There have been teams with more talented individual players on it than the current Freehold Borough field hockey team. However, coach Jerry Acevedo considers her 2007 squad the best team she has had at Freehold. The emphasis is on “team.”
“We have a lot of players who make everyone else around them better,” said Acevedo.
Instead of relying on individually talented players to make the plays for them, this year’s Colonials are looking to each other. This collective effort has the team standing at 4-2-1, ranked in the top 10 in the Shore and headed for the postseason again. The only losses were frustrating 1-0 decisions to Wall and Ocean, the two powers in the Class B North Division.
The Colonials have yet to break through and beat Wall and Ocean, but they have closed the gap – not far enough, but they are knocking on the door, and that is the consolation that the Colonials drew from those agonizing losses. Their overall team speed is on par with them, and they are aggressive. They don’t sit and counter-attack. They have gone after them. What has been missing is the big goal at the right time.
“It seems every time we play them [Wall and Ocean], we have our chances and don’t capitalize,” said Acevedo. “The girls want it so badly that in the circle they’re thinking too much. They’re pressing.”
Ironically, it was the offense that was expected to carry the Colonials this year, since the team broke in a new defensive backfield.
“I told the offense, ‘it’s your show,’ ” said Acevedo.
Returners Kristi Lynch and Sara Anderson are the outside backs. They have worked well with Serpos and Linder. Together, the backfield is playing like a veteran unit.
“They have stood their ground,” Acevedo said of her newly formed defense.
Goalie Allison Koch, who shared the duties in the cage last year, has been a different player, more assertive.
“She’s more aggressive with her movement and she communicates with the defense,” said Acevedo.
Midfielders Amy Wilson, Carly Duven and Kelly Craig have been pushing the attack and distributing the ball to the forwards.
With the team struggling to score goals like it did in its two losses, Acevedo is looking for them to become more shot-conscious as the season progresses.
The only drawback offensively for the Colonials was not driving home a goal against either Wall or Ocean. Against other teams, the failure to capitalize on their scoring opportunities didn’t cost them.
One forward who hasn’t been struggling is Meghan Gibson. The junior recently set the Freehold Borough career goal-scoring record when she deposited her 30th goal. The old mark was 29 career scores by Erin Mount (2001). With half a season this year and all of next year, Gibson has the chance to extend her record.
Brittany McCormick, another member of Freehold’s experienced junior class, and her sister, Kellie McCormick, and Viki Ahlers are Gibson’s teammates on the forward line. They have certainly made their presence felt in the circle.

