From start to finish, Bryn Mawr Field Hockey has had an exceptional season. In September, the Bryn Mawr Field Hockey team set a record for defeating a nationally ranked school for the first time, followed by a win against another national team the day after. Without a doubt there was no lull in the season afterwards. The team rose to the Centennial Conference Championship for the first time in history, and faced double overtime and a penalty shootout against Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The Owls also received a Division III regional ranking for the first time, and earned votes within the NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll seven weeks straight. At the end of the season, the team was awarded honors by the Centennial conference for their incredible accomplishments.
The Owls broke numerous records in the 2022 season: They earned 15 game-winning goals, 162 points, and 46 assists, all of which surpassed their prior stats. In addition to the many firsts within the season, they also achieved the second largest goal count within a season (58) and their third highest save percentage in a single season (.821).
Five Bryn Mawr FH athletes in particular were awarded honors by the Centennial Conference. Hazel Miller (’25), Eva Yacura (’25), and Maggie Titus (’23) were named first team and Kate Ervin (’25) was named second team. Page Davis (’23) earned the award of All-Sportsmanship. The Bryn Mawr coaching staff (directed by Victor Brady, Lauren Fuchs, Christie Jones, and Ashley Ross) were awarded Coaching Staff of the Year. The 2022 season marked Brady’s seventh season with the Bryn Mawr Field Hockey team. For Jones and Fuchs, this was the sixth season spent with the owls, followed by the second season for Ross.
During their first playoff game of the season, the Owls defeated Haverford’s field hockey team 4-0, followed by another win two days later against Franklin & Marshall (3-2), one of the nationally ranked teams that the Owls defeated in 2022.
The team then advanced to the Centennial Conference Championships, where they rivaled JHU, another nationally ranked team. Notably the JHU also holds several advanced players, including a graduate student as a Midfielder, a critical role in both the defense and offense on the field. The Owls faced a demanding and drawn out match, and faced both double overtime and a shootout against JHU. While the final outcome of the game was a loss (1-2), the Owls still displayed an exceptional performance—considering the fact that JHU is nationally ranked, and throughout the playoffs did not have a single point scored against them. While the game initially seemed like JHU was winning in regulation, the Owls successfully gained the equalizer and forced an overtime.
Player Sarah Chapman earned the tying goal with only 0.8 seconds left in regulation, a feat that prevented JHU from acquiring an earlier win. The Owls forced the game into a second overtime, and a penalty shootout that lasted seven rounds. This was only the second time in Centennial Conference history that a championship game was drawn out to a shootout, which ended in a (5-4) score for JHU.
The Owls ended the season with the most wins in the program’s history (15-5), and the class of 2023 will graduate with the most wins in one class (37-17), in spite of the fact that an entire season was missed due to COVID-19. The season concluded with the Owls placing third in the conference for Field Hockey among 11 other colleges.
From the pre-season in August to the November championship, the Owls demonstrated harmony within the team, as well as determination and resilience. Players consistently delivered their highest amount of effort and energy to the game as possible, which was echoed in their recognitions within the conference, and their respect and devotion to their teammates. It is clear that the Owls maximized their potential as a team within the 2022 season. This year was an encouraging sign that BMC athletics are growing in strength. If the Owls continue playing as such a strong cohesive unit, the 2023 season will be just as compelling to root for.
