As the Lehigh women’s field hockey team looks back on the fall 2019 season, the players reflect on what was one of their most successful seasons in over a decade.
Finishing with a record of 7-11 — their best since 2007, the field hockey team made significant strides in 2019. Head coach Caitlin Dallmeyer credits their improvement as a testament to how hard the team has worked and to where the program is headed.
With 10 incoming freshmen and being the only senior on the team, Amanda Boyer said she felt it was intimidating to have an added weight of responsibility for how the season would play out. However, the team got off to a 5-1 start — one of the best the program has ever seen. The team beat Georgetown University 3-0 early in the season after losing to the Hoyas 7-1 just the year before.
But what many members of the program felt was the biggest milestone of the season was their historic win against Boston University, as it was their first program win against the Terriers.
“They are always a really challenging opponent, but we came out and really kind of dominated the play of the game,” said assistant head coach Taylor Dyer. “It was a huge upset that no one could have seen coming. We played with them every second of the match, and I think it surprised a lot of people and surprised ourselves a little too.”
Junior defender Maddie Monahan scored the first goal of the game against Boston University, and junior forward Drew Pecora scored the final goal in overtime to win and make program history.
Pecora also beat the program’s single season scoring record during the match, adding to the team’s list of successes throughout the season. Pecora finished the 2019 campaign with 14 goals.
This historic win was the team’s last game of the season and came on senior day, which many players found to be especially important this year so they could celebrate Boyer, who was an important part of the team’s success.
“She was able to step up in a bunch of ways, and the underclassmen around her were able to support her really well, and it resulted in us having one of the best seasons we’ve had in recent history,” Dyer said. “It was definitely challenging at times, but it showed a lot of promise and potential, and I personally am really excited about the future and building on to what we created this past season.”
Monahan said while it’s hard to grasp that they don’t have any spring games or practices, she can’t imagine what her friends on spring teams are going through who got their seasons cut short.
“I guess it just makes us grateful that we had a full season,” Monahan said. “And then looking forward to next season, playing like there could be no next practice, since nothing is guaranteed.”
While managing and adjusting to remote learning, the Mountain Hawks have still been preparing for next season. Dallmeyer said they have been focusing on the mental side of the game as opposed to the physical.
“We want to make sure that we’re all in a good mental headspace right now so that we can be our best selves,” Dallmeyer said. “And hopefully, make ourselves stronger moving into training season, whenever that should come.”
Monahan said the team has been having regular Zoom meetings and were given an abbreviated workout packet by their strength coaches.
She said most players have their sticks at home, so they’ve been able to utilize their backyards to practice.
“It’s a little bit of a mess, but we’re trying to make the best of it and trying to work out while we can,” Monahan said.
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