Gulls Picked to Finish Third in 2011 CCC Field Hockey Championship
August 25, 2011
2011 Commonwealth Coast Conference Field Hockey Preseason Poll
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The University of New England has been slated as the preseason favorite to once again capture the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey championship, announced today by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. The Nor’easters received 31 points in the preseason poll including four of the sixth place votes, while the other two went to Nichols, who were picked to finish second (29 points).
Endicott received 25 points and is picked to finish third, improving on last year’s finish by one spot. Western New England (17) and Gordon (16) were picked to finish fourth and fifth, while Salve Regina received 8 votes to round out the preseason rankings.
The Endicott field hockey program begins the 2011 season looking to get back to the CCC tournament finals for the first time since 2008 and win their first conference tournament in the program’s 18-year history. Endicott has never been to the NCAA field hockey tournament, but last season made its 9th straight ECAC appearance.
The Gulls finished the 2010 conference season with a 4-4 record and earned the fourth seed in the CCC tournament. They were eliminated in the first round by a slim 2-1 loss to Western New England, and then fell 4-1 in their ECAC tournament opener against Plymouth State. Their season ended with an 11-9 mark.
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – The University of New England has been slated as the preseason favorite to once again capture the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) field hockey championship, announced today by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. The Nor’easters received 31 points in the preseason poll including four of the sixth place votes, while the other two went to Nichols, who were picked to finish second (29 points).
Endicott received 25 points and is picked to finish third, improving on last year’s finish by one spot. Western New England (17) and Gordon (16) were picked to finish fourth and fifth, while Salve Regina received 8 votes to round out the preseason rankings.
The Endicott field hockey program begins the 2011 season looking to get back to the CCC tournament finals for the first time since 2008 and win their first conference tournament in the program’s 18-year history. Endicott has never been to the NCAA field hockey tournament, but last season made its 9th straight ECAC appearance.
The Gulls finished the 2010 conference season with a 4-4 record and earned the fourth seed in the CCC tournament. They were eliminated in the first round by a slim 2-1 loss to Western New England, and then fell 4-1 in their ECAC tournament opener against Plymouth State. Their season ended with an 11-9 mark.
It will be a young team that begins the 2011 season, as 15 freshmen will try to fill the spots left by the graduation of seven seniors. One of those seniors was Joanne Reid, two-time First Team All-CCC selection, who scored 10 goals and added seven assists last season.
The Gulls feel that the mix of newcomers and returning starters will be the right combination for postseason success. “It’s a really competitive squad, with some great talent and great character,” said Jodi Cipolla, entering her fifth year as Gulls head coach. Cipolla will look to improve upon an impressive 52-30 coaching record, including an incredible 23-9 mark in CCC play.
The Gulls do welcome back two of their top-three scorers from last season, including Hannah Thornberg, who led the team with 13 goals last season and earned a spot on the All-CCC second team. Thornberg, who will be a junior, will be joined by classmate Taylor Matties, who scored nine goals in the 2010 campaign, good for third on the team. She also added four assists and was a clutch performer for the Gulls, leading the squad with three game-winning goals. Thornberg was in the top ten in the conference in goals and points while Matties was among the CCC leaders in shots, firing 67 of them through twenty games.
The Gulls will also look for increased contributions from Stacie Teevens. The sophomore played in fifteen games last year and pitched in with two goals and five assists, earning both Rookie and Defensive Player of the week honors last September. Freshman Mackenzie Hurst, who comes to Beverly from the Tilton School, has already shown that she has the ability to make a big impact on the offensive side of the ball.
Junior Taylor Teixeira will be back in net for the Gulls after starting 18 games last season. Teixeira posted a 2.30 goals against average and one shutout while going 9-9 on the season. Her determination and leadership have earned her one of the co-captain nods for the upcoming season. Sophomore keepers Rachel Socolow and Lizetta Solarik are both returning as well and will certainly vie for some minutes between the pipes. Solarik, a Carmel, N.Y. native, played in five games for the Gulls, allowing just two goals and finishing two shutouts in over 130 minutes of playing time.
Defensively and in the midfield is where the Gulls will see their biggest turnover of players. Courtney Dronsfield, the team’s lone senior and other co-captain will return to anchor the defensive line.
Dronsfield, who played in 18 games last season, will help to lead a group of youngsters that includes freshman Meghan Leary. Leary comes to the Gulls from New Hampshire where she won a state championship with Winnacunnet High School. She will be joined by newcomers Emily Suschik and Alyssa Clark and Amanda Glynn and Emily O’Halloran, who both return from injuries to the Endicott back line.
Dronsfield, who played in 18 games last season, will help to lead a group of youngsters that includes freshman Meghan Leary. Leary comes to the Gulls from New Hampshire where she won a state championship with Winnacunnet High School. She will be joined by newcomers Emily Suschik and Alyssa Clark and Amanda Glynn and Emily O’Halloran, who both return from injuries to the Endicott back line.
In the midfield, Endicott will look to the experience of Cassie DeSimone, a junior who has three career goals and has played over 40 games in two years with the Gulls.
Endicott has packed their schedule with tough non-conference opponents, which include Babson and UMass Dartmouth, both NCAA participants last year, Wellesley and MIT of the NEWMAC and Plymouth State, in a rematch of last year’s ECAC game.
The Gull’s conference schedule is not any less forgiving. While New England College, who was undefeated a year ago, has left the CCC, Endicott will still need to compete with difficult conference tests that begin on September 17th at the University of New England. UNE was 6-2 last year and upset NEC in the title game to capture its first conference championship. Nichols College, who was 7-1 in the conference last year, also looms on the schedule for the Gulls in the CCC, which now features just six teams who will each meet twice a season.
Endicott has packed their schedule with tough non-conference opponents, which include Babson and UMass Dartmouth, both NCAA participants last year, Wellesley and MIT of the NEWMAC and Plymouth State, in a rematch of last year’s ECAC game.
The Gull’s conference schedule is not any less forgiving. While New England College, who was undefeated a year ago, has left the CCC, Endicott will still need to compete with difficult conference tests that begin on September 17th at the University of New England. UNE was 6-2 last year and upset NEC in the title game to capture its first conference championship. Nichols College, who was 7-1 in the conference last year, also looms on the schedule for the Gulls in the CCC, which now features just six teams who will each meet twice a season.
“The conference is wide open,” said Cipolla. “The top four teams make the playoffs, so our expectations are to finish as part of that group.”
Endicott’s season opens on September 1st at Babson College, with the home opener two days later against Plymouth State.
2011 CCC PRESEASON FIELD HOCKEY POLL
Teams received six points for each first place vote received, five points for second place votes, four points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.
TEAM POINTS (1st Place votes)
University of New England 31 (4)
Nichols 29 (2)
Endicott 25
Western New England 17
Gordon 16
Nichols 29 (2)
Endicott 25
Western New England 17
Gordon 16
Salve Regina 8