September 4, 2009

BULLDOG FIELD HOCKEY LOOKS TO IMPROVE, TAKE NEW CONFERENCE BY STORM IN SECOND SEASON OF DIVISION I ACTION

For a program that has risen to success so quickly since its inception just 10 years ago, the Bryant University field hockey program will enter one of its most crucial and exciting seasons in 2009.

After nine standout years at the top of Division II competition, the Bulldogs made the jump to Division I in 2008 and were met with intermittent success — something the program wasn’t quite used to.

But now, in 2009, under the watchful eye of first-year head coach Shaunessy Saucier, the Bulldogs look to bounce back and take their highly competitive Division I schedule by storm.

To do that, Bryant will have to rely not just on the experience, skill and composure of its returning veterans, but also on a cast of seven young and promising freshmen who will be asked to adjust quickly and contribute immediately to a faster paced, phsyically charged collegiate game.

THE ATTACK
After a 2008 season that saw the Bulldogs struggle to muster quality scoring chances, Saucier will look to some of her younger guns to carry the offensive burden in 2009.

Junior Elise Boissoneau (Ashburnham, Mass.) will lead that charge, utilizing not just her great speed but also her fight to win to anchor the front line. One of the most dedicated competitors on the field, Boissoneau will be pushed daily by eight others looking to join her on the attack.

Among them are seniors Tia Pydynkowski (Hampton Falls, N.H.) and Kelly Frantz (Southbury, Conn.). Sidelined by injury for the 2009 spring season, Pydynkowski is expected to return to the Bulldogs ready to go this fall and will bring an exciting dimension of speed and skill. The quick and athletic Frantz brings her own unique asset to the front line as a solid defensive forward for the Bulldogs.

A natural runner with an impeccable touch in front of the net, Courtney Landi (Kingston, N.Y.) looks to continue improving in her sophomore campaign while classmate Aly Czerniak (Holyoke, Mass.) will be a viable option to fill holes in the offense with her extreme coachability.

Saucier also looks to incoming freshman Elise Driscoll (Harwich, Mass.) to have an immediate impact on the field. A natural athlete who comes to Bryant already incredibly fast and skilled, Driscoll has the potential to be an exciting player right from the start.

Also looking to earn time will be juniors Alex Guisti (Walpole, Mass.) and Toby Maltz (Andover, Mass.), as well as incoming rookie Asia O’Han (Red Hook, N.Y.), all of whom have the ability to impress offensively.

THE MIDFIELD
With a solid core of returning midfielders and a promising trio of newcomers, the Bulldog midfield should anchor the team in transition. Senior captain Danielle Moody (Gorham, Maine) is a leader on the field and her fight and motivation will keep her in the game as much as possible in 2009.

She will be joined by returning standout Caitlan Johnson (Walpole, Mass.), who improved her game tremendously in the spring season and will use her strength and hockey IQ to make an impact this season.

A fiesty player with a never-give-up attitude in sophomore Katherine Andrusin (North Andover, Mass.) will add another level of skill in the midfield. The Bulldogs will look to her to again be the difference-maker she was in 2008.

Another exciting player to join the midfield is freshman Brittany Vasconcelos (Tiverton, R.I.), an offensive-minded player who possesses sounds defensive skills. Classmate Chiedza Mawema (Harare, Zimbabwe), the younger sister of standout goalkeeper Kundayi Mawema (Harare, Zimbabwe), is a smart, skilled player who also possesses smooth offensive prowess as well as the ability to defend when necessary.

Senior Colleen Wilson (Windham, N.H.) and rookie Chelsea Theokas (Merrimack, N.H.) will also compete for time at midfield.

THE DEFENSE
Despite the graduation of starting defender Lauren Alexander, the Bulldogs are in solid shape on defense with a core of veterans returning in 2009.

They will be led by sophomore Emily Charpentier (Walpole, Mass.), who will anchor the defense this season. While opponents will struggle to beat her 1-on-1, Charpentier also plays stellar team defense. Combine that with her ability to start the attack out of the backfield and she is poised to spend considerable time on the field in 2009.

An aggressive and passionate Brittany Glenn (Easthampton, Mass.) and solid sophomore Karlie Tiscia (Stamford, Conn.) will also look to play a starting role in the backfield. Glenn brings a substantial energy that will help run the defensive line while Tiscia uses her unassuming defense to get the job done from the left side.

Junior Julie Kuchyt (Hatfield, Mass.) will also contend for time in the back, while a pair of newcomers in Yeawoma Johnson (Franklin, Mass.) and Rachel Blitz (Riverwoods, Ill.) look to make an impression as well.

Blitz, with her strong stick skills and potential to start the attack from deep in the defensive third, will offer a new look to the Bulldogs’ transition game and could see immediate playing time.

THE GOALKEEPERS
One of the most heated battles for playing time will come between the pipes in 2009, as sophomore Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.) will challenge senior captain Kundayi Mawema for the starting role.

The emotional leader of the team, Mawema has enjoyed one of the most successful careers in the history of the Bryant field hockey program. Already the all-time leader in career saves with 428, she is extremely sound between the posts and is a smart decision-maker on the field.

But Mawema’s commanding presence won’t scare off Gullotti’s competitive nature, and she is expected to enter preseason with a lot of fire. Gullotti will fight to start games and is a pusher not just during contests, but in practice and the weight room as well.