Ladies Remain Undefeated in Conference

The Ladies field hockey team extended their winning streak to six games this week, with wins over Denison University, Oberlin College and Bethany College. Kenyon stands undefeated in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC).

“This is far better than I think any of us could have expected, although we knew we had the talent to do it,” Maddie Breschi ’16 said.  

Against Oberlin College last Saturday, the Ladies took control of the game early, out shooting their opponents 7-2 in the first half.  Despite their dominance, Kenyon only managed to take a 1-0 lead to halftime off a goal from Christine Bloom ’16. Early in the second half, the Ladies allowed an Oberlin goal, but Kenyon quickly responded with a goal from Breschi, giving the Ladies a lead they would keep. That goal gave Breschi a five game point streak, which she maintained until the next day.

Things were easier on Sunday against Bethany College as Cecilia Depman ’15 scored three goals to give the Ladies a comfortable 5-1 victory. It would be tough for any team to stop the Ladies right now, as they sit undefeated in the conference alongside the DePauw University Tigers.  “We’ve done well, surprising people,” Breschi said with a smile.

Earlier this season it was hard to believe that this team would compete for a conference championship.  “There was a lot of uncertainty going into the season, with a new coach and almost half the team being freshmen,” Depman said.  “We’ve definitely come together as a team so well.”

This young team’s recipe for success lies in the basics. “We focus on doing small things right and holding each other accountable on and off the field.  That’s a lot easier with such a small team because we’re so close, and we can be responsible for each other,” Depman said.

“Overall, everybody just wants everyone to do well.  No one’s competitive for a spot or competitive with each other. It’s just important our team stays together,” Breschi said.

“We’re on a roll and I think we’re just going to keep going with the momentum,” Depman said. “We’re all really excited.”

Next Saturday the Ladies take on DePauw. A victory would leave the winner — DePauw or Kenyon — the lone undefeated conference team. “If we win [against the Tigers] it would be a really big confidence booster,” Breschi said.  

So far, the Ladies have done better than anyone could have asked.  “We’ve definitely met out goals.  There’s always room for improvement, but we’re definitely doing really well,” Depman said.

Depman is cautious about predicting the team’s future, but still optimistic. “We could take the conference title, yeah,” she said. “But I don’t want to jinx it."