DePauw field hockey finished its first weekend of play at .500 after losing to the Centre College Colonels on Saturday night.
Junior forward Grace Fisher scored the lone goal for the Tigers, with 7:39 left in the game. Despite a 22-1 shot advantage in the second half, the Tigers were unable to recover after the Colonels' scored two goals in the first half.
Paige Henry, a junior forward, said the Tigers sluggish start to the game is what caused their first regular season loss in almost a full year.
"We did not come out ready to play when the whistle was blown," Henry said. "They took advantage of that and scored with in the first minute of play. We started playing our game in the second half and had numerous chances to get on the board, but we just had trouble executing."
The highlight of the Tigers' weekend was Friday night's season opener in Springfield, Ohio against Lynchburg College. The Tigers pulled the victory in a 2-1 overtime thriller.
First-year Jamie Stoner put in the game-winning goal with 2:37 left in overtime. It was her first official goal as a collegiate athlete. Senior Chelsea Cutler scored the first goal of the game, coming on an assist from midfielder first-year Addie Ball.
Fisher notes the impact the win had on the teams' psyche.
"Last year we lost [to Lynchburg] and they scored their goals in the second half," Fisher said. "Friday was a good win... The wheels are starting to turn, and we saw that this weekend."
Fisher has had a big adjustment for this season with her new position at right forward.
"I didn't know where I was going to play going into season," she said. "I knew I had a chance of higher forward."
The position change has given Fisher the opportunity to display her offensive prowess early in the season. In the two games against Centre and Lynchburg this weekend, Fisher had total of eight shots, resulting in one goal. Last season, Fisher had 11 shots on goal and scored one.
Fisher said her offensive approach changed once she started playing the right forward position.
"Last year I would like to pass it more," Fisher said. "This year I'm taking more shots, taking more risk. I want to score more goals this year. Its all about taking risks."
Henry also notes the need for an aggressive offensive front during games. Henry was named to the All-NCAC Field Hockey Second Team in 2012, and she was the third-best scorer on last year's roster with 13 goals total.
"We lost our top scorer from last year, so I know I need to step it up this year and be an offensive force on the front line," Henry said. "I believe once we get in our groove, our offense line will be unstoppable."
The Tigers have a week to practice before their next game against the University of Mary Washington. Ranked sixth in the country, UMW is coming off a 13-1 victory against Hendrix College. The 13 goals scored matched the school record for most goals in a game. The Tigers acknowledge the challenge ahead.
"They're [UMW] probably the hardest team we will play for a while," Fisher said. "Our level of play is going to have to step up."
If her weekend performance gives any indication, Fisher is no stranger to stepping up to challenges at hand.