Lafayette College Field Hockey

In the intense atmosphere worthy of a semi- final game, Lafayette fell 4-2 to American University on friday afternoon. The Leopards came out on fire jumping out to a 2-0 lead 21 minutes into the first period. With many playing their best hockey of the season Lafayette used their speed and intensity breaking American’s high press and striking them where they were most vulnerable, on fast breaks. Amanda Magadan was a thorn in American’s side all afternoon attracting triple team coverage at times. At 12 minutes spent in the game Madagan picked up the ball along the sideline and drove to the base line shot and then shot the rebound slamming her 10th goal of the season into the backboards stunning the confident American Eagles. Eight minutes later while attracting double coverage Madagan found the speedy Kendall Weedling along the right side and she beat the Eagle defender and then avoided the American goalie for the second goal of the game, and her second of the season.

Madagan was to be threat all game, taking 7 of Lafayette’s 14 shots. After Lafayette’s second goal the American Eagles regathered themselves and within 3 minutes they tied the score with a strike by freshman Rafela Rubas with an assist by Katie McCormick. The Lafayette defense was to dig in until Lafayette was to give up a penalty corner with time running out. With 00 showing on the clock Rubas again found the back of cage knotting the score at 2 each.

As each team retreated to the sidelines most fans were afraid the last score would signal a turn in momentum. American was in fact able to get the first penalty corner 4 minutes into the second half which was saved by Arnold who had 8 saves all  game. She was to save another shot one minute later just about the same time American got a green card. With a player advantage, Leopard fans took heart. The next shot came from Lafayette Junior Aliza Furneaux the defending weekly Patriot   League defender of the week. McBeath, the American goalie made the save. Lafayette had the next three penalty corners without a result.

At 50:45 as a result of a shot on goal by an American player illegally blocked by a lafayette defender, the official called a penalty stroke  ending in a score for American breaking the tie. Lafayette was to have several opportunities but could not convert. With minutes left on the clock, fans were wondering when Lafayette would pull the goalie in a last minute attempt to tie the game.

Before that was to happen American was awarded a penalty corner and scored on a redirect of a shot putting  them up by two goals. The Leopards at that point pulled the goalkeeper putting Millen in goal for the last 2 minutes.

It was a somber team after the game, but they played well and with great energy. In the second period they out shot American 7-6 and out cornered them 8-4. For the whole game American had the edge in shots 17-14 and there was a tie 10-10 in corners. Second team all league junior goalkeeper Katlyn Arnold had 8 saves, six in the first period alone.

This of course was the last game for our seniors and it was clear they left it all on the field. It was perhaps Kendall Weedling’s best game of her career. The intensity of Paige Macrae was evident as well in front of the goal. Kirby Szalkowski was in the face of Eagles all day. Abbey Stefanides made the most of her appearances on the field overcoming losing 1/2 the season to injury. Katie Birle was looking for one of her patented deflections to add to her five goals this year. Co-Captain Hannah Millen was a force in the backfield and on corners, and was rewarded with a deserved all tournament selection. They will soon be Lafayette alumna with new fields to conquer, but will no doubt draw from their experience on the turf to succeed in whatever they choose to do. Good Luck ladies!!

As for the remaining team, there is a respectful period of reflection and soon a rededication. A spring season awaits as this talented team which has the ability to be a factor next fall. Soon we will know the names of out newest Leopards as we reload for next year.

American went on to lose to Boston University in the finals 2-1, today. Boston will represent the Patriot League in the NCAA national tournament. The league is getting stronger each year and I can see the day when the League could get two bids in the future. My assessment of the League going forward is a topic for a future article.

Last night Pam and I had the privilege of sharing dinner with Kevin Lacz,probably one of the most remarkable men I have ever met. Kevin was a Navy Seal. You may remember  the movie “American Sniper.” He played himself and he is every bit as impressive as he was on the big screen . All of 6’3″ and some 230 pounds, he has that boy next store smile that anyone could warm up to as he approaches. There is something though in his demeanor that says so much more. His 33 years belies a life experience only few could imagine.

