Being the anchor of a defense isn’t easy, but sophomore Laura Ressler is trying her best making it look like it. The goalie is an athletic training and pre-physical therapy major who transferred from Elizabethtown University the fall of last year. She has gelled with her new team pretty well since day one.
“I really enjoy the team aspect of college sports,” Ressler said. “I really love the team here.”
Part of playing field hockey for the Eagles are the tough practices head coach Camrin Azzarano puts her girls through. Ressler has been adjusting to it.
“Practices are so hard, but when you get into the game, I get into the zone,” Ressler said. “Nothing else really matters.”
Ressler hasn’t been bad during game time either. The sophomore has saved more than 80 percent of shots this season.
Ressler has her own method of getting in the zone just prior to taking the field.
“I love listening to warm-up music on my MP3 player,” Ressler said. “That gets me really hyped up to play.”
Ressler says that her competitive side comes from her family.
“I’ve always been competitive,” Ressler said, “so I bring that into field hockey. I want to play my best every game. Even if we win and I don’t play my best, I am still mad at myself.”
She can’t forget about a little sibling rivalry also.
“My sister is a field hockey goalie too so everything is competition to us,” Ressler said.
Being a goalie, Ressler takes the pressure of knowing the outcome of the game depends on how well she plays. A lot of players would shy away from that pressure. Ressler isn’t one of those players; she finds it enjoyable being the difference maker.
“I actually don’t even know how I became goalie in seventh grade,” Ressler said. “It is fun to be the backbone of the team and have them trust you. It is hard sometimes since if you make a mistake it goes on the scoreboard.”
Ressler may not be the one scoring the goals, but she enjoys looking at the game in between the pipes – a game that she has grown to love.
“I like [field hockey] because everyone thinks girl’s sports are wimpy,” she said. “I think field hockey is tough and hard.”
As mentioned before, Ressler is making it look easy.