AUGUST 27, 2008
Courtesy of the Middle Atlantic Conferences Office:
King’s Favored in Freedom Conference Field Hockey Preseason Poll
ANNVILLE, Pa. – King’s College has been chosen as the favorite to
win the Freedom Conference crown during the 2008 field hockey season by
the conference coaches in the annual preseason poll.
The Lady Monarchs (15-5, 6-0) received 64 points in addition to four
first place votes.
King’s broke open a
scoreless conference championship game with a pair of second half goals
as the Lady Monarchs won their second straight Freedom Conference
championship with a 2-0 victory over visiting FDU-Florham.
With that win, it secured
the team an automatic berth into the NCAA Division III tournament for
the second consecutive year. Springfield, who was ranked 14th
nationally, registered a 3-1 victory over King's College in the opening
round of the tournament.
King's will be led by
returning all-conference and all-region midfielder Christina Glenn (1
goal, 7 assists) and first-team All-Freedom choice Debbie Wychock (15
goals, 1 assist) who was the Lady Monarchs' top scorer last year.
Eastern (15-6, 9-1) earns
second place in the poll with 62 points and three first place votes.
Eastern will be entering their first season of competition in the
Freedom Conference. They leave the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC),
formerly known as the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) after
being one of the top teams in the conference.
Eastern and Alvernia met
in the conference championship and they are no strangers to each other,
having met in the past three PAC finals. Alvernia edged out Eastern by
the narrowest of margins, 3-2.
First team all-conference
selections Kim Campbell (15 goals, 5 assists) and Lindsay Moyer (14
goals, 11 assists) will lead the Eagles in their new challenge of
becoming one of the top teams in the Freedom Conference.
FDU-Florham (16-8, 5-1)
finds themselves in third place in the poll with 58 points and two first
place votes.
The College at Florham
Devils were beaten by King’s, 2-0 in the Freedom Conference finals.
First team all-conference Christina Fabian was the second leading scorer
in the conference in goals with 20. Teamed with second team
all-conference player Jackie Gale (1 goal, 7 assists), FDU will again
challenge for the top spot.
Alvernia (16-6, 10-0)
comes in fourth place with 46 points. Alvernia, like Eastern is making
the transition from the CSAC to the Freedom Conference. Alvernia leaves
their old conference as the reigning champions, defeating Eastern 3-2.
With that victory, that qualified the Crusaders for a spot in the NCAA
tournament. The Crusaders were matched up with seventeenth ranked
Skidmore, losing 2-0 in the first round. CSAC Player of the Year
Janelle Lynch (17 goals, 8 assists) is the lone all-conference returner.
She will be called upon to lead a young Alvernia team in their new
conference.
Delaware Valley (12-8,
3-3) earns a fifth place mark in the poll while receiving 39 points. The
Aggies tied with two others for third place in
the Freedom Conference. Delaware Valley finished tied with both DeSales
University and Wilkes University in the conference standings. However,
the conference tiebreakers favored the other two schools and the Aggies
missed out on their second straight postseason appearance.
Junior
midfielder Bethany Pavlik (20 goals, 10 assists) and senior forward
Michelle Cernobyl (21 goals, 5 assists) produced record numbers on the
offensive end and were each selected to the all-Freedom Conference
second team. Pavlik led the conference in points (50) and assists (10),
while Cernobly led the conference goals (21).
Wilkes
(8-11, 3-3) places sixth in the poll with 35 points. Earning the #3 seed
in the conference tournament, Wilkes fell to #2 seed FDU-Florham 2-0,
ending their season. Looking to make it back to post season play will be
the goal for the team. First team all-conference player Kerry Battesby
is back for her senior season on defense. Teaming with her is second
team all-conference player Diana Wright (7 goals, 4 assists) who will
help guide the Colonels.
Misericordia (13-7, 8-2) received 33 points for seventh place.
Misericorida is also joining the Freedom Conference this season after
coming over from the CSAC. Last season the Lady Cougars fell to Eastern,
5-0 in the PAC semi-finals. Misericordia will look to establish
themselves and make a name for their team in their new conference.
Leading the way will be first team all-conference player Laura Leighow
(15 goals, 4 assists), and second team all-conference selections Heather
DiMenno (5 goals, 8 assists) and Jamie Wargo.
DeSales (8-11, 3-3) came in eighth in this year’s poll with 28 points.
Earning the #4 seed in the conference tournament, DeSales was defeated
by the #1 seeded King’s squad 2-1. Now under the direction of first year
head coach Sarah Fosdick, Coach Fosdick has her sight sets on returning
her team back to the tournament. After losing last seasons conference
player of the year in Ashley Sparango to graduation, the Bulldogs will
call upon Rookie of the Year Amy Pulcini (7 goals, 2 assists) for
production.
Manahttanville (9-10, 1-5) placed ninth in the poll with 27 total
points. Manhattanville, the conference champions in 2005, will look to
get back to being one of the top teams they used to be in the
conference. In doing this, second team all-conference players Kristen
Spelman (3 goals, 3 assists), Allison Rogers and Lauren Gagnon (4 shut
outs) will help guide first year head coach Kevin Kelly’s team.
Freedom Conference Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. King’s 64 points (4)
2. Eastern 62 points (3)
3. FDU-Florham 58 points (2)
4. Alvernia 46 points
5. Delaware Valley 39 points
6. Wilkes 35 points
7. Misericordia 33 points
8. DeSales 28 points
9. Manhattanville 27 points
( ) first place votes in parentheses
