Catherine Badolato has won three games in her first year with the Rutgers field hockey team. But more importantly, she’s lost three games. And, already, that’s too many for her.

She’s not spoiled, just inexperienced. In her high school playing days, she never saw her team’s winning percentage dip below 1.000, let alone to .500. Never. One hundred fourteen wins, four state titles and not a loss on her record.

Badolato completed a perfect career at Eastern High School in Berlin, N.J., that could not be outdone by any college team who recruited her.

She and her Scarlet Knight teammates will face off against Syracuse tonight in Piscataway, N.J. at 7:30.

Rutgers was 3-16 in 2002, the year before head coach Liz Tchou was hired. Tchou improved upon that with a 7-13 record in 2003 and a trip to the Big East tournament semifinals. This season, Rutgers hasn’t shied away from the competition, scheduling games against national power Michigan State and quality teams like Delaware, Virginia Commonwealth and William & Mary.

The Orange (1-4) was predicted to get the fourth and final spot for the Big East tournament, something Rutgers hopes it can change. It did just that a year ago, with a 1-0 victory over SU at Coyne Field, a win that was pivotal in the conference standings.

‘In our heads, they’re a pretty big rival,’ said Rutgers sophomore Katie Morad, who was a star player for Cherokee High School in Marlton, N.J. She almost ended Eastern’s winning streak in her senior year at Cherokee when Badolato was a sophomore.

‘I’m so bitter towards her,’ Morad joked.

Despite the rivalry, Morad took Badolato around for her recruiting visit – the two no longer have bad blood from their days in talent-littered Southern New Jersey. Morad said the Southern New Jersey girls outnumber the rest of the team, helping them find a common ground to defend besides Rutgers’ success. In fact, of the 11 freshmen Tchou recruited, seven are from South Jersey.

Badolato will get even more of the South Jersey flavor Friday, because SU freshman Brittany Angellella is from nearby Manahawkin, N.J. The two are still friends, and Badolato said Angellella wanted her to come to Syracuse.

Orange head coach Kathleen Parker may be in for a surprise as well. Eastern High School coach Danyle Heilig – who has extended her team’s win streak to 116 games through this season – will take a ride to see her former player in action.

‘I’m thrilled,’ Heilig said. ‘They get to compete at such an elite level.’

Published on September 16, 2004 at 12:00 pm