The first NCAC game on campus this past weekend resulted in a dominating performance by the DePauw field hockey team.
It could not have been scripted any better: A 7-0 blowout victory where the Tigers controlled possession throughout the game and only let two shots be taken by Ohio Wesleyan University.
That was the third NCAC game for the field hockey team. With that win, the team improved its overall record to 4-1 and 3-0 in the conference. Its other victories in the NCAC have been dominant as well: A 2-0 victory over Kenyon College and a 6-1 thrashing of Earlham College.
For DePauw, looking to make a splash in its first season in the NCAC, the success is attributed to every team's goal of winning the conference title.
The other two NCAC games have come from both soccer teams last weekend. The men's team outplayed Denison University and won 1-0. The women's team also beat Denison by a score of 1-0.
The field hockey victory against Kenyon and the women's soccer win over Denison were notable victories. Kenyon finished third last year in the NCAC standings while Denison was the runner-up for the conference title. With the goal for both teams being to win the conference title and claim a postseason berth, the victories establish confidence for when the teams face the title defenders later in the season.
The perfect start for the Tigers is indicative of athletes' intents to show the conference their best. One main theme in each and every answer from questioning athletes about the conference switch has been that they want to come out and impress their opponents.
The soccer teams and the field hockey team have done just that.
NCAC Executive Director Keri Luchowski was in attendance during Sunday's field hockey game at Blackstock West Field. I interviewed her during half time about what DePauw brings to the conference. One of the first points she highlighted was DePauw's excellence in athletics across the board. Not just in one or two sports, but the overall strength of our athletic program and its ability to automatically increase the quality and level of play in every sport.
The complement by Luchowski is sincere and rightfully true and places an expectation on DePauw athletics to live up to that hype. The Tigers are expected to compete in every sport, and while it is very early to assess where we stack up against the rest of the conference, there are promising signs that the coaching staff along with the athletes are adjusting well to playing new opponents.
This upcoming weekend is full of NCAC matches in the team sports. The volleyball team will open up NCAC play this weekend on the road against College of Wooster, Allegheny College, Kenyon College and Oberlin College. The men's and women's soccer team will face Hiram College and the field hockey team will face Wooster and Oberlin.
For volleyball, the weekend will serve as an initial test as the powerhouse teams of Hiram and Wittenberg University come later in the schedule. The Tigers, who went 3-1 in last weekend's home stand, are starting to figure out the mental side of the game and will be a dangerous team to contend with for the conference title.
In field hockey, Wooster was the runner up last season for the conference title, going 10-2 in the conference.
In soccer, Hiram is still a developing school and because of the talent on offense for both the men and women of DePauw, the games should not pose a challenge.
In terms of performance on the field, DePauw coaches have their teams prepared and the strengths and weaknesses of their opponents identified. What will matter most is if they can utilize their talents on completely new courts and campuses. It will be interesting to see how they deal with their travel and arrival at the new gyms. Can the Tigers adjust to the new settings and translate their positive energy about the new conference on the court?
Can they continue this great start and utilize the talent of DePauw athletes on the court and on the field? We will find out this weekend.
—Appelgate is junior from Kent, Wash. majoring in communications. He is sports editor for The DePauw.
sports@thedepauw.com