USM Varsity Field Hockey Team Wins Gateway Tournament

Sometimes you have travel to prove yourself to people at home. 

The varsity field hockey team did just that over the Labor Day weekend. USM proved it was truly a talented team, not just one whose success people scoff at because it plays in Wisconsin, where there are few field hockey teams and fewer teams of talent. The Wildcats traveled all the way to St. Louis where people recognize field hockey ability. The Wildcats showed they had the stuff by winning the pool championship at the 14th annual Gateway Classic High School Tournament played Saturday and Sunday. At the prestigious tournament, in which many of the top high school field hockey teams in the Midwest participate, the Wildcats shut out University City High School, Lake Forest Academy, and Whitfield High School, to win heir pool. All three games ended in 3-0 scores. 

USM has shut out every opponent so far this year, whether the opponent is a local team or a talented team from a faraway land. That takes talent.

Seeking the most challenging competition the tournament could offer, USM requested to play in the pool with best teams at the tournament. The Wildcats won that pool with the maximum number of points, 12. Three points were given for each victory and an additional point for a shutout.

USM’s first game was against University City High School, of University City, MO.  USM’s Coach Tom Carter said, “It was a team that I knew nothing about. But it was clear from the start that we were the better team.”

It didn’t take long for the Wildcats too prove their coach right. They scored their first goal at 21:19. Senior Sally James sent sophomore Kendall Youngblood a pass in the circle. Youngblood drew the ball away from the Lions’ goalie Ellie McCray and slid it into the right corner of the goal.

USM scored again before the first half had concluded. Once again James began the scoring play. Using excellent stick skills, she moved past several Lion defenders on the right side then sent the ball to senior Jenna Seter in the University City D. Like a master finishing carpenter, Seter drilled the ball into the net with precision to give the Wildcats a two-goal lead at 9:14.

USM increased its lead in the second half. Senior Maggie Schroeder played a great ball into the circle to classmate Billie Fritz. Fritz instantly moved the ball with a reverse stick to Seter, who scored with a deft finishing touch.

In the game McCray made 14 saves while USM’s senior goalkeeper Margeaux Hagemann made six saves. Senior defender Emily Hendrickson also made a great goal line clear to help preserve the shut out.

USM’s second game on Saturday evening was against Lake Forest Academy of Lake Forest, IL. According to Carter, it was “The big game. They are a good team and probably expected to win the division. However, our game plan was not to let them settle in and play their style.  It worked.”

The Wildcats had a few minutes in the first half when they let things slip, allowing the Caxys a bit of time to look good. Consequently, the first half was tight, with few shots on goal by either team, and the half ended at 0-0.

According to Carter, the Wildcats realized “it was a game that we could win, and after a good half time talk, we got things going in the second half.”

USM ruined the Caxys’ expectations of victory starting at 15:16. Youngblood got the ball, and like a confident gunslinger, she faced three players. She dazzled and decoyed them all and fired the ball past the Caxys’ goalie, Lexi Deyoung, from the top right side of the circle. 

USM made it 2-0 a few minutes later. Seter made a pull around a defender and released a shot. Stationed in front, senior Ali Savay applied the final touch, tapping the ball into the net at 12.25.  

Carter explained, “This was an important goal and gave us some breathing room.”  It also stunned the Caxys. 

After that it was USM’s game, and the Wildcats could taste victory. They sealed the win at 4.15 with their third goal. Senior Cassie Bence gained control of the ball and sent Fritz on a run on the left hand side.  Fritz made a drag push pass into the circle. All the players seemed to give up on it except for Seter. As quick as a blot of lightning, she lunged in and touched the ball past the disbelieving Deyoung. 

Carter described the play, “We scored a goal that the national team would be proud of. It was quite possibly one of the best goals that I have ever seen. Lake Forest Academy did not know what had hit them. Their coach was not at all pleased that they lost to us.” 

In the game the USM defense did not allow Lake Forest Academy a shot on goal, and Hagemann did not have any saves. Deyoung made four saves.

Before USM’s final game against Whitfield High School of St. Louis on Sunday, the three USM coaches, Carter, his wife Theresa, and Andrea Burlew spent time researching their opponent. Carter said, “We managed to identify their center forward as their best player. Our game plan was to keep her from touching the ball.” 

Once again, the game plan worked.

USM took the lead at 9:52 of the first half. Bence took control of the ball at midfield and ran at the Warriors' defense. Like a lithe leopard, she sped past three defenders, who all missed tackles due to her persistence, and headed into the circle. Bence stumbled, but as she was falling, she slid the ball underneath Whitfield’s oncoming goalie, Rachel Uskokovich.

Carter was ecstatic about the play. "This was a true Cassie Bence goal, pure determination and aggression in which no one could stop her. She did it in a way I can't explain. It was remarkable.”

Seter scored USM’s second goal at 15:35 of the second half. Youngblood sent the ball to her deep in the Whitfield circle.  The ball hit a defender’s foot and bounced to Seter. The play could have been stopped for advancing by Whitfield, but great refereeing allowed play to continue on advantage. Seter kept going and released a shot that beat Uskokovich.

USM scored again at 10:57 on a short corner. James injected the ball to Fritz who switched it to the right to Seter as a Whitfield defender rushed out to cut off a straight strike. Seter wound up for a hard drive, and although she topped the ball, it still had too much on it for Uskokovich to handle. 

Soon USM had its third 3-0 victory and the championship. 

In the game, Uskokovich made 11 saves. Hagemann made two saves in gaining her seventh straight shutout. She had help throughout the tournament. USM’s defenders, seniors Hendrickson, Ali Robinson, Morgan Bowen, Catie Downey, junior Michelle Bal, and sophomore Abby Wigdale with help from midfielders James, Schroeder, seniors Erika Hurth, Georgia Hoagland, Libby Aik, and Lindsay Neitzel, and sophomore Catherine Jacobus played at the top of their game and consistently unsettled the opponents attack.

Elated, Carter commented, “It is important to note that this was a true team performance, it was only because of the fact that everyone performed well in all three games that we won the tournament. We all needed to be on our game and it was the perfect weekend.”