August 22, 2007

Field Hockey Picked to Finish Fourth in Northeast-10 Preseason Poll

SOUTH EASTON, Mass. - After a fifth place finish in 2006, the Bryant Field Hockey team has been picked to finish fourth in the 2007 Northeast-10 Conference Preseason Poll.

The Bulldogs (11-10, 9-7 NE-10 in 2006) open their season Wednesday August 29 at Assumption College at 7 p.m. Their home opener is slated for September 10 against Merrimack at 7 p.m.

Head Coach Coni Fichera's squad is led up front by senior Shana Libman (Attleboro, Mass.), classmate Courtney O'Brien (Tewksbury, Mass.) and sophomore Caitlan Johnson (Walpole, Mass.) and in goal by sophomore Kundayi Mawema (Hare, Zimbabwe).

2007 NE-10 Field Hockey Poll

1. UMass-Lowell (4), 112

2. Stonehill (4), 108

3. Bentley (3), 107

4. BRYANT, 82

5. St. Michael's, 81

6. So. Connecticut, 54

7. Assumption, 51

8. Merrimack, 49

9. Franklin Pierce, 41

10. St. Anselm, 22

11. AIC, 19

2007 Season Preview:

In one of the most competitive conferences in Division II, the Bulldogs will look to continue the 2006 success they enjoyed, having finished fifth in the Northeast-10 with an 11-10 record, 9-7 in conference and ranked 9th in the nation's final NFHCA poll. The Bulldogs open the season with five straight road games, including a non-conference trip to Pennsylvania to face national powers Bloomsburg and Mansfield. They will play all seven home games, including senior night on Oct. 20 against Saint Michael's under the lights at the Bryant Turf Complex. Bryant will have the tough task of  replacing its four leaders from last season: Michaela Dwyer, Deanne Viveiros, and All-Americans Kristin Tighe and Laynie Sadler. All four played in the program's 2003 NCAA Division II Final Four as freshmen.

Up front, the Bulldogs return two of their top scorers from last season, seniors Shana Libman and Courtney O'Brien. Libman posted six goals and four assists, to go with 55 shots, while O'Brien used her speed on the outside to register four goals and four assists. A strong spring from sophomores Kelly Frantz and Tia Pydynkowski have them poised to add to the Bulldogs' scoring punch up front. The Bulldogs' up tempo game requires speed and added depth; forwards Caroline Carr and Colleen Wilson, will be counted upon heavily to provide a balanced attack. Carr, Wilson and Pydynkowski saw action in most games last season, while Frantz (eight games)  had a limited role on a 2006 team that was deep up-front. Freshmen Alex Guisti, Kristina Aceto, and Brandie Simmonds will have the opportunity to be immediate factors up front for a Bulldog squad that will need to replace the 21 goals and 57 points Sadler and Dwyer combined for in 2006.

In the midfield, junior Jenna DeMello is the lone upperclassman on the squad. She appeared in 10 games as a sophomore. DeMello will need to solidify a defensive midfield that loses Viveiros, who started every game in her four year career.  Sophomore Caitlan Johnson will again be the quarterback in the midfield, having started all 21 games in that position last season. As a freshman, Johnson was second on the team in scoring with eight goals and two assists, including three against So. Connecticut, one of which was the game-winner as time expired.
Senior Lisa Kennen and junior Lauren Alexander anchor the defensive midfield and will use their experience to shut down opponents' attacks. Kennen has appeared in every game of her three-year career, while Alexander started all 21 games as a sophomore. Sophomore Marissa Martone played in two games last season and will look to contribute to the team's transition game. Freshman Julie Kuchyt leads a trio of incoming midfielders who are all expected to have an immediate impact. Joining Kuchyt in the middle are classmates Meg Atha, Jessica Maxwell and Toby Maltz.

The backline of the Bryant defense is their first line of attack and replacing Tighe, who played the left side last season, represents the biggest hole to replace. Returning backliners include senior Rebecca Lange and sophomore Danielle Moody. Lange returns experience to the back, while Moody, a walk-on in 2006, will get increased playing time with the departure of Tighe.
Freshman Brittany Glenn joins the defensive core and will likely see significant minutes in her first season.

Sophomore Kundayi Mawema anchors a solid duo in net. Mawema started 20 of Bryant's 21 games last season and posted a 10-10 record with a 1.99 goals-against and .784 save percentage. Her athletic style kept her team in a lot of games, especially early in the season. Senior Kasey Kortz returns for her final campaign. After playing in 11 games in 2005, Kortz backed-up Mawema in 2006 and shutout Merrimack 2-0 in the only game she appeared in.

The 2007 squad combines youth with experience at all positions and will need to draw on the desire of both groups to create the perfect combination in order to capture the difficult Northeast-10 crown and return to the NCAA Final Four for the first time since 2003.