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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 1979)
Field hockey: How the West was won Story by John Selix Emerald Photos It may come as a surprise but women's field hockey is played at the intercollegiate level. And the University of Oregon has a women's field hockey team. That's right, Oregon has a team A damn good team Behind a veil of obscurity, Oregon has built a very suc cessful field hockey program. Since the start of AIAW field hockey in 1975, the Ducks have qualified for the national tour nament every year. Last sea son. Oregon finished at 20-5-1 with an eighth place finish at the nationals But more important than the eighth place finish was that Oregon won a playoff game for the first time. In fact, they won two games. One of those wins was against Connecticut, a traditional power, the significance being that West Coast teams don't regularly defeat teams from the East. The sport originated in Britain and eventually spread to this side of the Atlantic, becoming popular on the East Coast. In terest in field hockey lagged behind in the West until it began being taught in schools. Eastern teams have an advantage because they’ve been playing for so long ’’They (the Eastern teams) have the coaching because the people (who become coaches) have the backround from play ing,'1 said Oregon coach Nancy Plantz "It was great to see a West coast team, especially ap Oregon team, play and beat a strong Eastern team That was a great moment." Plantz, in only her second year as coach of the Ducks, is no stranger to field hockey She came to Oregon from Ohlone Community College in Fremont, Calif., where she coached her teams to a 42-4 record and two consecutive state champion ships She is also an assistant coach for the 1980 U S Olympic field hockey team When she came to Eugene, Plantz inherited players who hadn't had top coaching. Few high schools in Oregon have field hockey programs, so she started from scratch.The pro gram at Oregon strengthened quickly because she was able to recruit good players thanks to a Oregon's biggest asset is its overall team guickness, which according to coach Plantz, is much improved. I I 'i l,i-' bmmr Wbm' fcrfcr *r fcw Club Handball Club Organizational meeting 6:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 10 EMU room to be posted D OMA C C__ Coach Nancy Ptantz feels the Ducks are headed for their fifth straight trip to the national tour nament. Oregon claimed eighth place in the nation last year, and hopes to place higher this season. reputation for good coaching. Using her contacts in Califor nia, Plantz went after top ath letes right away. Oregon’s goalie, Maureen 'Mo” Sullivan, is a candidate for the Olympic team; so are three other 1978 recruits. "I brought with me quite a few junior college athletes because I wanted us to be successful right off the bat,” said Plantz. "It worked and those people are still here.” Now that Plantz has a solid program, she hopes to re place this year's graduates with top freshmen and possibly one junior college transfer Plantz has been successful in recruiting players from areas other than California. So phomore inside Veronica Del laMotta came to Oregon from Pennsylvania, and Plantz was one of the reasons for her deci sion. "I wanted national competi tion.” said DellaMotta, "and I wasn't too sure that Oregon could make'nationals. What dispelled those thoughts was that Nancy Plantz is the U S coach, and I knew that she could do a lot for the team.” Plantz has put together a very capable Oregon club which feels it is headed toward its fifth consecutive trip to nationals. She will tell anyone that this year's team is better than last year's and so will her players. 'We're quicker,’’ said Sul livan. "We have more depth and we all have one thing in mind — that’s to win.” But the differences go deeper than that. Last year’s team had internal problems because some of the players were com peting against each other in stead of working with each other. The controversy faded but it did have an adverse effect on the team. One quality stands out more than any other on this year’s Oregon team: quickness. In the Duck's two latest tournament appearances, they were quicker than the teams they defeated. "Most teams slow down the ball,” said team captain Nancy Berry, "but we try to speed past our opponent. We keep the ball moving as fast as we can down the field and we get the ball to an up forward and get the defense turned around ” Berry and senior Nancy Pe drotti spearhead that attack from their outside positions on the front line. With DellaMotta -emu Oregon Wilderness Supplies THROUGH FRIDA Y ONL 20% OFF Shorts, canvas shirts, flannel shirts, corduroy shorts, and selected rainwear. WtLDERNESr i ;MSm Check our rental department Lower Level EMU 686-3089 10-6 M-F / and freshman Scottie Johnson on the inside, the offense is quick and dependable, even potentially explosive. Despite the Ducks’ ability to mount scoring threats during this sea son, they've had trouble scoring goals, relative to their high number of shots and opportuni ties. "We need to work on our scoring,” said Plantz. "It'll take more ball control and a greater desire to score.’’ The defense has covered up well for the offense this season. In nine games, the Ducks have six shutouts. Plantz says that "you can’t win without a good goalie,” and in Sullivan. Oregon has that As a member of the U.S. Olympic Committee's "A” Developmental Camp (for the best 45 players in the country), Sullivan played for Plantz this past summer. "She’s a coach first and a friend second,” said Sullivan. "That's the way it has to be; otherwise it gets too personal.” Sullivan’s position is one of the few in field hockey which is more mentally than physically exhausting. Concentration is paramount to good goalkeeping because one breakdown can decide the game. I really don't think about how I might let the team down,1' Sul livan said. "I don't want to let myself down first. It's a high priority for me not to let one ball in.” She also knows that back up goalie Charlene Carter is ready on the bench, and could step in if she (Sullivan) falters. "Charlene (new to field hock ey) picked it up really quick," (Continued on Page 7B) McKenzie Coffee Co. World’s finest coffees Mexican and Swiss Chocolate Rare and Exotic Teas Steamed Bagels Mayflower Building 782 E. 11th_342-2071
