This past weekend, the Continentals’ field hockey team split a pair of conference games, despite outscoring their two opponents 5–2 overall. Hamilton faced both the top-seeded and bottom-seeded teams in the NESCAC, and the score reflected the rankings. A hard-fought loss to the undefeated Tufts University (6–0 NESCAC) followed Hamilton’s shutout of the struggling Wesleyan team (0–4). After the weekend, Hamilton is ranked #9 nationally.
The Saturday, Sept. 30 game saw the Continentals shut out Wesleyan easily, and with the win, Hamilton improved to 6–2 overall and 4–1 in the NESCAC. The game’s four goals came from four different players, whose contributions were evenly spread out through the two halves. Lizzie Clarke ’20, Aly Skelly ’18, Maddie Beitler ’21, and Michaela Giuttari ’20 all tallied a goal, with Clarke’s goal coming just two minutes into the game. The quick score off of a penalty corner set a daunting precedent for the Cardinals, who could not recover from the early setback. Goalkeeper Julia Booth ’19 had her first shutout of the season, which is good news as the team hopes to keep rising in the ranks.
Statistically, the game was a huge boon to the Continentals in their chase for playoff contention. Eight players tallied at least one point, and Giuttari’s continuous excellent play has kept her as a powerhouse of the NESCAC. She is second in the conference for goals (11) and third in both shots (55) and points (23). Her eleven goals are just one shy of tying the first-place score. A league-leading player would solidify Hamilton as a threat to the dominant teams at Tufts University, Middlebury College, and Williams College. For goalkeeper Booth, a shutout marks an optimistic point in the season, as she has been struggling this season. She is 9th out of 14 qualifying goalkeepers in the NESCAC in terms of goals against average, and 11th out of 14 in save percentage. That being said, she plays more minutes than all but three of those 14 goaltenders, and has faced incredible pressure to backstop a team playing against some of the best Division III field hockey players in the nation.
The next day saw Hamilton play Tufts University (ranked #6 nationally), who preserved its impressive undefeated record. After an eventful first half in which Hamilton tallied 1 goal and Tufts tallied 2, the second half was stagnant, and the game ended 2–1, Tufts. Tatiana Bradley ’19, who gathered an assist on the Saturday game, opened up scoring with a goal early in the first half, her third of the season, bringing her total up to 11 points. Later in the period, Tufts responded with two goals, which were within three minutes of one another. As the second half progressed with no goals on either side, the Hamilton sidelines were tense and anxious, but also hopeful. Booth kept the Continentals in the game, as the Jumbos were outshooting the Conts 12–1 in the first half alone. In the second half however, Tufts only had one shot, and despite a green card against Hamilton, the Continentals tried their best to make a comeback. The game ended anti-climatically in a tough loss.
Despite the loss, which brought Hamilton to 4–2 in the NESCAC, in which they are tied for third place with Williams, the game is still a bright spot for optimism. Hamilton’s team just barely lost to Tufts, who has established themselves to be an unbeatable team, showing that the Continentals are on the edge of breaking through to the top of the Conference. Hamilton’s depth in scoring in both games (which saw 5 different players score 5 goals) shows a team poised to succeed with a wide variety of players. When combined with the team’s scoring leader in Giuttari, Hamilton has a winning combination of depth and star power.
So, what next? Hamilton only has two more NESCAC games in the season — against Amherst and Colby Colleges — both of which are at home. Hamilton is 4–1 when at home and 2–2 when away, and their home game attendance is second best in the league. The Continentals clearly feed off of the energy and support of a good crowd, so having both of their remaining conference games at home is a huge help. Amherst (3–2) and Colby (2–3) both have worse NESCAC records than Hamilton, but do not let that lull you into complacency. Colby has the best goalkeeper in the conference and Amherst leads the conference in shot percentage, and also has a better overall record than Hamilton. Although the Continentals have an uphill battle to top the standings, the team has a great shot at the playoffs and an incredible foundation for even more success to come.
The next home game will be the NESCAC contest against Amherst College, this Saturday Oct. 7 on Goodfriend Field at 11:00 a.m.
