There were a few thought processes that you could have used to analyze yesterday’s NCAA Division I field hockey title match between Northwestern and first-time finalist St. Joseph’s.
But no matter whether you looked at the game through the underdog lens, the first-time finalist lens, or the hungry-for-the-second-title lens, all you had to do was insert this sentence somewhere in your thought process.
“And then, the Olympic Team showed up.”
Northwestern, in the first quarter of yesterday’s final, got winning efforts from two members of the Paris 2024 Olympic side, Maddie Zimmer and Ashley Sessa, but from a number of players who could fit into the Los Angeles 2028 plans. Lauren Wadas set up the first goal with a midfield steal that wound up on the stick of Zimmer, who pounded a deep angle shot.
Sessa, a pest in the attacking circle all day, had a pair of penalty corner assists. Annabel Skubisz, the stalwart goalkeeper, made her lone save in that dominant first half. Olivia Bent-Cole, who has five caps with the senior national side, had a sensational tip-in in the first quarter.
“Talent” is a term which is thrown around somewhat recklessly in the world of sports. A team with size, speed, skill, and physical prowess is one which assembles a heap of expectations. But without results on the pitch or the court, the talent doesn’t amount to a lot.
But there was certainly a resounding result in the national final. The Olympians and national-team talent on the pitch certainly made an enormous difference in the outcome.