Field Hockey | Heads are held high for Tufts' upcoming season

    The field hockey team has had ample time to learn from the successes and shortfalls of its momentous 2008 season. And after a nine-month hiatus from Bello Field the Jumbos are raring to get back on the track that led them so close to national glory last fall.
    Despite the Jumbos' devastating double-overtime loss in their first NCAA championship appearance against the defending champion Bowdoin Polar Bears, Tufts rewrote the record books last fall. The team's 19-2 overall record — the most wins ever in a season — and 16 straight wins, the longest winning streak in team history, propelled the program to new heights while also raising expectations.
    Ranked at No. 2 in the nation in the Kookaburra/NFHCA preseason poll, the Jumbos find themselves in a considerably different position from last year, when they were in the shadows of higher-ranked NESCAC opponents like Bowdoin and Middlebury. While this newfound prestige might indicate a change in attitude, the team insists that keeping its composure may be more important now than ever before.
    "I definitely think it's going to force us to work harder because now we're one of the teams to beat instead of a good team that's going to compete," coach Tina McDavitt said. "A lot of teams are going to be gunning for us and looking to beat us."
    "I think the fact that we have three other NESCAC teams in the Top 20 poll — Bowdoin, Middlebury and Trinity — means that we can't take any match lightly," senior Michelle Kelly added. "We are just trying to not let it get to us by keeping our eye on the big picture and improving our play."
    The Jumbos had the luxury of facing off against the NESCAC's bottom-feeders in the beginning of the 2008 season, including the 6-8 Conn. College Camels and the 3-11 Wesleyan Cardinals. The easy early season games may have helped the Jumbos prepare for the tougher stretch of games later and ultimately may have contributed to their ability to go an impressive 9-0 in conference play last season. This year, however, Tufts' 2009 schedule could be a rude awakening for an adjusting team. Of the team's first seven matchups, four are against NESCAC opponents — including a season-opening match against the nationally ranked No. 7 Middlebury Panthers on the road.
    Last year, Tufts' 3-2 overtime decision over Middlebury was one of the closest of the season. The memory of that game has put the Jumbo squad into an intense mode of preparation for what could be one of the toughest — and most important — contests on their schedule.
    "I think Middlebury is one of the toughest games of the season, and that put us on alert," junior Tamara Brown said. "Everyone came back in shape and prepared to play. The fact that we had a close game against Middlebury last year definitely played a part, but we are keeping the same outlook that each and every game matters if we are to be successful."
    As the team adjusts to a more competitive schedule, the Jumbos also face the task of integrating both veteran players and newly minted freshman recruits into the synthesized squad that brought the team success in prior seasons. Last year, a mix of play from upperclassmen and newcomers like sophomore goalie Marianna Zak, who posted an impressive 18 wins in her rookie year, worked to the Jumbos' advantage. This year, the Jumbos hope for similar results.
    "I think we're returning 16 girls, which is a big chunk of our team," senior co-captain Margi Scholtes said. "We also are returning a number of starters who have the knowledge and skill of playing. It's amazing that we have a good core of our returning team, and we also have some really good freshmen coming in that will make our team stronger.
    "The freshmen are definitely going to be getting some more playing time," Scholtes added. "It'll be really interesting to see them develop over the next month as they learn our new system."
    While the Tufts squad is not the only NESCAC team to undergo significant roster changes this season, the Jumbos are not letting their guard down against teams like NCAA champion Bowdoin. Under the stress of playing in one of the nation's premier field hockey conferences, Tufts is keeping an offensive perspective against all of its opponents.
    "I'm not taking anybody lightly," McDavitt said. "All of [the NESCAC] teams have excellent coaches, and they have returning kids that have been successful and who have been there for the ride. All of those coaches are so strong that I don't think there's going to be a big letdown. I think there's going to be other kids that step right in for them."
    "We play non-conference teams like Babson in a week, and they have always been strong," Brown said. "Just the fact that we are in the NESCAC means that we are constantly preparing for any opponent, and that includes non-conference teams as well. The only way to do well in November is to treat every game as important as the next."
    Rather than reveling in their past success, the Jumbos seem to be on the road to building a disciplined squad in the calm before the storm.
    "I think it's great because we're returning a lot of starters, so we have a lot of experience," McDavitt explained. "I've seen it in their play in practice — just more composure. There's a calmness and kind of a sense that we've been here and we know what to expect. There's just an overall maturity about the team."

Sapna Bansil contributed reporting to this article.