On August 14, 2019,
Samantha Aljets and
Georgia Beachley stepped onto the turf at the TU Field Hockey Complex for the first official practice of the 2019 season. This was their first official practice as freshmen attackers on the Towson University field hockey team and a preview of what is to come as they begin their 11th season playing together.
"We've been on the same team every year since third grade," Beachley said. "Every season we have played together."
The pair graduated from C. Milton Wright High School in 2019 and set their sights on Towson University, 24 miles south down the road.
Aljets and Beachley played youth, club and school field hockey together since they were in grade school but this would be uncharted territory for the current Tiger scoring duo. Coming to TU started in their sophomore year of high school when they began coming to clinics on campus.
After coming on campus for clinics and a tour, Aljets had decided that this campus held what she wanted, field hockey and academics. Beachley on the other hand was not sold yet on going to college just 45 minutes away from home.
"I was really hesitant because I felt like it was too close to home," Beachley said. "Originally this wasn't my first choice but I kept coming to clinics with Sam, and I started to really fall in love with the school and the team. Even though it is close, it's not as close as I felt. My parents can come to all the games and that's an aspect that I really liked and if I had gone further away it would be more traveling for them to come see me."
These Bel Air, Maryland natives were excited to start going to college together and being on the same roster for another season. As Aljets said, they basically spend most of the day together here. They have different roommates, other Tigers on the team, but have practice, lift and study hall together. Beachley declared a business major while Aljets is studying nursing.
This season the two rookies have contributed to the highest-scoring Towson offense since the 2012 season. Beachley leads the team in goals scored with six, she also has three assists. Aljets paces the Tigers in assists with six, she has scored five goals so far. In Towson's win over Georgetown they scored all three goals, two from Beachley and one from Aljets.
On Sept. 6 they connected to score the first Towson goal of the year against Lehigh.
"I was jumping around like an idiot," Aljets said. "It was a moment like 'oh, we've got this,' just because we're freshmen doesn't mean we can't score."
"I think it's really cool that we've come in as freshmen and can make an impact on the team," Beachley said. "I really love the team chemistry and we are constantly improving. I think as the years progress we can only go up."
Their friend connection has also made an impact on the field, five of the 11 goals scored between the two of them were assisted by the other. Three of Beachley's goals were assisted by Aljets, while two Aljets scores were set up by Beachley.
"It's kind of like the sixth sense," Aljets said. "Georgia doesn't even need to say anything because I know where she's going to be on the field to pass it to her. We can also be a little bit harder on each other because we know it's all out of love and we don't take it as personal."
When these two aren't studying or playing field hockey, they do have best friend activities they partake in, like pasta eating.
"Our favorite snack is garlic and butter noodles," Beachley said. "In high school we would have that before every game. We go to Goodwill sometimes, that's our spot. We are artsy too, we like to go on photo shoots and take fun pictures."
Aljets and Beachley are two of 13 total freshmen on the Towson field hockey roster and not only lead the team offensively but are ranked in conference statistics. Aljets is currently second in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in assists with six while Beachley is tenth in goals with six.
The two return to the field this weekend on the road at Drexel and Hofstra.
