the No.1-ranking in both polls for the entire 2003 season but have not yet reached the top spot this season.
The NFHCA issued its first poll on Sept. 14, three days after Wake Forest suffered a heartbreaking loss at home to ACC rival Duke. The Deacons debuted in the 2004 poll at No.5 and since then have made a steady climb back to the top.
Wins against Louisville, Kent State and then No.1 Michigan State improved the Deacons standing to third in the Sept. 21st poll. The Deacons knocked off a second No.1 - Maryland- on Sept. 25 to move into the No.2 spot in the Sept. 28 poll.
Since their No.2 ranking, the Deacons have twice faced former No.1 North Carolina. Wake Forest fell in strokes in Chapel Hill on Oct. 2 but avenged the loss this past Sunday, with a 4-3 overtime win against the Tar Heels.
The 2004 field hockey team was the first in Demon Deacon athletic history to face four No.1 teams in the same season and the only to successfully defeat three.
Wake Forest enters the final week of the regular season with a trip to Richmond, Va. this Saturday for a 6 p.m. showdown with the Rams of Virginia Commonwealth. The Deacons return home to host Radford on Oct. 20 and hit the road for their final regular season contest, an ACC match with No.16 Virginia on Oct. 24.
