Ball State University Athletics
Field Hockey Opens Season with Lehigh and Lafayette
August 24, 2012 | Field Hockey
MUNCIE, Ind. - The 2012 Ball State field hockey team gets the season underway this weekend with a pair of games in Pennsylvania. Ball State will face Lehigh on Saturday, Aug. 25 at noon and will follow that up with a contest against Lafayette on Sunday, Aug. 26 at 1 p.m.
The Ball State field hockey team is a squad that boasts 12 student-athletes that are either freshmen or sophomores. Head coach Beth Maddox has been pleased with what she has seen from her young club thus far in practice.
"We are very excited about the 2012 season," said Maddox. "Our team has a unique opportunity to gain experience this year. Our freshmen will have an immediate impact. They are extremely athletic and bring a great competitive energy to every practice."
Tarel Teach and Leanne Goldblatt, who saw time in all 20 games of 2011 return this season along with Tori Widrick, Marisa Weachter and Jenna Rosenberry, who also saw significant playing time.
"We will be expecting a lot from our returning players," said Maddox. "They have set a great tone so far and (assistant coach) Gretchen [Lulow] and I are excited to see how they progress throughout the year."
The 2012 schedule will prove to be challenging. There are three teams, Ohio, Ohio State and Iowa, on the schedule that played in the 16-team 2011 NCAA Tournament.
"This season will be challenging for us, but we welcome the challenge," said Maddox. "Our roster may be small, but what we lack in numbers we make up in youth and energy."
SCOUTING LEHIGH: The Mountain Hawks will be opening up their 2012 campaign with the Cardinals. The team finished the 2011 season with a 6-13 record, including going 3-2 in Patriot League play, earning a No. 3 seed in the league tournament. The 3-2 mark in conference play was the team's best record since the 2007 season. Lehigh will have a roster that boasts 12 freshmen as well as the 2011 Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year, Sierra Segear, and three members of the All-Patriot League teams.
SERIES HISTORY: The two teams have only faced each other once - a contest during the 1984 season that went to Lehigh, 5-1.
SCOUTING LAFAYETTE: The Cardinals will also mark the first opponent of the 2012 season for the Leopards. Lafayette finished 2011 with an 11-9 record overall and a 4-1 mark in Patriot League play. Lafayette nearly earned a berth in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, but fell to Ohio, 2-1, in overtime in a play-in game. The team returns the 2011 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Deanna DiCroce, as well as the 2011 Rookie of the Year, Brittany Blass.
SERIES HISTORY: This will mark the first meeting between these two squads.
You can follow the team on Twitter by following @BallStFHockey or "like" Ball State Field Hockey on Facebook. Check back to BallStateSports.com for updates.
