By Andrew Krumme
Coach Pam Bustin and the U of L field hockey team (11-6) are quietly wrapping up a solid season. After defeating Rutgers 8-1, the 16th-ranked Cardinals will finish up the regular season next week against Michigan and Iowa and begin looking to the Big East Championship. This year’s squad has had one of the best years in school history.
Much of the credit goes to two seniors, April White and Rachel Overton, along with junior star Jessica Javelet. White and Overton were both honored over the weekend on senior night against Rutgers and were also named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I Senior South All-Star Team.
It was a remarkable season for the two seniors, both three-year starters who led the Cards into their inaugural season in the Big East.
“The move to Big East means that we are moving to the next level. We are ready to move up and take on a new challenge,” Overton said. ” It has affected the team as whole because no one can do it alone, and we all know this. We are ready to fight our way into the Big East and we aren’t making it easy for anyone.”
While the senior leadership has been critical for this year’s, so has the play of midfielder Jessica Javelet. Javelet has gathered several Big East Player of the Week honors, along with leading the nation in scoring at one point.
“We have been consistently putting teams away that we should beat, which has helped our confidence,” Javelet said. “At times I think we can doubt ourselves, but that is probably because we are so young.”
The team’s 10-3 start this year vaulted the team into the national spotlight. After dropping their season opener against Duke, Bustin’s ladies reeled off five straight wins including opening up Big East conference play with a 6-0 win against Syracuse.
The Cards then hit a rough spot, dropping four of five games to several ranked foes, including a 5-2 loss against top-ranked Wake Forest.
This weekend will be a test for Louisville to get things back on track before the conference tournament.
“We are not a team that quits easily. We still have time to fix things and make a run at the Big East and NCAA tournament,” Javelet said.
