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BY GREG WATERS N ADINE DE KONING AND Emilie van Zinnicq Bergmann grew up in The Netherlands 48 miles apart from one another. Both played field hockey at the nation's highest level, but never played on the same team or against one another. Despite the prominence of the sport in Holland, Koning says the two did not meet until three years ago. "We met three years ago accidentally at a field hockey camp in Barcelona, Spain, when we did the showcase together," Koning said. "We were there for nine days playing some field hockey and going to the beach. "It was really strange," Bergmann added. "We played in different cities, and since I'm a year older we never got to play against each other. "We met at the showcase and I thought Nadine was really cool and we talked about how it would be so much fun if we got to go to the same college, but we figured it was never going to happen." But it did. The two Dutch natives are part of an impressive recruiting class head coach Michelle Madison has brought to Charlottesville this season. Both young women began their collegiate field hockey careers at the University of Virginia with a win over William and Mary Aug. 9. Bergmann said the two wouldn't have it any other way. "When Michelle announced the name of the new team players and when we both were announced, I was thinking this is not possible, so we were both so excited," Bergmann said. Bergmann has had an extremely successful career playing club hockey in The Netherlands, moving up to senior level (18 and up) at the age of 15. In her first season playing in the top league for HV Victoria Rotterdam in 2012‑13, she was the top goal scorer, helping her squad finish in first place in the top league and second place in the national tourna‑ ment. Koning is a defender who has played both indoor and outdoor field hockey with club teams in The Netherlands in the National League, the highest national level, and has made it all the way to A1. U.S. coaches such as Madison target players from Holland because they play the game at a higher level and understand nuances of the game that many DUTCH DUO First-Years Nadine de Koning And Emilie van Zinnicq Bergmann Have United In Charlottesville