Sept. 2, 2010

Each of the 15 veteran players on the 2010 UMass Lowell field hockey team has never ended their seasons anywhere short of the NCAA National Championship game. The squad will return 82% of its offense (73-89 goals), including 2009 Northeast-10 Player of the Year Sammy Macy (Tewksbury, Mass.)

On top of all that, add an impressive freshman class from across the country to the mix, and you’ve got the recipe for another successful campaign from the River Hawks this fall.

Others agree with that assessment, as well, as UMass Lowell was selected third in the NFHCA/Kookaburra Division II Preseason Coaches Poll and second in the Northeast-10 Preseason Coaches Poll. They’ve earned respect from fellow coaches and the time has come to live up to those expectations.

“With a senior class this large [seven members], leadership is built in already,” ninth-year head coach Shannon Hlebichuk said. “They know the expectations and they want to leave their mark on the program.”

After their third heartbreaking National Title game appearance in as many years, the squad will work tirelessly to bring home the River Hawks’ second National Championship in program history and first since 2005.

“After experiencing three years of National Championship defeat, if there is one class that should be hungry for a different outcome, it’s the class of 2011,” Hlebichuk said of her seven-member senior class.

The Offense

The River Hawks will return the vast majority of their offense from last season, including leading scorers in Macy (25 goals) and fellow senior Katie Enaire (Amesbury, Mass.) (22 goals). Last season, Enaire tied the program’s record for single-game scoring after tallying nine points (4g, 1a) against Saint Anselm on Sept. 19, helping the squad to a 9-1 victory.

Enaire and Macy are the team’s two returning Longstreth/NFHCA All-Americans, after four River Hawks were tabbed with the honor last year. Both were also named to the NE-10 All-Conference First Team, while Macy was also named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team for her ferocious efforts in the post-season.

Last year’s corps led the NE-10 with 3.71 goals per game, a stat which ranked them third in the nation. With an average of 21 shots per game, they were strides ahead of NE-10 opponents, as Stonehill ranked second with 16.64. The offensively aggressive team will look to continue its prominence among conference teams and national opponents.

“Our offensive expectations will be high after returning Sammy and Katie, but we also have a lot of experience and leadership on the offensive line with Lizzy Ales (Arlington, Mass.), as well. This year, we have no excuses not to produce offensively,” said Hlebichuk.

Key players such as Ales and Abby Auld (Waltham, Mass.) will likely see significantly more playing time and have increased opportunities to contribute to their team. Ales finished last season with 17 points and ranked fourth on the squad with eight goals. Auld, now a junior, saw action in all but three games last season, earning her first collegiate start and notching 13 points on the year (4g, 5a).This season, more than ever before, will be their chance to excel.

The Defense

“I think Jaime Hadley (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Liz Day (North Andover, Mass.) are almost unsung heroes on this team. They don’t necessarily get recognized by the conference, but within the team, everyone knows they are two of the most important pieces of our system,” said Hlebichuk. “With Jaime anchoring the defensive corps and Liz at the midfield, they have a lot of young talent surrounding them, but they will help to hold it all together.”

The team’s other two captains, alongside Macy, patrol the midfield and defensive lines, looking to not only continue their success from last season, but also fill in the gaps left by graduating All-American seniors Laura Sullivan and Ashley Smith.

The seniors will be assisted by junior Annie Hansbury (Plaistow, N.H.), a 24-game starter on the back line last season. She notched a pair of defensive saves last year, adding five assists, as well.

Last year, the River Hawks ranked third in the conference, allowing 1.54 goals per game, and ranked atop the NE-10 in scoring margin with a 2.17 goal differential per game. They notched four shutouts on the year and let up an average of just 5.3 shots per game to opponents, ranked second in the conference behind Stonehill.

Returning goalkeeper Amy Carbon (Bellingham, Mass.) finished last season with 18 starts in 24 games, playing 1332 minutes in the cage. She earned a 1.63 goals allowed average and amassed a 15-5 record on the year.

The New Class

A large batch of new talent entering the ranks, the River Hawks will look to incorporate their 10-member freshman class from the get go.

“With the largest freshman class we’ve ever had, we have a lot of youth in our lineup, but this will be countered and balanced by our large senior class,” Hlebichuk said. “Since our freshman class is so geographically diverse, I think this will bring different styles of play and elements to our team and help raise our level of competition.”

Hlebichuk refers to the diversity of hometowns that include New York, Massachusetts, California and Kentucky. The offense will be beefed with the addition of dual-sport athletes Ali Ferraro (Kingston, N.Y.) and Melissa Effertz (Oceanside, Calif.), who will also be playing softball at UMass Lowell. They will be joined on the forward line by Rachel McCarthy (Reading, Mass.), Corinne Schultz (Poway, Calif.) and Corinne Trask (East Bridgewater, Mass.).

Moving back to the midfield, local products Kayla MacDonald (Chelmsford, Mass.) and Janelle DeCamillis (Littleton, Mass.) will join the line and Hellen Trainor (Louisville, Ky.) will be added to the defensive corps. The goalkeeper position will also be well-rounded with Melanie Hopkins (Harwich, Mass.) and Kaitlyn McClenahen (San Jose, Calif.) also vying for playing time.

First Test, Up Next

The squad’s first test comes tomorrow, as they host Mansfield University at home on Cushing Field at 1:00 p.m. Through the rest of the long weekend, they will head to Indiana, Pa. to take on No. 8 IUP and Millersville on Sunday and Monday at 4:00 p.m. and noon, respectively.