Northwestern University Athletics
1998 Wildcat Field Hockey Outlook
6/21/1999 12:00:00β―AM | Field Hockey
July 31, 1998
First-year head coach Diane Loosbrock knows the storied history of the Northwestern field hockey program -- 12 NCAA Tournament berths and four Final Four appearances. After a three-year hiatus from the national tournament, it is Loosbrock's goal to help Northwestern contend for a Big Ten title and, along the way, regain its national prominence. With a seasoned senior class, the 'Cats have an opportunity to attain those goals.
"I want our team to improve on a daily basis," said Loosbrock. "I want to be in a position to finish at the top of the conference standings and compete for the Big Ten Tournament title.
"This team is more confident than last year's squad and willing to take more risks to compete at a higher level. I expect the senior class to lead the team since they all have game experience."
Defense
The 'Cats strength lies in their defense. Two-time All-Big Ten honoree Shanel Gohsler returns at sweeper to lead the unit. Gohsler, who also moonlights as one of NU's top corner hitters, has started every game in her career (60). Last season, she led the team in scoring with 24 points (11 goals, two assists). Junior Ryann Carmody will likely backup Gohsler at the sweeper position.
"Shanel is a physical and strong defensive player," said Loosbrock. "She is relentless. She is more comfortable and confident at sweeper and has complete control of the backfield. She also is a leader by example."
Senior Annie Scuilli is the other veteran in the backfield. Scuilli started 19 games last season. Junior Ana Perez, sophomore Colleen Hotz and freshman Nicole Smith will battle for the remaining starting positions. Hotz played in seven games last season, while Perez saw action in five contests.
"One of our strengths will be our defensive unit," said Loosbrock. "We have a solid defense that has worked together for the last couple of years. I expect Ana and Colleen to step in and compete for a starting position. They are both very good markers."
Midfield
The midfield will have a new look as Loosbrock has moved former backs Kristy Whitman and Shannon West to that position.
West, a fifth-year senior, started 19 games and tallied six assists last season. Whitman also was one of the anchors in the backfield last year with 20 starts.
"Our midfield will be stronger because our new additions played defense," commented Loosbrock. "Shannon is coming into her own and is maturing as a player and as a leader."
Sophomore Jodie Condie, junior Tess Burigatto and senior Allyson Perry will split time at center midfield. Condie played in nine games and scored five points last season, while Burigatto started all 20 games and notched eight points.
Freshman Kathryn Tynes, a member of the Hong Kong Junior National squad, will contend for playing time.
Forward
Senior Wendy DeFord and sophomore Wendy Roberts will captain the offensive attack. A second-team All-Big Ten selection in 1997, DeFord was sixth on the team in scoring (six points) last year. Roberts, who played in 16 games last season, notched five points on the year.
"We probably have more speed on our forward line than ever before," said Loosbrock. "When DeFord and Roberts take off, they leave everyone else behind."
Junior Amy Haase and sophomore Lindsay Wright will battle for playing time at the forward spot. Wright was the 'Cats third-leading scorer last season with 10 points (five goals), while Haase contributed five points.
Freshman Lisa Comrie, who was named the San Diego Union Tribune's California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Player of the Year in 1997, is expected to immediately contribute to the Wildcat offensive attack.
Goalkeeper
There will be healthy competition for goalkeeping duties as the 'Cats return two experienced letterwinners in junior Jessica Yates and senior Schoen Liebert. Yates started in 19 of 20 games last season and posted a 1.8 goals against average. She collected 133 saves and posted a .787 save percentage in 1,430 minutes of play. Yates also was a member of the National Under-23 Team.
Liebert returns this season after sitting out most of last year due to a hand injury. Liebert started all 21 games in 1996 and posted a 2.3 goals against average. She also tallied 163 saves in 1,496 minutes, and a .773 save percentage.
"Jessica and Schoen will probably split time in goal," said Loosbrock. "They have equal experience. Schoen's strengths are her power and communication. Jess' strengths are her reflexes and agility."
The Schedule
The Big Ten/ACC Challenge and a trip to California highlight the Northwestern field hockey schedule. The 'Cats begins their season with the Big Ten/ACC Challenge in St. Louis, Mo. NU takes on Wake Forest (Sept. 5) and NCAA Tournament participant Virginia (Sept. 7) in its first two matches.
"We are really looking forward to kicking off our season by playing in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge," said Loosbrock. "Playing against the calibre of the teams in the ACC will give us a good idea to how we stand early in the season."
After a brief three-match homestand with games against Kent State, Miami of Ohio and St. Louis, the 'Cats travel to California to take on the likes of Stanford, California-Berkeley and Pacific. This is an added bonus for Gohsler, DeFord and Comrie who are California natives.
NU begins its Big Ten season with matches at Ohio State (Sept. 25) and Penn State (Sept. 27). The 'Cats open their conference home schedule against Michigan State on Fri., Oct. 2 at Lakeside Field.
The Big Ten Tournament will be held at Michigan State on November 6-8.
