Geneseo field hockey won its eighth straight game on Wednesday Oct. 26. The win against Keuka College on Thursday Oct. 20, however, was extra special for the team because it marked head coach Jess Seren’s 100th career victory. “My successes are a reflection of the players I’ve been fortunate enough to coach,” Seren said. “I’ve had the privilege to work with great student athletes here at Geneseo but, more importantly, they’re great people.”
In addition to the players Seren has worked with within the sport, she expressed that this achievement is just as impressive for her as it is for the assistant coaches.
“All of the assistant coaches I’ve had—who dedicate so much of their time and energy to help this program—deserve recognition, too,” Seren said. “They’ve all made my job enjoyable and rewarding; those 100 wins go out to each of them.”
The team evened its record at 9-8, after beginning the season at 1-8. The team has fought hard all season and new player adjustments on the field—as well as the continued team bonding off the field—have proven to be quite effective.
Now, with only two games left in the regular season, Seren and the team are looking toward the SUNYAC Tournament. Their momentum will certainly be beneficial for the team, as they will be competing against the top two ranked teams—SUNY Cortland and SUNY New Paltz—in addition to SUNY Oneonta for the title. The top four SUNY teams make the playoffs and the competition is based on regular season conference records.
The semifinals will take place on Wednesday Nov. 2, where Geneseo—who clinched the third seed in their victories last week—will face New Paltz at 2 p.m. This game will be an away game for the Knights, but that has not stopped them yet this season, as they’ve won six of their nine away games.
Although the stakes are higher, the team will move into the playoff games just as they’ve gone into every previous game.
“Playoffs are treated the same as the regular season. We take one game at a time, get to know our opponent, but really focus on our team and executing our game,” Seren said. “Obviously we know that come playoff time, without a win, there is no tomorrow. We don’t let that change what we want to do out there. At this point in the season, we are who we are and we will continue to be the best version of ourselves with each opponent we face.”
Their unwavering confidence in this speaks to the players not only as athletes, but as people. Additionally, the semifinals against New Paltz will have some extra meaning for the Knights. When the two teams met earlier this season, Geneseo lost 5-1 at home.
“It was a much more even game than the score indicates, and we are a different team now than we were then,” Seren said. “We are stronger and more confident on both ends of the ball, and the players are really connecting with each other out on the field. It will be a good matchup.”
The team has come very far this season and will look to continue to succeed in the SUNYAC Tournament.