field hockey preview

Dorothy may have said it best in the "Wizard of Oz" when she said, "There's no place like home." The American University Field Hockey team will finally be able to utter those words on a consistent basis this year, as one of AU's most successful team plays its first season on its new home turf at Reeves Field. "The new field is very exciting for us, and will really help our team out," said Head Coach Steve Jennings. "We'll finally have a full home crowd and we won't have to deal with the constant fatigue of traveling to every game we play." Last year, AU played its home games at the University of Maryland, making its improbable run to the Final Eight of the NCAA Tournament even more improbable. "It was a big year for the program, and with the new field this year and most of our team back, I think we can advance even further and be a real contender [for the National Championship]," said Jennings. The Eagles' season was highlighted by a huge win against then third-ranked University of Maryland in College Park, as well as an NCAA Tournament victory over the University of Iowa, which Jennings thinks was even more important than the UMD win. "The Maryland game was huge for us, but it was a regular season contest. The postseason victory over Iowa was huge," said Jennings. "I think that experience will really help us this year." The Eagles are led by All-America senior midfielder Javiera Villagra, who scored nine goals and registered two assists, including two game-winning goals for the Eagles last year. She was the second AU player ever to be named to the All-American team. "This being my last season, I'm really excited to see what we can accomplish as a team and return to the NCAA Tournament and keep winning," said the Eagles' leading scorer. "The field will help our fans come out to see us and motivate us to work that much harder." Villagra anchors a strong senior class which also features midfielders Heather Maranzano and Shannon Goans, and defensemen Lindsey Carroll, Kristen Collins, Maureen Daniel, and Caroline Vo. Junior Alison Fayfich will man the net for the Eagles. She was 19-3 last year for AU. "The team returning is very strong and with the new field and a positive attitude, we should be able to do some things," said Jennings. The Eagles christened the new field on Saturday in a scrimmage against Delaware, but will open Reeves Field for real against nationally-ranked Princeton on September 3rd. The highlight of the season is a key stretch in late October in which the Eagles will host Lehigh, Virginia, Maryland, and Colgate and travel to rival Holy Cross in a two-week span. "Obviously, the games against Maryland and Virginia will be big for us, especially with the area rivalry," said Jennings. Jennings enters his seventh year on the sidelines for the Eagles, having graduated from Maryland and now leading a rival to the top of the national rankings. He is known for being a players coach and creating situations in which his players succeed. "Coach Jennings is just the greatest coach I've ever had and he's really the center of this team, the person we all rally around," said his star player, Villagra. For AU, 2005 represents a banner year. It is picked to win the Patriot League and contend nationally for the second straight year. It's best player is graduating after the season. And most importantly, the team unveils its brand new stage, Reeves Field. It's safe to say we're not in Kansas anymore, and there certainly is no place like home.