Light Blue falls in first game with Woolley at the helm

The 2009 season has brought many changes for the Columbia University field hockey team. The most notable difference is the absence of long-time Head Coach Katie Beach, who retired at the end of the last season. Beach has been replaced by former Assistant Coach Jana Woolley.

In addition to a new head coach, there have been two other changes to the coaching staff. Kayla Bashore and Danny Haydon will serve as second assistant coach and volunteer assistant coach, respectively.

Bashore is a graduate of Indiana University, where she earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association all-region recognition for all four years. She was also named Big Ten’s Player of the Year in her senior year.

After graduating in 2005, Bashore remained at her alma mater to coach for a year before joining the United States field hockey national team in 2006.

Haydon will also bring playing experience to the coaching staff, having played for England’s national team for several years. He was the youngest player to ever be named captain of England’s U21 team and helped his squad earn a Youth Olympics gold medal.

Another major change for the Lions is the loss of five seniors to graduation—Mary Catherine Bullock, Megan Davidson, Jackie Klatsky, Gena Miller, and Jacqui Munro.

Former midfielder Davidson was named to first team all-Ivy for the last two years of her Columbia career and was named to the all-Mideast team as a senior. She was also chosen for National Field Hockey Coaches Association Senior All-Star game after finishing the season with one goal and four assists. Miller, former goalkeeper, was also a valuable asset to last year’s squad, earning a 1.54 goals against average and a .764 saves percentage while garnering four shutouts on the season.

However, to make up for the five players lost, the Light Blue has added eight players to the team—Molly Andrews, Sammy Billy, Maggie Brommer, Katie DeSandis, Bridget DeSandis, Gabby Kozlowski, Christie O’Hara, and Paige Simmons.

Forward Kozlowski and midfield/forward DeSandis were both invited to attend the U.S. Junior National Camp, which was held at Babson College this past July. Goalkeeper O’Hara was named an alternate.

The new squad took on its first opponent this weekend when it hosted Richmond on Saturday. However, Woolley would have to wait for her first win as head coach as the Lions dropped the season opener to the Spiders by a score of 4-0.

Columbia junior Julia Garrison took the first shot of the game, but a Richmond defender was able to deflect it. Shortly after that, Richmond’s Sarah Blythe-Wood scored on a corner, forcing a shot over Columbia goalkeeper Erin Conway. The Spiders would score once more before the half on a goal by Adrian Pickar, assisted by Blythe-Wood.

The second half was just as unsuccessful for Columbia, as Richmond scored twice more. Blythe-Wood made her second goal of the game on an unassisted shot at 49:02. Megan Thompson scored the Spiders’ final goal with an assist from Margaret Ellis.

However, O’Hara’s performance between the goal posts was one bright spot in the second half. Although she let in two shots, the freshman made seven saves in her first game as a Lion. Freshmen DeSandis and Kozlowski also contributed with a shot each.

Despite another solo shot by sophomore Carson Christus and two shots by Garrison, the Light Blue were outshot 13-5.

The Lions will take on Bucknell next on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Columbia Field Hockey Venue at Baker Field.