Courtesy of Sam Rubin
Adjusting to American culture poised no problem for Scotland native and midfielder Imogen Davies ’21, whose formidable entry onto the Yale field hockey team included earning second team All-Ivy honors as a rookie, when she led the Bulldogs in assists and tied for second in points.
Davies, who has started all 27 games in her first two seasons in New Haven, has maintained the momentum from her rookie year as a sophomore. Through 11 games, the Kilmacolm, Scotland native has scored 11 points, establishing herself as a leader on and off the field.
“Midge is one of those players that walks on the field and immediately lights up the team,” captain and back Jackie Kisa ’19 said. “With her personality and her drive and her ball skills, she’s incredibly dependable as well as inspiring. No matter where you are or what situation you’re in, Midge is one of those friends that will always have your back no matter what.”
Davies leads the team this season in goals, points and shot percentage and has been a key offensive player since she stepped on Johnson Field as a first year. Making her debut in the 2017 season opener against Sacred Heart, Davies recorded two assists, before notching her first collegiate goal in the following week against Hofstra.
Davies continued to show off her powerful scoring prowess by tallying a goal in four straight games against Princeton, Lehigh, Cornell and Bryant. By the end of the season, Davies’ statistics totalled six goals, six assists and a .889 shot-on-goal percentage. The primary inserter on the penalty corner unit, Davies secured herself an incontestable position on the team’s offensive attack.
“She’s a pretty obvious leader on the field,” forward Anissa Abboud ’21 said. “She has such a great understanding of the game that it makes her 10 times as dangerous in games. When she’s playing with you, you know she’s there to support you the entire time and she’s never a bad option to give the ball to.”
In 2018, Davies has not missed a beat. The second game of the season saw the Bulldogs locked in a 1–1 tie against Hofstra late in the second half before Davies netted a goal off a corner at 52:33 to put Yale ahead.
Wasting little time, she scored again less than nine minutes later to add insurance to the Elis’ lead. Davies’ second goal was particularly thrilling as she blew past a defender before lifting the ball over Hofstra’s goalie to secure the 3–1 win for the Bulldogs.
“Midge is a talented ball handler and a great force in our midfield,” goalkeeper Sydney Terroso ’21 said. “You can count on her to get the ball down both sidelines. She has great presence on the field.”
A couple weeks later against Sacred Heart, Davies once again demonstrated her corner play effectiveness, finding the back of the cage on a deflection off a shot by midfielder Bridget Condie ’20.
Her goal proved critical as regulation ended in a 1–1 tie before the Bulldogs pulled out a win in overtime on a goal from midfielder Théodora Dillman ’22. Outside of these two crucial performances, Davies has played a key role in nearly every Yale win.
“Midge is the type of player that makes everyone else on the field around her better. It is so easy to get the ball to her or from her and I always have an overwhelming sense of trust in her when she has the ball,” back Laine Garber ’22 said. “Even when she doesn’t have the ball, she opens space for her teammates.”
The Bulldogs have six games left on their slate this season, including four conference matches.
Next Saturday the Elis will take a road trip to Hanover to face Dartmouth before heading home to play Quinnipiac on Sunday.
“Going forward, I hope to keep being able to help our team improve and just enjoy the rest of my time on the team,” Davies said. “It would be awesome to get an Ivy Championship in the next few years, and I don’t think that is something that is unattainable for us but the most important thing for me is to keep appreciating the opportunity I have and becoming the best player I can be.”
Yale’s field hockey roster features players from five countries, including Canada, England, Scotland and South Africa as well as the United States.
Lucy Liu | lucy.liu@yale.edu
Emmett Shell | emmett.shell@yale.edu