HOUGHTON,
N.Y. -- Records were made to be broken, right? The old clich?still
rings true, at least for Houghton College senior field hockey player
Kelly Mazzeo.
Last week Mazzeo secured her place in the Houghton College record books
as she blasted her 45th career goal past the Frostburg State
keeper midway through the second half to give Houghton a 1-0 win.
The Braddock, New Jersey native broke the
record of Lori Sheetz, who had scored 44 goals from 1989-92. Mazzeo,
who has scored eight goals this season, scored five goals as a freshman,
22 as a sophomore, and 10 last season. Her 22 goals in 2003 is a school
record for most goals in a single season. Earlier this year she broke
Sheetz?s record for career points.
She tallied six goals and two assists in October to earn Houghton's
Female Student-Athlete of the Month honors.
Since picking up the sport, Mazzeo has been a key player on each team
with which she has played. Her initial interest in field hockey arose in
the autumn of her seventh grade year at Victory Christian Academy in
southern New Jersey. ?[Field hockey] was different. Not everyone can
pick up a field hockey stick and just play,? says Mazzeo. ?It looked
like fun, but you needed the skill.? She played for two years on the JV
team and four years on the varsity team, helping lead her team to four
all-conference championships.
At college decision-making time, Mazzeo was not initially looking to
attend Houghton. ?I didn't want to come to Houghton because it was so
far away from home and it was in the middle of nowhere,? says Mazzeo.
?Then God seemed to open a lot of doors for me to go, and everything
started to work out. Things at the other colleges I was interested in
weren't falling into place, and it just felt like Houghton was where God
wanted me to be.? Along with the field hockey program, Mazzeo took
particular interest in Houghton?s curriculum in childhood education, and
she hopes to pursue a teaching position after graduation.
Over
the past four years, Mazzeo has continually been impressed by the team?s
spiritual focus. ?At Houghton, you play for different reasons than just
yourself,? says Mazzeo. ?The spiritual aspect is what brings us
together. Everyone on the team is different, but because we have the
same reasons for playing, we can come together and play together. We can
play just as competitive as D-2, but still play for God with other
Christians.?
Houghton?s field hockey program is not a member of an intercollegiate
league and, therefore, cannot advance to post-season playoffs. This,
however, does not discourage Mazzeo from playing to the best of her
ability. ?Having a post season would change the reasons for playing,?
says Mazzeo. ?We play like every game is our championship game, just as
important as the next.?
Currently, the team has a record of 8-5-0. ?Even though we don?t have a
post season, we can still knock [other teams] out of the running for
playoffs in their leagues,? she adds, smiling.
Now a senior and captain, Mazzeo is reserved in reflecting on her
success. ?There have been some awesome hockey players at Houghton
College, and for me to be up there with them is just amazing,? she says.
?But ten years from now, everyone?s going to be saying ?Kelly Mazzeo
who?? It?s awesome to be able to say that I broke records, but without
my teammates and the talent God gave me, it wouldn?t mean much.?
Mazzeo has had the opportunity over the years to play alongside her
younger sister, Kristen, who is currently a Houghton junior. Although
Mazzeo makes mention of the sibling rivalry that exists between the two,
she views her sister as a genuine source of encouragement and opinions.
?She?ll tell me things that others might not, and I do that for her,?
says Mazzeo. ?I can trust her to give honest feedback about how I?m
playing.?
As her senior season draws to a close, Mazzeo doesn?t deny that she will
miss playing field hockey. ?It?ll be the first time since 6th
grade that I?ve not been on a team,? Mazzeo says, telling stories of
some of her favorite moments with her teammates. ?I?ve learned so many
?life things? through field hockey?like character and good leadership.?
Mazzeo hopes to continue to make an impact through coaching after
graduation. ?I would absolutely love to coach field hockey at any
level,? said Mazzeo. ?I want to stay involved with the sport even though
I won?t be playing it.?
Mazzeo will play in her final matches at Houghton?s Post-Season
Tournament with Nazareth College, SUNY Oswego, and Saint Vincent College
on November 4-5.
Written by student assistant Nikki Bruck.
