Central Michigan University Athletics
Friday, August 30
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
2 p.m.
Central Michigan University
vs
Colgate
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Field Hockey Opens At Home On Friday
8/29/2019 8:11:00 PM | Field Hockey
Chippewas will entertain Colgate, Saint Louis this weekend
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan field hockey program suffered through several growing pains a year ago in Catherine Ostoich's first year as the Chippewas' head coach.
A new season has brought a number of new faces – eight to be exact – to a program that looks to take steps back to respectability and to contend in the Mid-American Conference.
"We've definitely made strides, but I'll say we have a ways to go," said Ostoich, whose team opens the season on Friday (2 p.m.) at home against Colgate. "The culture and the expectations are there. Now we're still growing it and we're defining the culture a little bit more, but it is there, which is awesome, so we're not starting from scratch."
Junior Samantha Glapinski led the Chippewas with eight goals last season, and she is among the top returnees. Also back are co-captains Georgina Minta and Taryn Damm along with the likes of Callie Quinn and goalkeeper Abigail Ebersole, who backed up starter Lily Amadio last season.
The Chippewas' top priority in 2019 is offensive production. They average less than one goal per game a season ago.
"It's scoring, it's shooting on cage, and that's probably the point I've harped on the most during preseason," Ostoich said. "We've got to take advantage of the opportunities when we're below the 25-yard line, meaning that we have to earn something out of it, whether it's a corner, a shot on goal, a free hit inside the hashes – something that will get us closer to scoring a goal.
"I have always been very attack-minded and we're going to really push to get the entire team attacking with 10 people and not just the forwards and the midfielders."
Ostoich said that a year has helped her coaching style and philosophy take root and there is a solid foundation of familiarity and expectation around the program.
"It was really gratifying to watch upperclassmen take freshmen aside and be like, 'This is how we do things: We run down every ball, we don't stop fighting until the whistle blows,'" she said "Just little cultural things is something that I really had to focus on last year and now it's instilled in the upperclassmen, which is awesome."
The Chippewas entertain Saint Louis on Monday (11 a.m.) in their second game of the season.
A new season has brought a number of new faces – eight to be exact – to a program that looks to take steps back to respectability and to contend in the Mid-American Conference.
"We've definitely made strides, but I'll say we have a ways to go," said Ostoich, whose team opens the season on Friday (2 p.m.) at home against Colgate. "The culture and the expectations are there. Now we're still growing it and we're defining the culture a little bit more, but it is there, which is awesome, so we're not starting from scratch."
Junior Samantha Glapinski led the Chippewas with eight goals last season, and she is among the top returnees. Also back are co-captains Georgina Minta and Taryn Damm along with the likes of Callie Quinn and goalkeeper Abigail Ebersole, who backed up starter Lily Amadio last season.
The Chippewas' top priority in 2019 is offensive production. They average less than one goal per game a season ago.
"It's scoring, it's shooting on cage, and that's probably the point I've harped on the most during preseason," Ostoich said. "We've got to take advantage of the opportunities when we're below the 25-yard line, meaning that we have to earn something out of it, whether it's a corner, a shot on goal, a free hit inside the hashes – something that will get us closer to scoring a goal.
"I have always been very attack-minded and we're going to really push to get the entire team attacking with 10 people and not just the forwards and the midfielders."
Ostoich said that a year has helped her coaching style and philosophy take root and there is a solid foundation of familiarity and expectation around the program.
"It was really gratifying to watch upperclassmen take freshmen aside and be like, 'This is how we do things: We run down every ball, we don't stop fighting until the whistle blows,'" she said "Just little cultural things is something that I really had to focus on last year and now it's instilled in the upperclassmen, which is awesome."
The Chippewas entertain Saint Louis on Monday (11 a.m.) in their second game of the season.
Players Mentioned
GK
/ Field Hockey
MF
/ Field Hockey
GK
/ Field Hockey
F/MF
/ Field Hockey
MF/F
/ Field Hockey
F
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