Born in central Connecticut, Kevin had enrolled at James Madison University. He was inspired by the attacks on September 11 which took the life of a good friend’s father and he decided to leave school.  Even he admits that school was not for him at this time in his life. He was immature and needed something else to direct his life. He saw a poster in a Navy recruiter’s office and decided to enlist with the intention of becoming a Seal. Before going to BUD’s training in Coronado he attended the Combat Medical School at Fort Bragg to learn to be a Hospital Corpsman. He did two platoons at SEAL Team Three as a platoon sniper, breacher, and combat medic, each with a deployment to Iraq. It was there that he met Chris Kyle, the subject of the “American Sniper,” It was his experiences in Ramadi that most of the movie is based on. He was awarded the Bronze Star with a Combat V along with other medals before leaving the service.

After his enlistment ended, he returned to school at the University of Connecticut eventually graduating Magna Cum Laude with a degree in Political Science in 2011. Drawing on his experience in combat medicine he applied to Wake Forest with the goal of becoming a Physician Assistant, Today Kevin works with Regenesis  Llc in Pensacola, Florida. He works actively to support his brothers and sisters currently in the service and with veterans in the community.

Introduced to Clint Eastwood, Kevin was hired to play himself shortly before shooting was to begin on the basis of a Skype interview. He also served as a technical advisor for the film. For those of you who saw the film, he was the guy in one scene who had a target tattooed on his back and his buddies played darts at it. He neither confirms or denies the veracity of the scene.  However, he denies having the tattoo.

So, why am I writing all this? Lacz explained to us why people are able to do extraordinary things in the most stressful circumstances. In an incident in Ramadi while his platoon was pinned to a rooftop an RPG landed in the middle of his team. One of his friends, immediately dove on the device smothering the blast and saving his buddies. He of course died in the effort.

“We were a team”, Lacz said. Nothing got accomplished without a cooperative effort. There was no hesitation on the part of that man and you got the impression if it wasn’t him, someone else would have made the sacrifice. The field hockey pitch or any other playing field are not the streets of Fallujah or Ramadi, but the lesson is similar. He said the difference between success and failure is always on top of the shoulders and between your ears. If you need to run faster, you have to think and believe in yourself to run faster. Defeat is not an option, whether it be in an ordinary life or on the battlefield. Yes, there may be losses along the way but you can not  be defeated unless you become defeated in your mind. Lastly. he defined leadership as calm in the middle of chaos. Your heart may be racing and world may be collapsing but the leader expresses that calm that keeps everyone to the task at hand.

We need heroes to remind us what is possible if we just let the human spirit within ourselves drive our actions. We may think we live mundane lives, but the next time we see little bumps ahead  think of Chris Kyle or Kevin Lacz and their model of living. As we departed, Kevin gave me a friendly embrace, the warmth of which will remain with me the rest of my days.

The Leopards will meet the Crusaders for the 32nd meeting between these schools. Lafayette has an edge with 18 wins against thirteen loses. The last win by Holy Cross was a 2-1 OT win in Easton in 2009. In that game, the Leopards had 26 shots to 3 for Holy Cross. The Crusader goalie had 12 saves in that encounter, but Lafayette scored the first goal in the first period and looked like they were on their way to a win when, with 6 minutes left to play, Holy Cross found the back of the cage to tie it up. The Leopards had chances in the end. including two corners, and the game ended in a tie. Two overtimes later. it came down to strokes and the Leopards ended on the short end losing 2-1. The Crusaders had a losing season and put the Leopards in a difficult spot regarding the playoffs.

This Crusader team is a better team coming in with a 6-9 record but having lost the last 6 out of 7 games. Their goalie, Inch is a key player and the Leopards must find their way to the circle to exercise their 24 pct scoring percentage. Holy Cross is 19 pct but take more shots and get more penalty corners than the Leopards have. Outside of Boston University I see no ranked team on their schedule but have posted a good win against Harvard early on.

This is the part of the season where individual games  matter. In order to get to the post season, these league games must end up in the W column. The Leopard’s fate is in their hands. They win, they are in the post season, if they lose its too complicated for my 70 year old brain to calculate but it is clear it will depend on other teams to make it all possible.

Twelve o’clock it all happens. The sky’s will be clear and a brisk fall afternoon is anticipated. Here’s hoping it ends in Maroon   happiness!!! Come on out and enjoy the action.