The Smith Field Hockey team is having a killer season, and they only have three regular games remaining before the NEWMAC championship games begin. They are 8-7 overall and 4-2 in their conference, prompting Head Coach Jaime Ginsberg to say that she is confident they have “secured enough wins in NEWMAC to make it into the postseason.” Prior to last week, where they played some tough games against Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and Amherst (No. 5 Nationally), they were on a six-game winning streak and had recently defeated two other Seven Sister schools: Wellesley and Mount Holyoke.
The team’s strong coaching staff has played a huge role in their victories, but there are also many standout players to thank for their success. Rory Harper ‘25, a Sophomore goalkeeper, has been a key player on the defensive front. Ginsberg says that she not only plays well but has been “playing consistently, so that we know how to play off her. We know we can rely on her…her performance is something that is a backbone of our team.” This has not gone unnoticed outside of the Smith field. Harper has twice earned the honor of NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week this season and is currently ranked first in the conference for number of saves (106) with an impressively high save percentage of just over 80%. During the recent game against Amherst, Harper annihilated the previous school record for saves in a game with 32 saves, breaking the 2011 record of 24. Coco Cornell ’24 also assists Harper in “locking down the back of the field”.
While the team has no shortage of underclassmen talent, the seniors are also a force on the field. They were honored in their recent senior game against WPI. At the beginning of the game, each of the four seniors stepped forward to receive recognition and raging applause from their teammates and spectators. Senior Victoria Mellow ’23 is not only a team captain and leader but also an incredible midfielder. Ginsberg said her “energy and the way she plays motivates the players around her and the team in general.” Often coaches from opposing teams will approach Ginsberg, saying, “Wow, that number 10!” According to the coach, Mellow’s not just a team player, she’s a “performer.” Mellow and Karlie Guimond ’24 lead the team for number of goals scored this season (5 each).
Ginsberg attributes the team’s success to their passing. “We’re a passing team. We move the ball around. It’s kind of a hallmark of the way that we play.” Leading this charge is center midfielder Eva Kinnel ’25J, who starts the majority of the passing sequences and “getting the plays in motion.” This collaborative strategy is reflective of their team culture. They focus on establishing good communication and trust, keeping each other accountable for upholding these standards. Ginsberg says she thinks of the team as “a mirror of who you are and what you do” and the coaching staff therefore makes it a priority to treat players “with respect” and to “communicate openly and honestly with them.” This coaching philosophy has resulted in strong interteam relationships, making the team a cohesive unit on the field.
The Pioneers hope to continue this team strength into the remainder of their season. Despite having tough competition ahead ending the season against Babson, who is ranked first in the NEWMAC conference, Ginsberg says “I think that it is a winnable game, so I’m not counting that out for us at all.” Their next game is against Springfield on Oct. 22 at 12 p.m., a key conference game to determine if they will continue into the postseason.
