 Welcome to Go Mustang Sports. I'm Dave McHugh joined by field hockey coach Laurel Martin after another pretty successful week Teams off to a program best 5-in-1 start to the season. Thanks to wins over Goucher and St. Mary's this past week First and foremost Congratulations on the start to the season. The team's got to be excited just about how this how the first six games have gone They are they are they're learning how to win and they're excited and they're bonding together and It's a good group to have We talked about the goucher game being a you got to come ready for it because the rowing game was so big over time When over a perennial power You know always considered in the top 25 you got goucher coming who's good You don't want to rest on your laurels the way that game kind of worked out It looked like the team just quite wasn't ready for goucher Yeah, and that's a tough game to bounce back to and the girls knew it and the coaching staff we knew it and We did not perform up to our ability, but goucher is good and goucher is going to surprise some players and some teams so we were able to pull off the win and over time and So that was one of those. Okay. Yes, we did it and and we've grown from that and we've learned from that game and We've become stronger because of it and barely Just barely Of course that momentum again another home game certainly building towards a great season and that went into st. Mary's what? What was the message to the team? Okay? We beat Rowan. We barely got past goucher St. Mary's our former conference foe on the horizon. How do you prepare the team for that game? I mean this team is a love this this team is a top team. They need challenged and they need to be held accountable Seems like every second, but they react well to it, you know coming into the gaming at st. Mary's We never beat them and I knew that coming in as a coach and I wanted to make that transition to prove that we're getting stronger and better and the team knew that and we We played a decent first half but not what we're capable of and I and I need us to play what we're capable of every single second of the game and We're getting there second half. We came out and and we showed who we really are So you get a solid win for one four different players I was gonna say coach it's you got to feel good about the fact that now you're starting to show some more weapons Yeah, yeah, and definitely I mean and everyone's starting to step it up a little bit I'm asking for my outside midfielders to overlap and be more of a scoring threat and my other four was besides Katelyn Dempsey she shoots all the time and she's wonderful at doing that sure and we love that and But but I keep telling my other fours, you know shoot as much as she does keep shooting Let's pepper that that goalie and they're getting it and they're starting to do it more and now we're seeing we're seeing a more Of a well-rounded forward attack and certainly that's going to change the opinions of teams You're gonna have to face when they start to scout you that's got to be something you like to you realize Maybe Dempsey's gonna start opening up a little bit because you have other threats lighten the load on Dempsey Because they got other people to worry about it'll be good You also haven't given up that many goals in this in the season so far really nice average that goal He's playing really well for you guys. Yeah. Yeah, we have a very strong goal. You're not only are starting goalie but our backup goalie as well and Very pleased with with with Gabby's effort. She is a commander-in-chief back there She just demands excellence out of her players and and is very verbal and certainly an athletic gifted goalie as well So you now look at the week ahead You're actually going the road for one game, which is a little bit down the road So, you know, it's interesting last year we talked about all the road games this year It's all about the home games You do have a road game here with McDaniel and then you'll finish up back home again. It's against here against Susquehanna Shenandoah should say let me back up and go to McDaniel though a Tough team you guys have not necessarily come out of W's when you face the green terror What do you have this year that maybe changes that tide and allows you to get a win out there in Westminster? Well, certainly our mentality is stronger The kids have learned how to win and the kids have learned how to expect to win and finding a way to create that success Is different this year than it has been in years past. So that was that's good We have speed. We have aggression And you know McDaniel is gonna give us a fight. I know that I know they're players Yeah, and and they're gonna give us a fight So it's just a matter of can we execute like I know we can Of course under the lights up there Nothing majorly different there, but still being at their facility and changes things certainly after you've been at home for a while But then you do return home again on Saturday The the end of a triple header here at Mustang Stadium against Shenandoah This is a team that you've told me is up and coming This is a team that can can get the right team if if you're not prepared Yeah, I mean similar to goucher that's improving every year Shenandoah. There's a new coach on board there as well She's improving their program. They're playing a nice style She's upsetting some teams that are used to defeating Shenandoah. So that is uh, there's no games We can take lightly at this point stage. So that'll be a battle as well Of course, uh, we talked last time about the lightning delays between women's soccer and yourselves and how that dragged the night on In your game against Rowan adding in overtime to make it even more fun This time around with Shenandoah, you've got a football game earlier in the day You've got another soccer game to follow up that and then you guys on top of that not a lot of wiggle room How do you get your team prepared for the I would say the inevitable delay that could occur to your game Yeah, we um, we we really just don't even focus on it until it happens And then if it happens we we react accordingly. Um, and just take it light and easy And we uh, my big focus is during the day making sure the girls are eating properly hydrating properly And and resting we don't want them out in the sun all day for the football game That's sort of a thing five and one start obviously have a number of good players We talked about Caitlyn Dempsey. We talk about her often But there's other players that are stepping up and really having great season so far Meg Gill better known as marge certainly is one of those. Yeah. Yeah marge is um, she's she's Doing some really wonderful things for us on the defensive end and um, she plays an attacking Defender as well and her fitness level her stamina and and just her heart. I mean that kid never gives up Is one of those things that you would you love to have on your team? Of course, she's just one part of that defense that's playing well. Yeah. Yeah We have hop back as a defender again And uh, she is just a wonderful That those two the the combination of marge and hop back there on the back end It's a difficult process to get through for the opponents Those two are relentless and hops got great skill and a great ability to fine tune some Some balls out from the backfield and marge just runs and runs and runs Nothing wrong for that. So it's it's it's a good combination Well, congratulations again on a great start best in program history at five and one again on the road Tuesday Night at mcdaniel for returning home Saturday night against shenandoah here at mustang stadium for coach laurel Martin i'm dave mcquee. We'll catch up with the field hockey team next week. Once again here on go mustang sports