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Gloucester hoping to win it for Ziergiebel

Wednesday, October, 31 By Nick Curcuru
Correspondent

After defeating Danvers 2-0 last Thursday, the Gloucester field hockey team had to wait in anticipation for the score from Marblehead's game against Swampscott.

The Fishermen (11-5-1), needed a Big Blue win to clinch the Northeastern Conference title, a tie would mean that Gloucester and Marblehead would split the championship. When word got to the Fishermen that the game was a tie and that Gloucester would share the conference title, the team bus erupted with applause.

But the celebration was bittersweet.

Earlier that day the team attended the funeral of assistant coach Jane Ziergiebel, who had passed away in a car accident on October 20, and many of the players were still grieving the loss.

"The team's emotions have been all over the place in the last week," head coach Kim Patience said. "It was exciting to win the conference, but we were both happy and sad at the same time. We were intent on taking something positive out of our games last week and we did by winning both games which really showed our strength."

Patience also noted the irony of a game involving Marblehead to decide the Northeastern Conference, because Ziergiebel came on as an assistant coach after a loss to Marblehead earlier in the season. Ziergiebel's father, John, is also the principal of Marblehead High School.

"It's almost like it was fate the way it came down to us and Marblehead," Patience said.

In memory of their coach, the girls have decided to wear t-shirts under their game jersey's that say "In Memory of Coach Z" on the front, and the No. 1 on the back, which was Ziergiebel's number when she played field hockey for Gloucester High School. The team will also wear wrist bands with the letter Z on them.

Patience described Ziergiebel as a pusher, a very firm and hard working coach who was willing to take criticism to improve upon herself.

"Jane coached just the way she played, which was all out," Patience said. "She did a great job working with our defense."

Ziergiebel's tough coaching style also drew praise from her players.

"Jane was an amazing coach and she was awesome to work with," senior captain Caitlin Cole said. "She had a lot of knowledge about the sport. She ran us a lot, which is tough but it has definitely paid off. We got a lot out of her this season and we could not have asked for more."

With the regular season having commenced, Gloucester is now looking to win the state championship for Ziergiebel. The 12th-seeded Fishermen begin tournament play tomorrow at fifth-seeded Lincoln-Sudbury (2:30 p.m.), and hope to carry the momentum of a conference title into the tournament.

"They have a turf field so the game will be fast-paced," Cole said. "But we have strong players all over the field and we are hoping to get an early lead and take control from there."

This season also marks the 18th and final season for Patience. The long time coach and second-year athletic director has put forth an impressive career that includes five Northeastern Conference titles and 13 straight trips to the state tournament. Patience also took two teams to the regional finals, which is where the Fishermen hope to get past this year.

Thus, there is plenty of motivation for the Fishermen to make a deep tourney run.

"We want to win the state championship and make it further than any other Gloucester team both for Jane and for coach Patience," Sophomore forward Alisha Clayton said. "After all that we have been through and the way we have come together as a team, it won't feel right if we don't."