GENEVA, N.Y. - Almost four days after upsetting the top team in the country, senior Caroline Torie couldn't believe she was practicing for an NCAA seminal game.
After practice Thursday afternoon on the indoor track at William Smith College, it still hadn't set it.
The DePauw field hockey team is focusing on Saturday's NCAA Div. III semifinal matchup against Tufts University. The wins in round No. 2 and No. 3 last weekend didn't come as a shock to Torie and her teammates, but their win was unexpected for others.
"I have so much confidence in this team," Torie said. "We crossed a huge bridge last weekend. We know now that this is in our hands. We're all healthy, and we're just really fired up."
The Jumbos (17-2) will be a tough matchup for the Tigers (21-1). Tufts plays in the same conference as Middlebury College - the No. 1 team in the country.
Last weekend, the Tigers downed Middlebury in overtime, 2-1. In the win, DePauw had no shots in the first half. During halftime, head coach Gina Wills made slight adjustments in the offensive scheme, but it was an increase in confidence that made the difference.
"We were hesitant when we saw the defense in front of us," Wills said. "We learned in the second half that we have the skill and have the ability to take people one-on-one. That was good confidence building for our offense."
Against the Jumbos, the Tigers hold the edge in virtually every statistical category. DePauw is No. 1 in the country in goals against average (0.54) and shutouts per game (0.68). DePauw highlights a dynamic offense led by senior Margaret Ellis that produces 3.77 goals per game, good for No. 13 in Div. III. Tufts scores about one goal less per game (2.74).
But what cannot be discounted is the strong conference the Jumbos compete in. The New England Small College Athletic Conference features top teams Middlebury and Bowdoin College.
"Everything we've heard and seen about Tufts is they are a consistent and steady team," Wills said. "They do all the little things right. It's important for us to be sharp with our skill and make sure we're working together on offense. We need to stay aggressive in the circle and take advantage of the opportunities when they come."
Chelsea Yogerst leads the Jumbos' attack with 13 goals on the season. Not far behind her is Kelsey Perkins with 10.
While the statistics favor DePauw - most notably Ellis' 27 goals on the season - it's the defense combined with the offensive attack that may prove to be too much for Tufts.
"We're preparing for another hard-fought match," Wills said. "We have a good balance with a defense that's very disruptive, and we have a lot of talented scorers. The balance had allowed us to make it this far."
Sophomore goalkeeper, Maggie Steele, stood tall in the cage last weekend against Utica College and Middlebury. Steele tallied 18 saves, and retained her spot as the Div. III leader in goals against average.
"She hasn't gotten a ton of shots this season," said Bridgette Shamleffer, senior. "It was exciting for her to get some good saves in a real game."
The Tigers' back line is anchored by three juniors - Chelsea Cutler, Sydney Sprawls and Taylor Helms.
Against Middlebury, the three did well to stop what Ellis said was comparable play to Div. I competition.
"The speed of the game was similar," Ellis, a University of Richmond transfer student, said. "There were all sorts of comments thrown our way, and one of them said we couldn't keep up. But we showed we could play at that speed."
The Tigers face the Jumbos at 11 a.m. from McCooey Memorial Field at William Smith College.
"We just have to keep the same speed we had before," Ellis said. "Our motto this year is leave nothing, and it's going to come down to that. Everyone is going to have give everything they have. We're not overly confident or scared."
Shamleffer added: "It'll be a good game. Getting past last weekend was the most crucial part for us. We weren't expecting to come out with two wins. Now in the final four, now we really know we can go all the way."