Spring Break
The Daily OrangeSU Field Hockey remembers Shannon's father in hard-fought overtime loss
By Nick Friedell
Posted: 9/12/05, 12:26 AM EST Section: Sports
No team likes to lose. But the Syracuse field hockey team's 3-2 overtime loss to William and Mary on Sunday probably won't feel as bad as usual.
In a game made up of strong defense and missed opportunities, the Orange gave up the winning goal with just over 30 seconds to play in overtime. But instead of being upset after the game, head coach Kathleen Parker seemed upbeat about her team's play.
"You can't be upset after a game like that," Parker said. "They played hard; they didn't quit. I'm really proud of the effort they put in."
Parker is probably even prouder of her team's efforts considering they were all playing with heavy hearts. Freshman Brittany Shannon's father was killed in an automobile accident on Friday night. The team was informed of the tragedy on Saturday, while Shannon, a starting forward, went home to be with her family. While Shannon wasn't on the field with her teammates, it was clear that her teammates were thinking about her.
"We all really wanted to win today," freshman goalie Heather Hess said, "especially for (Shannon) and her family. It was just extra motivation."
The motivation and effort were evident. Especially in the final minutes, when instead of simply giving up, SU went on a furious surge toward the Tribe net. After several unsuccessful attempts to score the tying goal, Paige Sullivan crossed the ball toward the middle and Jessica Lerew sent it in to tie the game at 2-2 with 29 seconds to play in regulation.
Sullivan, who also scored the first goal of the game on a breakaway, thought the team was able to keep their focus considering the circumstances.
"We had to force ourselves to focus," Sullivan said. "At this point there is really nothing we can do except keep Brittany in our hearts. We just came out and played for her."
If SU keeps playing the way it did on Sunday, the senior co-captain believes this game could serve as a stepping stone for the rest of the year.
"We are progressing so well," Sullivan said. "This is kind of like something we can look back on. ... If we play like we played against William and Mary, we can beat anybody."
The team is confident in part because of its defense. Led by juniors Jess Wreski and Michelle Sola, the defense received a welcome surprise from Hess, who made nine more saves on Sunday. She has helped anchor the defense and in the process has earned confidence from her teammates and coaches.
"I think she has been very solid," Parker said. "She's seen some shots and moves you just don't see as a high school player. The team has confidence in her."
If Hess and her teammates come together the way they did on Sunday, there will probably be a lot better days ahead for the Orange.
"The defense doesn't have a ton of experience," Parker said. "I think they're all learning every game. ... I think they can come out of this game feeling really good."
In a game made up of strong defense and missed opportunities, the Orange gave up the winning goal with just over 30 seconds to play in overtime. But instead of being upset after the game, head coach Kathleen Parker seemed upbeat about her team's play.
"You can't be upset after a game like that," Parker said. "They played hard; they didn't quit. I'm really proud of the effort they put in."
Parker is probably even prouder of her team's efforts considering they were all playing with heavy hearts. Freshman Brittany Shannon's father was killed in an automobile accident on Friday night. The team was informed of the tragedy on Saturday, while Shannon, a starting forward, went home to be with her family. While Shannon wasn't on the field with her teammates, it was clear that her teammates were thinking about her.
"We all really wanted to win today," freshman goalie Heather Hess said, "especially for (Shannon) and her family. It was just extra motivation."
The motivation and effort were evident. Especially in the final minutes, when instead of simply giving up, SU went on a furious surge toward the Tribe net. After several unsuccessful attempts to score the tying goal, Paige Sullivan crossed the ball toward the middle and Jessica Lerew sent it in to tie the game at 2-2 with 29 seconds to play in regulation.
Sullivan, who also scored the first goal of the game on a breakaway, thought the team was able to keep their focus considering the circumstances.
"We had to force ourselves to focus," Sullivan said. "At this point there is really nothing we can do except keep Brittany in our hearts. We just came out and played for her."
If SU keeps playing the way it did on Sunday, the senior co-captain believes this game could serve as a stepping stone for the rest of the year.
"We are progressing so well," Sullivan said. "This is kind of like something we can look back on. ... If we play like we played against William and Mary, we can beat anybody."
The team is confident in part because of its defense. Led by juniors Jess Wreski and Michelle Sola, the defense received a welcome surprise from Hess, who made nine more saves on Sunday. She has helped anchor the defense and in the process has earned confidence from her teammates and coaches.
"I think she has been very solid," Parker said. "She's seen some shots and moves you just don't see as a high school player. The team has confidence in her."
If Hess and her teammates come together the way they did on Sunday, there will probably be a lot better days ahead for the Orange.
"The defense doesn't have a ton of experience," Parker said. "I think they're all learning every game. ... I think they can come out of this game feeling really good."
