Boston College Athletics
Field Hockey Set For New Season
August 10, 2000 | Field Hockey
Aug. 10, 2000
CHESTNUT HILL, Mass. -- Head coach Sherren Granese has only two words to describe her thoughts on the 2000 Boston College field hockey season: "Extremely optimistic!"
The 1999 season initially was marked as a transition year for Granese and the Eagles. The team lost nine starters to graduation, including All-Americans Ann Marie Ambros and Joy Ramsbotham. But soon after the season began, the year became a growing year as several key players were lost due to injury. Instead of easing younger players into the fold, Granese and her staff were forced to play younger players right away. Twenty games against top national contenders later, the Eagles finished third in the BIG EAST and qualified for the annual league tournament, where they fell to Syracuse 1-0 in an overtime contest.
After a two-week summer trip to Australia, Granese has seen much improvement in her young squad.
"Last season, due to many injuries to key players and potential starters, we were forced to play a very young team. Most of our young players saw a lot of time, which in turn gave them quality experience," Granese says. "That young experience will only help this year's team as all the players who were lost to injury come back."
In Granese's words, the trip to Australia gave the women a chance "to gel and compete at an extremely high level." The players who missed the 1999 season were back and able to compete in two weeks of games against international foes. It also gave several players an opportunity to demonstrate hidden potential and challenge other members of the team. The result: a polished and determined team ready to make some waves on the regional and national scenes.
"I think we're going to be a tough opponent for any team. Our goal is to be at the level we were at before losing nine starters to graduation two years ago," Granese says.
Eight of the Eagles' top 10 scorers have returned for the 2000 campaign. Those players return speed and experience for Granese and her staff. "Other teams are going to have to contend with our speed. We will play an up-tempo game and attack from all over the field."
IN GOAL
Senior Jill Dedman will be the mainstay in goal for the Eagles in
2000. "One of our strengths lie in the goal cage. We have built out
from the goal and have three strong keepers this year," Granese says.
Dedman, the 1998 BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Year, posted a .870 save percentage in 1999 and lead the nation with 240 saves. Her heroics in the cage earned her third-team All-American honors, as well as All-BIG EAST second team honors. She was also named BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on October 4.
The job of Dedman's backup will fall to newcomer Lauren Hill of Bethesda, Md. "Both keepers are strong and will push each other for game time. The goalkeeper position is one of our strengths and we will play off of that strength all season."
ON DEFENSE
"We are going to have a solid defense in 2000," Granese says.
"Last year, we did a pretty good job holding teams to low scoring games
with a relatively young and inexperienced defense. This year, there is
no reason why we can't improve upon that and decrease our goals per
game."
Senior tri-captain Morgan Brady was a 1999 first-team Regional All-American and second team All-BIG EAST as the Eagles' sweeper. The New Milford, Conn. native started all 20 games.
"She tallied five assists as she pushed the ball out on corners and is an integral part of our corner unit. She will be counted on to provide strong play and leadership on the defense."
Also returning are sophomores Liz Flood and Meredith Russell.
"Liz is a great defensive player who also has strong offensive capabilities," Granese says. In 1999, Flood started 18 games at left back and totaled two assists, while being named to the BIG EAST All-Rookie Team after garnering Rookie of the Week honors in September. Russell returns from a back injury that kept her out of all but one game during the 1999 season.
"Meredith played outstanding in Australia. She will be a key player on our defensive unit."
Other players who Granese will look towards for strong contributions on the back line will be sophomores Kimberly Desto, Lisa Ficher and Virginia Drozd, who returns from a hand injury in 1999. Amelie Wulff may also see some time on defense.
IN THE MIDFIELD
Leading the unit will be senior tri-captain Jen Hall.
"She is the whole package. She has speed, skill and outstanding offensive and defensive ability," Granese says. Hall's four goals and two assists, along with her on-field leadership, earned her first-team Regional All-America and unanimous first-team All-BIG EAST honors in 1999. She also earned BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week honors for the week ending October 24.
