Jen McGill is restless.
Playing goalie for a talented field hockey club just doesn’t provide her with the excitement she’d like to see on the pitch.
Ohio’s offense is on the attack for what seems like an eternity, and on the rare occasion the ball does cross midfield, the defenders in front of her usually get it moving the other way in no time.
Um, what about me?
Maybe McGill should be used to this lack of action. After all, this year isn’t the first one where she’s been left looking for something to do.
In eighth grade, McGill had so little to occupy her time during games that she would sneak a quick bite to eat here and there. Other times, it wouldn’t be out of character for her to break out the air guitar while the rest of the game unfolded across the field.
“That’s what my mother claims,” McGill said. “However, I have no recollection of it.”
Though this year has provided her with more shots to save, McGill has still dealt with games that failed to test her.
In a 9-1 win against Ball State Oct. 1, there was so little pressure that she was able to run sprints while the Bobcats took penalty corners.
“I don’t like sitting around. I like moving,” McGill said. “If I have a day off, I like to go out and do something active. So, this is definitely not a position for a person who has that kind of energy.”
The senior from Louisville, Ky., has started all 16 games for Ohio (13-3, 6-0 Mid-American Conference) this season. In that time, she has surrendered only 11 goals, making her a key component of a defense that ranks second nationally in goals against average.
The Bobcats have given up only .74 scores per game. Third-ranked North Carolina is the only team to defend at a better rate.
Ohio trails only North Carolina in shutouts as well. The Tar Heels have recorded 11 shutouts while McGill and her teammates are right behind with eight.
This year marks the first that McGill has enjoyed the starting job outright. She has seen playing time since her freshman year but had to watch the last two seasons as All-MAC performer Courtney Seiders regularly started in the net.
“Jen has been outstanding,” coach Neil Macmillan said. “She plays really well. She was a very good keeper coming in and has just improved.
“When you have a keeper like that and someone who can be as athletic as she is, it really, really helps.”
That being said, there’s more to the position than simply keeping the ball from crossing the line. The task of coordinating the defense is one that McGill must often account for.
She cannot afford to be quiet and complacent. Attacks from opposing teams can result from a breakdown in communication on the goalkeeper’s part.
“We kind of work to make sure that everyone is marking the correct area on defense,” McGill said.
“I’m kind of trying to direct things out there because I can see everything compared to somebody in the midfield who can’t see what’s going on behind them.”
By being the final roadblock between an opponent and a score, McGill finds herself in pressure-packed spots every so often. Breakaways in particular are an area of the game upon which she is working hard to improve.
“She’s a very motivated worker,” Macmillan said. “So she’ll go out there on her own and do the workouts that she needs to.”
In practice, though, McGill doesn’t always have a mission in mind. She’s often left looking for entertainment while the rest of the team is off doing things that don’t involve shooting.
That boredom might be why McGill has become known as the team prankster. In a memorable moment last season, McGill teamed up with Taylor Brown to pull a fast one on Louzeth Schutte and Jenna Green by taping their teammates’ clothes to the locker room ceiling.
“Apparently Lo walked in and asked, ‘Why are my sweats hanging from the ceiling?’” Macmillan said. “Then she looked up and saw everything else was up there as well.
“Jen has a very fun personality. She’s very light-hearted, very humorous. She gets along really well with everyone on the team.”
me811508@ohiou.edu
