Some might call superstitions silly and useless, but with the help of a four-inch doll the women’s soccer team has trampled their competition for the past six weeks. Superstitions are common phenomena throughout the world but are particularly prevalent in sports. In an arena of fierce competition that requires the vague and elusive edge to excel, athletes commonly cling to reassuring objects or behaviors they believe will bring them luck.

“We want to feel like we have a cause and effect relationship with things,” said Assistant Professor of Psychology Eva Lawrence. Superstitions give athletes a sense of control over the game beyond their own talents and skills. Sports are unique in that athletes have control over the game, whereas superstitions usually compensate for a lack of control, Lawrence adds.

These superstitions usually arise by chance. Behavioral psychologist B.F. Skinner observed pigeons conducting ritualistic behavior, such as swinging back and forth like a pendulum, to procure food they had no control over. These were behaviors they happened to be doing when the food first appeared.

Guilford’s women’s soccer team craves victory like pigeons desire food.

The usual accompaniment of superstitions can be found among various players. One player will only wear one of two particular sports-bras for games. Another refuses to change her cleats mid-season.

Sophomore Diana Newman gives her jersey to Coach Eric Lewis to wash before each game because they haven’t lost since he first did.

In fact, a team-wide superstition underscores their current unbeaten streak of 13 games. It’s something they call the Mundy doll.

The team picked up the doll at a fair in Texas for its likeness to sophomore midfielder Jennifer Mundy. Then Coach Lewis dropped the Mundy doll and broke its arm. Shortly thereafter, Jennifer Mundy fell and hurt her arm.

After Lewis broke the doll again, the team put it in a jar, and they haven’t lost a game since. Now they will not play without it.

The doll is so important that Sarah Lanzi, first-year team manager, received Player of the Game for chasing their bus around Randolph – Macon College to retrieve it. “We were panicking when we couldn’t find the Mundy doll,” Lewis said.

“Something good happens when they (have it), so they make the association,” explained Lawrence.

“It’s a matter of getting into routine, getting into the game,” Coach Lewis said.

Sophomore Emily Ott agrees with Lewis: “It’s like habit.”

Regarded as the superstition figurehead among her teammates, Ott has many of these habits. “I try to be an existentialist and not believe in luck, but it doesn’t work out too well.”

In sports, it’s crucial to be in the right frame of mind so that a player can excel in the game. For Coach Lewis and his players, the superstitions are just mental cues to get them confident and pumped for the game.

Lawrence agreed that the superstitions are benign, asking, “what’s the harm?”

Helping the team to a 1-0 win against Randolph – Macon on Oct. 30, the Mundy doll continues to shepherd the team to glory. The game also marked the first ODAC tournament win in women’s soccer history.

With luck, the Mundy magic will keep the team alive at Lynchburg on Nov. 5 for the ODAC semifinals.