Oct. 31, 2007

Setting the Scene... The Pioneer field hockey team begins it quest for another NEC championship Friday afternoon against Rider in the NEC semifinals. The game is set for a 1:30 pm start at Lock Haven University. SHU is the number three seed in the event with Rider number two. The top seed Lock Haven will face Saint Francis (PA) in the first game at 11:00 am. The winners meet Saturday for the championship.

SHU Sweeps End of Season... The Pioneers won a pair of games to close out the regular season and secure an NEC playoff berth. SHU beat Robert Morris 2-0 on Friday, clinching the number three seed in the NEC tournament. Sunday the Pioneers celebrated Senior Day with a win over New Hampshire, 3-1. Senior Danielle Vasely, the NEC Player of the Week led the attack with two goals, including the game winner on Friday. Freshman Stephanie Fazio scored her first collegiate goal against Robert Morris. The Pioneers finished the regular season winning six of their last seven games.

The NEC Tournament... This is the ninth year that the NEC has held a field hockey tournament. Quinnipiac and Rider have each won three championships, splitting the first six years of competition evenly. Sacred Heart won it's first title in 2005. Lock Haven is the defending champion, having won the championship at last year's event.

SHU in the NEC Tournament...This is the eighth straight year the Pioneers have qualified for the NEC tournament. SHU won the title in 2005 and lost in the championship game last year.

SHU vs the Field.... The Pioneers went 1-2 against this year's tournament feld. SHU beat Saint Francis and lost to Rider and Lock Haven.

Scouting the Broncos... Rider finished the regular season 10-8 and 6-1 in league play. The Broncos lost to SHU in the semifinals of the tournament two years ago. Rider won the regular season meeting, 4-1 over SHU two weeks ago. Tricia Crotty leads the Bronc attack with eight goals and three assists while Stephanie Walker has six goals and two assists to her credit. Goaltender Jennifer LoCastro posted a miniscule 1.32 goals against average for the regular season.

Scouting the Eagles... Lock Haven went 15-5 to win their fourth straight NEC regular season championship. The Eagles are the defending tournament champs, having beaten Sacred Heart in the title game last year. The Eagles led the NEC in scoring this season, totaling 71 goals. Four players scored in double figures, led by Blair Wynne's 15 goals and 10 assists. Amy Hordendorff had 12 goals on the season. The Eagles were also first in defense, as Ali Harris posted a 1.77 goals against average.

Scouting the Red Flash... Saint Francis is making their first ever NEC tournament appearance as the number four seed. The Red Flash are led by Belen Albanes who scored a school record 10 goals this season. In goal, Erin Reifstick had a 2.70 goals against average. The Red Flash lost to Lock Haven, 7-1 last weekend in their regular seaosn finale and will face the Eagles again in the semifinals Friday.

Seeing Eye... The Pioneers are led by the reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Year, junior Carisa Eye. Eye led the league and was second in the country in scoring in 2006, tallying 32 goals and 66 points on the season. She was named Third-Team All-American by the NFHCA in addition to earning first-team All-Region honors. This year she was secpmd in the league in scoring with 12 goals and is third in total points with 25. She was held scorless against Quinnpiac, ending a streak of five straight game with a goal.

Seniors Lead the Way... Leading the Pioneers into the new season are a group of five seniors anchored by captains Katie Bohren and Jenn Howley. Howley was fifth on the Pioneers last year with four goals and five assists for 13 points. Bohren had become a set-up artist for SHU, registering 10 assists in 13 games last year before sustaining a season-ending knee injury. Rounding out the senior class are forwards Leah Stoehr, Danielle Vasely and defenseman Andi Coiro. Vasely has finished the season strong, ending up with four goals, second on the team.

Up Next... The winner of the tournament receives a bid to play in the NCAA play-in game against the winner of the NorPac Conference on Tuesday November 6.