HIGH SCHOOL FIELD HOCKEY
September 12, 2007
Schmeing, Rockets respond to district challenge
Senior scores three goals, assists on fourth in Assumption's win over Collegiate
By
NATHAN CHAMBERS
BeyondTheDerby.com
Shortly before playing district rival Collegiate on Tuesday at the Sports Recreation Training Center on Champions Trace Lane, Assumption coach Debbie Judd and her staff made sure that their players understood the likely ramifications of the game at hand.
“Jody Schaefer told them at least four times before I got here, and then I told them at least three times,” Judd said. “So they knew they’d better win.”
By implication, of course, they also knew they’d better not brood over their second loss to Sacred Heart less than 48 hours earlier.
Judging from their 4-1 win, the Rockets must have grasped the former and inferred the latter.
That was most obvious in senior Lauren Schmeing (pictured, on the left, congratulated by teammate Maggie Swindall), who had not been a factor in Assumption’s 3-1 loss to Sacred Heart in the annual Mug Game on Sunday.
Her three goals and one assist against Collegiate turned the Rockets (1-0, 5-3) into the immediate frontrunners for the top seed in the District Three tournament next month, although both teams still have to play Atherton and Male.
“I felt like I was more involved,” Schmeing said. “I didn’t hold back.”
“That makes a world of difference, doesn’t it?” Judd said.
Even so, Judd is looking for more - from Schmeing and her teammates alike.
“That was better but still not good,” she said. “But as long as I get improvement, I’ll be happy.”
Collegiate coach Wendy Martin was not happy at all after the loss, the third in four games for a team that won one of the top pools at the Gateway Classic in St. Louis on Sept. 1.
“I’m frustrated now,” Martin said, alluding to the mostly positive comments she made after flick-off losses to Mercy and Kentucky Country Day last week. “I threw that (district challenge) out there for them, and they didn’t respond.”
Senior Caroline Goldstein scored the only goal for the Amazons (0-1, 6-5), briefly tying the game at 1-1 when she snuck the ball past Assumption senior goalie Jennifer McGill (6 saves) in a scrum late in the first half. But Schmeing, who had given the Rockets a 1-0 lead, soon assisted junior Jenna Quill on the go-ahead goal.
The Rockets subsequently dominated the second half. Schmeing got it started early, scoring off a perfect pass from senior Lauren Noe just three minutes into the half. They continued to put pressure on Collegiate junior goalie Cece Lindsey, and Schmeing finished off the Amazons with 1:30 left when she corralled a rebounded shot and poked it into the cage.
“I have to give Assumption credit,” Martin said. “If I hadn’t been on the other side, it would have been a pretty game to watch. Hopefully, we'll see them again.”
