The Hawk

Issue date: 9/26/07 Section: Sports

Cunfer's goaltending is crucial in Hawk upsets this season.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

Atlantic 10 Conference play is here.

Members of the Saint Joseph's University women's field hockey team are already ahead of the pack.

The Hawks look to notch five wins in a row at Rutgers University this Friday evening before they start their first conference game away at St. Louis in the beginning of October.

Saint Joseph's is currently 2-1 against ranked opponents, including Sunday's overtime win against #9 American University, 1-1 in overtime games, and 2-2 on the road. The two road wins occurred this past week against Lafayette and American.

"We had a rough start to the season, but now we are playing well and enjoying playing the game more," said goalkeeper Rebecca Cunfer, '08.

It is easy to enjoy the game while you are winning, but for this team, it is more about enjoying the success of their teammates and watching them individually contribute for the win.

"Each class brings its best to every game," said Cunfer. "From seniors to freshmen, from starters to people coming off the bench, each class brings with it phenomenal skills and leadership abilities that are now just starting to click and creates a lot of energy out on the field."

In the Hawks' most recent game against ninth-ranked American University in Washington, D.C., starter Jen Wrublesky, '11, scored the game-winning goal in overtime, 2-1. Wrublesky, however, did not do this alone. Dominating starter (not in stance, but in speed) Theresa Barbati, '08, passed directly to Wrublesky right in front of an open cage.

This is Wrublesky's fourth goal of the season clinching the Hawks' fourth win. The rookie scored her first collegiate goal at the first game of the season against Hofstra and then completed her second collegiate goal against VCU.

Simply put, it was the seniors who worked for overtime play and had the help of Wrublesky to close the deal.

After a scoreless first half, both teams were anxious to find the back of the cage. After American University goalkeeper Alyssa Poorman saved a shot fired by Hawks' attack, Barbati rebounded and scored from top of the cage.

Barbati is small but very quick and has excellent reflexes. In the winning game against Delaware, it was Barbati who was consistently feeding teammates inside the box. Barbati assisted midfielder Brianne Miller, '08, for her first goal of the season against Delaware in the first half.

Continued...

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