Field hockey is one of Mercy University’s best athletic teams on campus. It is an intense sport for students at Mercy University to highlight generational talent for the school to witness.
This is the year when the women’s field hockey team is known for their intensity and mentality for victory. They have greatness labeled on them as they have been the first in the program’s history to make playoffs. The women’s field hockey team has worked their lives off and given it their all for such phenomenal games.
Having a record of 8-10, the record does not fool anyone because their last game for the season was 5-1 against College Southern Connecticut State University. The attendance of 199 individuals was blessed to see Mercy’s field hockey team grind to victory. The women’s team highlights heart and dedication throughout the season, earning them a chance to secure their rightful spot in the playoffs.
Even though Mercy had bumped into a recent loss to the talented Saint Anslem Team in the first round, we cannot be forgetful and instead sulk in the fact that with the tremendous progress the team has made this season. It would be thoughtless to believe that Mercy will not be back fighting.
The players on the team handled themselves well enough to push forward looking at playoffs. Every player on the team is the best in their fashion. Kelly Rosenfeld showcases leadership and grit for the team as one of the key players. She sees the field hockey making playoffs as a great way to let everyone know hard work has been made, and it shows from the victories they have been working so hard for.
Rosenfeld said, “It feels incredible. We have all been working hard to prove that we belong in this position, especially after we were so close last year. We are such a small, tight-knit group, which makes it even better. We have supported one another for a long time, as the team has stayed almost the same for two years now.”
The team knew progression had to be made. Being in the same position as a sports team can keep teams at a halt. With that being involved, no progress will be made. Nothing will improve, and that is something the team saw. Progression has been made throughout the two-year halt, with records improving tremendously. The 2021 season being 4-13 to the 2023 season being 8-10 grows a large amount of improvement. It leads to the team’s desire for change. There’s no pressure, just getting right into the game and locking in for victory. They have a great game plan for themselves.
Rosenfeld gave her views on the current standing of the team. Making playoffs grows pressure due to every team’s goal. This goes so far as winning championships and putting the team onto a global amount of popularity but also an accomplishment for themselves. But that did not bother Rosenfeld.
She said, “Zero pressure! I always remind myself and some of my teammates if we get nervous that, in a moment like this, we are the first, and we have zero expectations being held against us. That is why we work much harder and put more effort in than other teams. We are sitting in a better position going in as underdogs because we are constantly being underestimated.”
She added, “Our game plan every game was to choose goals before each game and play to succeed in those small ways. Coach created this last year, and at the beginning of the season, we all wrote three goals, and they all printed out and put into a jar. For each game, we choose a total of three to read aloud, along with quotes. These are the first steps to our game day that help to relieve the pressure of thinking about winning the game and instead give us small goals to complete throughout the game.”
Field Hockey Coach Marissa Spinazzola felt ecstatic about the team making playoffs. Spinazzola has been thrilled about the team making playoffs for the first time in program history.
She is happy for the team working so hard to achieve their goals. Spinazzola knows the ropes of being a student-athlete, as she played Lacrosse at Mercy University and was a field hockey player. The experience she has made her get involved in coaching, something she has enjoyed since.
Spinazzola expressed her feelings about the team’s standing and their current standings.
“It feels fantastic to be the first team in program history to make playoffs. This group of women has worked hard since last year, and we had a goal in mind and chased it. We have a very close team, which benefited us during games. Since we had a small team, we needed all our players to be adjustable. Our game plan was to find our athlete’s best skills and adjust to make us successful.”
She added, “Our mindset going into playoffs is to forget who’s on the other side of the field and focus on how we can play the best hockey. We have to play a complete game and stay as one unit.”
The team is excited about the next important step. Making playoffs in a team effort with the best people around you helps the team succeed because, with the proper guidance, players will stay focused. The team is treated as family as Spinazzola majored in mental health and found a balance dealing with athletes on a sports and mental health aspect. So, her care for student-athletes goes above and beyond.
Rosenfeld said, “I am so proud and so excited. This group has been through a lot together, highs and lows. The team and our coaching staff have done it together since the beginning of August, and we proved everyone wrong. We were projected 11th in the preseason poll and ended up 7th. Things like this push us to strive for even more success. We are determined to continue this streak of creating history in this program.”
Spinazzola added, “I am very proud to be in the position I am and continue to lead this team to success. Having the athlete’s buy-in and wanting to be successful in a tough NE-10 conference makes it that much better. I am proud to be a Maverick and help the program succeed.”
