Sometimes all you need to invigorate a struggling team is a burst of youth -- raw talent that can refocus veteran players. In the case of the Virginia field hockey team, a new class of freshmen has served to energize a squad which managed just a 10-10 record in 2003 and was defeated in the first round of the ACC tournament.
Through six games in 2004, Virginia stands at 5-1, including an impressive weekend win at Boston College, which will join the ACC next season. Last year's Cavaliers never registered a win against four conference opponents. When asked about the impact of this year's freshmen, Cavalier veterans are quick to mention their energy as a motivating factor for the entire team.
"They totally soak up our energy," sophomore Mia Link said. "They have really integrated well so far."
Freshman forward Abby Taylor has made the biggest statistical splash for her class thus far, tallying two scores and battering opposing goalkeepers with eight shots on goal.
Recorded statistics aside, Taylor and rookie midfielders Megan Ponessa and Amy Marotta have stifled opponents with impressive sideline defense and possession changing interceptions. Ponessa and Marotta, however, are still waiting for their first career goals.
The freshman class drastically decreases the average age of the team, which includes just three seniors. As a result, the overall potential of the Cavaliers in 2004 is exponentially superior than in previous seasons -- the young learn from the experienced, as the veterans are driven by rookies nipping at their heels for playing time.
"We are a young group, but I think that that is also in our advantage," senior Katie Jo Gerfen said. "We have a lot of room to grow. Every practice, every game, we are striving to get better."
Yet, the contributions of Virginia's freshmen go far beyond recorded statistics. Any veteran of the program -- coach or player -- recognizes the enthusiasm that each new teammate brings to the group.
"Having a large number of freshmen on the team has been nice," Gerfen said. "There is more energy in the locker room and out on the field. The freshmen are eager to work hard, which becomes contagious within the team."
For a team that has had difficulty the previous two seasons playing beyond the conference tournament play-in game, excitement may be the difference in a deeper postseason berth.
"Our new numbers make practice go a lot smoother," junior Allison Flynn said. "We are a really close team, on and off the field. Our team chemistry is a big part of who we are."
The Cavalier freshmen will continue to have a great impact as the season progresses. Not only will they likely improve in game play, they should also continue to give a new face to a team desperately in need of one. Virginia's upperclassmen have the talent to compete in the ACC, but a little youthful passion may be just what the group needs to achieve greater success.
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