2004 Field Hockey Season Preview
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. - It's a new era in Springfield College field hockey, and first-year head coach
Melissa Rogers looks to five returning seniors to lead the Pride to its eighth post-season berth since 1995.
Rogers, a former All-American and the second-leading scorer in SC history, inherits a talented squad from illustrious head coach
Dottie Zenaty. The '03 Pride finished 16-10 and reached the championship match of th both the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) and Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England tournaments.
Four of the Pride's top-six scorers return, including senior All-American back
Kim Stevens (North Knox, Maine), who led the team with 26 points, and all-region junior midfielder
Sarah Brooker (Auburn, Maine). Rogers also welcomes back senior keeper
Lindsay Pardue (Houston, Texas), a two-year starter who recorded a 15-8 record with a 1.67 goals against average last season.
An offense that will include senior
Lydia Grant (Granby, Conn.) and senior
Sarah Daly (Freeport, Maine), along with junior
Alisha Miner (Sanbornton, N.H.), who garnered All-New England honors last year in track and field, will provide Rogers with plenty of speed and versatility in her starting line-up. Senior
Jen Durgin (Gorham, Maine) and junior
Meg Bascetta (Granby, Conn.) are key ingredients to a defensive unit that held its opposition to 1.37 goals per game last fall.
SC annually plays one of the toughest schedules in the nation, and the '04 slate is no exception. This fall's lineup includes four road matches with opponents that played in the NCAA Tournament, including national semifinalist SUNY Cortland, and runner-up Middlebury College.
SC Field Hockey At A Glance
2003 Record: 16-10, 7-1 New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference
2003 Post-Season Finish: ECAC Division III New England Tournament Finalist
2003 Conference Finish: 2nd
Returning Starters/Letterwinners: 7/12
Top Returners: Kim Stevens (Sr., B, NFHCA/STX 2nd Team All-America, NFHCA All-New England, 1st-Team All-NEWMAC); Sarah Brooker (Jr., M, NFHCA All-New England, 2nd-Team All-NEWMAC); Jen Durgin (Sr., B,); Lydia Grant (Sr., M/F), Lindsey Pardue (Sr., GK)
Top Players Lost: Brianne Tompkins (F, NFHCA All-New England, 2nd Team All-NEWMAC), Maylese Leyva (B, Captain)
Team Links
Head Coach Melissa Sharpe
After nine years as head coach of the Pride, Melissa Sharpe has continued the tradition of winning on the field hockey turf, posting an impressive 130-68 record, good for a winning percentage of .656 at the helm of her alma mater.
Read more.
Contact Head Coach Melissa Sharpe
E-Mail | Phone: 413.748.3167
