The Lehigh field hockey team rounded out its season this past Sunday against Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, with a one-game improvement from last year’s record.
Lehigh’s improvement (5-13, 2-4 Patriot) from 4-14 last year was the team’s highest win total since 2011.
Although the record may not reflect it, junior forward/midfielder Amanda Granger believes that this is one of the strongest teams with which she has ever played.
“This season was frustrating because this was the best team that I’ve ever been on, in my life actually, and we just couldn’t close on clutch opportunities,” Granger said. “It was the ‘just there’ moments that we couldn’t finish on.”
The Mountain Hawks were not without success this season, however.
They started strong with winning their opening weekend game at home — which hasn’t happened since 2010 — and had big wins against teams that they hadn’t had in the past.
Lehigh won against a strong Davidson College team, beat Colgate University in overtime on its senior day for its first Patriot League win of the season and also beat College of the Holy Cross 2-1 on the Crusaders’ senior day in Worcester, Massachusetts.
“My favorite memory from this season was beating Colgate in overtime,” junior Janelle High said. “The game was one of the most physical games of the season and a win was really wanted. The win was even sweeter because the winning goal came from Kassidy (Green), who doesn’t really find herself in the circle much.”
Coach Stacey Eversley believes that those wins were huge for the team. Eversley complimented the team, saying that it did compete in every Patriot League game.
Individual successes of the season came from freshman Teresa Carotenuto, who was First-Team All-Patriot League, and junior forward/midfielder Marissa Glatt who was second-team all-league. In addition, defensive player Janelle High led the team with four defensive saves.
Three of Lehigh’s losses this season were only by one point, including two Patriot League games against Lafayette College and American University in overtime play.
“I think the most frustrating part of the season was that we lost a lot of close games,” junior captain Kassidy Green said. “We could’ve gotten in the tournament if we just beat some of the teams that were only one point deficits.”
Looking forward, the team is looking to capitalize on the games that are just a point or two shy of a win and continuing to win against the teams it has beaten before.
“Our mental toughness is something our entire team needs to focus on improving,” High said. “I think if we focus on our mental game we will be able to fight back even when we’re down on the scoreboard and wins will follow.”
The team has had some time off after the season to relax a little, catch up on schoolwork and start to get mentally and physically ready for the spring season.
“For our offseason, we’re really trying to rejuvenate our passion for the game overall as a team and come back as a collective unit, rather than individuals,” Granger said. “We have two months off over winter break. It’s a time to take a break, but then refocus right away, get back in shape, come together and create a stronger unit.”
Eversley believes that this team has the ability to improve and do better than it did this past season, and working in the offseason will help to achieve these goals.
Eversley said that the offseason is composed of conditioning practices, individual sessions and team bonding.
What the team seems to agree upon is that although the record may not have reflected it, the team and the program did, in fact, make strides from its position in the past.
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