University of Massachusets Athletics
Minutewomen Finally At Home
September 22, 2006 | Field Hockey
Sept. 22, 2006
Minutewomen Finally At Home
by Matt Vautour, Daily Hampshire Gazette
AMHERST - Eight games into the season, the University of Massachusetts field hockey team has played as many games in California as it has in Massachusetts (three each) and none in Amherst.
The Minutewomen will finally play at home Saturday when they host No. 10 Connecticut at Garber Field. The game, which was originally scheduled for 1 p.m., is now at 3.
The Minutewomen (2-6) will try to pull off the upset without one of their best players. Sophomore Erin Parker of South Deerfield suffered a broken bone in her leg in Wednesday's 5-4 overtime loss to Dartmouth.
The former Frontier Regional standout was an Atlantic 10 all-rookie selection a year ago. It's too late for her to take a medical redshirt, so the Minutewomen hope to get Parker back for the end of the season.
The long season-opening road stretch for UMass was scheduled as a precaution. Because Garber Field had its AstroTurf surface replaced during the summer, UMass took an extra month on the road to protect against any delays in finishing the field.
''It'll be great to play a game here. The facility is great and we love playing at home,'' said UMass coach Patty Shea, who said the new surface was worth the travel. ''It's great. They did a really, really nice job.''
The Minutewomen are trying to avoid their fifth straight losing season. Before Parker's injury, Shea felt like her squad was on the verge of breaking out.
''We keep telling them they're a really, really good team,'' she said. ''Now it's the mental part of it, getting them to trust themselves that they are good and they can execute at this high level... This is the beginning. This group has gotten started back toward the level of excellence UMass needs to be at.''
Starting with UConn, UMass plays eight straight home games including its first four Atlantic 10 Conference games.
