When Davidson meets Columbia in field hockey Friday night, Julia Smith will see a familiar face in the other uniform — her twin sister Allison.
The seniors have never been on the opposite sides of a game, but it'll happen at 6 p.m. in New York.
"Since freshman year of college, we have been bugging our coaches to schedule us to play each other, and now it's finally happening," says Julia Smith. "No matter the result, I think it will be something that will be cherished and remembered in the Smith household for many years to come."
Julia, left, and Allison
Though the Smiths haven't played together for almost four years, they spent a lot of time playing alongside one another while growing up in Wilmington, Dela. While they've never met head-to-head, they've always had a healthy competition with each other. Julia was born first on Sept. 27, 1999, 21 minutes ahead of her sister.
"Allison is a strong and dedicated teammate and leader that is willing to put in the work," says Julia. "She is very technically skilled and mentally smart as a player. She also knows how to use her athleticism and speed to her advantage."
As an Ivy League member, Columbia did not compete last season during the COVID-19 pandemic. So Friday's season opener will be the Lions' first game action in almost 22 months. Allison tied for the team lead with eight goals in 2019 and has started for two seasons. She was an All-Ivy Honorable Mention and was named Academic All-Ivy.
Julia is in her fourth year as a starter for the Wildcats and earn A-10 All-Rookie Team honors as a freshman. She tied for the team lead with four goals in 2019 and has played in the back and midfield for the Wildcats, playing whatever role is needed.
Along with parents, Rodger and Vikki, and a younger sister, Caitlin, the Smiths have a lot in common, including a love of field hockey and high aspirations after college.
"Allison and I are both very driven people and care about our success off the field," says Julia. "We both coincidentally ended up majoring in psychology. We are also both type-A people, so we like to do things a certain way … so that does cause some clashes between us sometimes."
