Jane Agler, Contributing Sports Editor
Jane Agler is a 4th-year Creative Writing and Hispanic Studies double major from Chicago, IL. Before becoming the co-editor of the Sports section, she was a Sports section staff writer during her second year at Oberlin. Outside of the Review office, she can be found watching movies, reading and getting into arguments related to the Michael Jordan vs. LeBron James debate (hint: MJ is the G.O.A.T.).
![On any given day, many of Oberlin’s club sports teams that compete outside — such as club soccer, rugby, frisbee, and quidditch — can be found in North Fields.
However, North Fields becomes inaccessible with the arrival of Ohio’s frigid winter months, when temperatures can drop below zero and snow and ice almost always covers the ground. To avoid the chill, club sports teams will often move their practices into Williams Field House. The space is also used by varsity sports teams, which take priority. As a result, some club sports frequently start practice as late as midnight — like the club soccer team pictured above.
“Late night soccer is great because the energy is different from our regular [afternoon] practices,” said Laila Telles, College fourth-year and club soccer team captain. “I think everyone feels more loose and comfortable and we all laugh even more than usual. [The fact] that we will play soccer at any time of day shows how dedicated we are.”](https://oberlinreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/FeaturePhoto_LailaTelles_WEB-900x600.jpg)
![A Thursday morning announcement revealed that six Oberlin varsity football players earned All-NCAC Honors for their exceptional independent performances this past season. Among them, fourth-year linebacker Von Wooding and second-year tight end Brandon Davies were named All-NCAC second team. Fourth-year defensive players Devin White, Jabree Hason, and Justin Godfrey and third-year offensive lineman Chandler Laird earned All-NCAC honorable mentions.
Next year, the team will lose the combined efforts of Wooding, White, Hason, and Godfrey, but Davies and Laird will return to the field. Davies viewed the All-NCAC Honors as a good omen when looking ahead at next year’s season, especially considering the team won only a single game this year.
“It was really encouraging since our season didn’t go as planned,” said Davies. “I feel like it can only get better from here on out and hopefully we can improve as a team [and I can improve] my own performance.](https://oberlinreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Feature_GoYeo_WEB-900x900.jpg)
![Outscoring their competitors by a whopping 171–68 margin, the Oberlin women’s swimming and diving team took away its first win of the season against Tiffin University, an NCAA Division II school. The Yeowomen snagged first in 13 of the 16 events, with impressive performances by team newcomers and veterans alike. College first-year Tara Draper clinched first-place in two freestyle events, while College third-year and diver Lauren Young won both the 1-meter and 3-meter diving events.
“I think I’ve made a lot of progress this year, and it feels great to win both boards,” said Young.
“I’m really just proud that I got to contribute to the team’s first win of the season. Everyone worked super hard for that win and [has] been working incredibly hard all season.”
Prior to facing Oberlin, the Tiffin women’s swim and dive team lost to the University of Notre Dame, a Division I team, 142–78 — a comparatively closer margin than their final score against Oberlin.](https://oberlinreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/OberlinvTiffin_GoYeo_WEB-900x506.jpg)
![Last Saturday, field hockey alumni from the class of 2019 returned to Oberlin to catch the final game of the season and celebrate this year’s four College fourth- years Fatima Escalera, Hayley Segall, Libby Royer, and Luisa McGarvey. Their return to Oberlin served as a reflection of the team’s bond — one that exists between different generations of Oberlin varsity field hockey players, even beyond graduation.
In an article published in the Review over a year ago that detailed the unique friendships developed within the field hockey team, former captain Emma Broun, OC ’19, who attended this year’s senior commemoration and is pictured above in the middle, described the importance of team bonding over winning — a value that this year’s group of fourth- years has continued to cultivate.
“The general culture [of the field hockey team] is very focused on kindness, care, and love,” Broun said in 2018. “Nobody told our team that we have to love each other and spend time together off the field — we just do. Of course, we all have the common goal of playing good field hockey and winning games, but basing an entire two months of our lives on beating other teams won’t necessarily create the kind of environment we all want to live in. Instead, the common goal we are encouraged to pursue by our coaches [and each other] is being kind to others.”](https://oberlinreview.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Featurephoto_NathanCarpenter_WEB-900x675.jpg)