"Jen is one of the top players in New England, if not in the country," Granese notes. "We will count on Jen to lead and organize the team from her midfield position."
Sophomore Elizabeth Reh returns to the midfield position and looks to have an added role in the offensive scheme. Last season, Reh played in 15 games and started six - the last six contests of the season.
"Elizabeth is a very versatile player who will give us more offensive and defensive options from the midfield with her play," Granese says.
Also looking to compete for playing time in the midfield are junior Angela Hutchins and sophomore Maria LoRusso. Hutchins netted four goals in 1999, while LoRusso saw limited playing time. LoRusso's determined effort and hard work in the off season has moved her into contention for regular time on the field.
AT FORWARD
Returning at forward and leading the attacking contingent is senior
tri-captain Nichole Bukowski, the Eagles' fourth leading scorer in 1999
with three goals and five assists.
"Nichole has exceptional speed and ball control that can cause problems for opponents." Returning from injury is junior Amelie Wulff. After starting the team's first six games and leading the team in scoring with four goals and four assists, Wulff broke her foot and was out for the remainder of the season.
"Amelie is our corner hitter and a very strong offensive player."
Junior Gina Dinan will compete for a role in the starting lineup again this year. In 1999, Dinan was second on the team in goals with five in 20 games. "Gina possesses outstanding speed and aggressiveness. We're looking for her to increase her offensive production this year."
"Christy Zider and Kimberly French had a great off-season and played well on the trip to Australia." As freshmen, both were named to the BIG EAST Rookie Team. Zider competed in all 20 games and registered four goals.
"Christy could start at either the forward or midfield position." French also played in all 20 contests and earned Rookie of the Week honors for scoring her first career goal in her first career game against Vermont. She also netted the game-winning overtime goal against Northeastern. "Kim was one of our most consistent forwards for putting the ball in the net during the off-season."
NEWCOMERS
Granese has brought in six new players this year, including a
goalkeeper, three offensive players and two defensive specialists.
Lauren Hill of Bethesda, Md. was a two-time captain and four year member of Maryland's six-time defending state champion field hockey team. Over the past two seasons, she has posted 31 shutouts while allowing only four goals in her senior season.
On defense, Granese has added two players to the rotation - Kimberly Young of Ann Arbor, Mich., and Courtney Phalen of San Diego, Calif. Young was a member of the two-time defending Michigan state champion field hockey team from Pioneer High School and was named to the second-team All-State team. Phalen earned all-league honors and was named the San Diego Union Tribune Scholar-Athlete for women's soccer.
On the attack, Margaret O'Neill, Natalie Paruk and Lauren Schultz have turned in their high school uniforms for the maroon and gold of Boston College. O'Neill was a two-time All-County, All-New York and All-American from Garden City High School in Garden City, N.Y. She also has won two state championships in both field hockey and lacrosse in the past two years. Paruk, who hails from West Vancouver, British Columbia, was a regional firsttTeam All-Star in her final two seasons as well as a member of the Under-18 Zone Team. Schultz, from New Milford, Conn., earned All-Conference and All-State honors in her senior season.
"The team will play a strong schedule this year. The BIG EAST will be competitive in and of itself. We also have a tough non-conference schedule against several ranked opponents," Granese says.
"One of first games will be against Kent State, the defending Mid American Conference champion. We'll play Penn State at home as part of the BIG EAST/Big Ten Challenge. We also travel to Stanford to play both the Cardinals and Pacific, which will be great competition. We'll also face our regional rivals in Boston University, Northeastern, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Harvard.
"We played a young team last year that included starting four or five freshman each game. But, that means this year we return an experienced team giving us many options for lineups and match-ups against our opponents. I am very excited to get this season underway with this group of young women. The year 2000 should be a banner year for the Boston College field hockey team."
