fter giving up the first goal of the game, it was only a matter of time until the offense asserted itself in the contest.
The Tigers got off to a rocky start in their game against Wittenberg University (3-3, 4-5 NCAC) on Wednesday, but scored five straight goals to win 5-1, claiming yet another North Coast Athletic Conference victory.
"I think we might have gotten a little frazzled, a little nervous," said sophomore Clarke Brennan.
Senior Lissy Collin said she was unsure why the team started off slowly on its home field against the defending NCAC champion. But the Tigers were quick to rebound.
"That first goal really snapped us back to where we needed to be and put us in check," Collin said.
Wittenberg's Beth Warning scored on an unassisted goal in the opening seven minutes, which gave Wittenberg a 1-0 lead, but Brennan and the offense quickly regrouped to hold possession in Wittenberg's half to even the score.
Brennan, who scored the equalizing goal on an assist from senior Kim Trainor, said that once the team got its act together, the Tigers started connecting on passes.
"We were working for each other and sending good passes and moving to the ball," Brennan said.
Minutes after the first Tiger goal, junior Margaret Ellis, who was named NCAC player of the week, added two more goals as the Wittenberg defense struggled to keep up with the quick ball movement of DePauw. Trainor added her name to the scoring sheet in the first half as well, and the Tigers found themselves up 4-1 at the half. Freshman Paige Henry rounded out the scoring for the rest of the game with the lone goal in the second half.
The Tigers held a 25-2 edge in shots and led in corners, 12-5. DePauw improved to 7-1 overall with its seventh straight win and stayed perfect in the NCAC at 6-0.
Collin said the winning streak has made the team environment a lot more fun and comfortable.
"We can focus on the little things and have a good time because we're not stressed out," Collin said. "We're not disappointed in ourselves, and we're proud of each other."
The Tigers will host Denison University tomorrow at 11 a.m. on the field west of Blackstock Stadium during DePauw's Parents Weekend.
"I'm really excited to play this weekend," Brennan said. "When we have a lot of fans, it makes a fun atmosphere for us to play in. It'll be fun for all the families, because they can go to the football game and the field hockey game."
Collin said the game against Dension will be very important for the Tigers' NCAC standing and that the team will work harder than ever to come out on top. Denison is second in the NCAC to DePauw with a conference record of 5-0 and an overall record of 8-0.
"This game is really nerve racking, because we're fighting for first place in the NCAC," Collin said. "I think having it at home is a huge advantage."