The Hawk

Issue date: 10/10/07 Section: Sports

Walter had a strong performance in a losing effort to Richmond.

Before the Phillies became NL East champions, they had a magic number to watch: first how low the Mets' number crept, then how close their own came to that magic moment.

These magic numbers have a way of surfacing in every sport.

Saint Joseph's University women's field hockey team had to fight off someone else's magic number this past weekend and unlike, the Phillies, they weren't able to succeed.

The University of Richmond Spiders won their 44th straight game in the Atlantic 10 Conference against the Hawks on Sunday afternoon. They completed a weekend sweep of Philadelphia teams, Temple and Saint Joseph's, two teams that are receiving votes for the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) Top 20 Poll. Forty-four games is an impressive streak, and if Saint Joseph's wants to be a contender in the postseason, they are going to have to stir up some magic tricks of their own.

The Spiders claimed the A-10 title for five straight years, despite last year's loss of eight seniors who were apart of the first four championships. Last season, Richmond lost to No. 2 University of Maryland in the NCAA first round, but have an outstanding group of sophomores and a strong defensive unit that was able to stopped 12 shots by Saint Joseph's.

The Spiders scored first, in the middle of the second half. Adrian Pickar ran an isolation past Hawk goalkeeper Rebecca Cunfer, '08. Theresa Barbati, '08, then scored her third goal of the season on an assist from Anne Schreuders, '10, to tie the game. Barbati was unable to convert a penalty corner earlier in the first half but is now the leading the Hawks with 11 points on the season.

Little time passed before the Spiders bit again in the first half. Pickar scored her second goal of the night and had the Hawk defense scrambling to cover passing lanes all night.

Going into the second half, the Spiders were still controlling offensive movement, widening the lead to 3-1. Less than two minutes in the second half, Sarah Blythe-Wood scored off a penalty corner, and Jess Weidner earned her second assist of the game. The Hawks had four penalty corners, including three in the second period, but could not convert.

The Hawks, still looking to upset Richmond, kept the intensity alive on offense, tallying eight shots on goal in the second half, doubling their first half shot output. With a little less than 12 minutes left in the game, Saint Joseph's lessened the lead to one when Kellie Walter, '10, scored her first career goal. Richmond goalkeeper Becca Weaver made the initial save on a shot by Barbati, but Walter followed through.

Still rattled by the offensive tempo of Richmond in the first and beginning of the second half, the Hawks were never able to find their positions and stance on the field. This game against Richmond started a three-game series at home against A-10 teams. With two conference games in the past, the Hawks are sitting at .500 but will need to take advantage of home turf to keep their status elevated in the conference.

This upcoming week before the Hawks play another Atlantic 10 conference team, Rhode Island, they need to determine what their magic number is: a top 20 rank in NFHCA, five more wins inside the conference, or success in the 2008 A-10 Conference championships.

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