Oct. 20, 2004

By Michelle Munoz The Post

ATHENS, Ohio (U-WIRE) -- With four games remaining in the Ohio field hockey team's season, midfielder Erica Bundalo is well on her way to putting her name in the Bobcats' record books.

Bundalo, a junior from Virginia Beach, Va., is just three assists away from tying the Ohio record for assists in a single season. She is currently in a four-way tie for fourth place with 11 assists this season.

While she has played a key role in the team's offense this season, Bundalo said she did not have the record in mind at the beginning of the season.

"I didn't really think about it at the beginning of the season," she said. "But as people began talking about it more and more, I kind of got excited about it."

Although Bundalo is getting excited about the record, she said she keeps her thoughts on the game. Any pursuit of the record has not changed the way she plays.

"I basically take the corner out and that's how I get my assists," she said. "I have a lot of confidence in our corner unit."

Coach Shelly Morris said that Bundalo is a strong attribute to the corner.

"She has developed in our corner unit," Morris said. "She gets an assist every time we score off an offensive corner. Her contribution to the unit is what gets her so many assists."

And while tallying three assists in four games to tie the record might seem like a daunting task for most, Bundalo has confidence in her ability and said she thinks she has a good shot at the record. She has plenty of reason to be confident in herself -- during a recent game against Ball State, Bundalo had a career-high three assists.

Morris is hopeful about the record, as well.

"I think it can happen for sure," Morris said. "I think she has done a good job."

Before coming to Ohio, Bundalo played field hockey at Ocean Lakes (Va.) High, where she scored 18 goals and added 27 assists during her junior year. After just one visit to Athens, though, Bundalo knew that she would leave Virginia for college.

"I came and I loved the campus. It's gorgeous," Bundalo said. "I loved the team, too. I knew right after my visit that I would go here; I loved it."

Sports always have played a big role in Bundalo's life. On top of her achievements in field hockey, she participated on the school's soccer and gymnastics teams. Bundalo said her parents always have been very supportive of her athletics.

"They never pushed me into it, but they kind of knew that I could do it," she said. "They were always into it. My parents never missed a high school game; they supported me 100 percent. Even though I was never pressured into it, I always knew that they wanted me to play."

Bundalo and the Bobcats will next play Miami of Ohio Friday at Chessa Field.

(C) 2004 The Post via U-WIRE