Field Hockey Opens 2009 Season At Boston College On Friday, Sept. 4
Quinnipiac
University Bobcats (0-0) at Boston
College Eagles (2-0)
Friday, September 4, 2009 - 4 p.m.
Newton Campus Turf Field - Chestnut Hill,
Mass.
2009 Season Opener
Fresh off their its Northeast Conference Tournament
appearance in three seasons, the Quinnipiac University field hockey
team will open the season on Friday, Sept. 4 when it travels to
Chestnut Hill, Mass., to take on Boston College in a non-conference
match-up set for 4 p.m. The game will be the first on-field test
for the Bobcats of the 2009 season, while Boston College stands at
2-0.
Scouting The Boston College Eagles
Boston College is currently 2-0 following wins against
Vermont (3-0) and William & Mary (7-2). BC's Chelsey Feole and
Kate Gillis lead the Eagles with two goals and an assist apiece,
while Janna Anctil has also scored twice. Emily Kozniuk, Courtney
Tavener and Catherine O'Brien all have two assists. In goal,
Kristine Stigas is 2-0-0 with a 1.38 goals-against average after
allowing two goals in 130:34 minutes in goal.
All-Time Against The Eagles
Quinnipiac is 0-5 all-time against Boston College, including three
losses on the Eagles home turf. In five games, Boston College has
outscored the Bobcats 18-1, with QU's only goal of the series
coming on Aug. 31, 2007 in a 3-1 loss on the road.
2009 Northeast Conference Preseason Poll
Quinnipiac was selected to finish third of nine teams in
the 2009 Northeast Conference Preseason Coaches Poll. The Bobcats
finished 5-13 overall in the 2008 season and 3-4 in conference
play, good for fourth the NEC.
Veteran Field
The Bobcats return 18 players from last year's roster, including
NEC Goaltender of the Year Jenna Grossman (Flanders, N.J.) as well
as 2008 All-NEC First-Team selectees Katie Van Nostrand (Derry,
N.H) and Lauren Hartnett (Walpole, Mass.). The three all-conference
selections will serve as the team tri-captains for the 2009
season.
Cage Fighter
Senior goaltender Grossman added to her already impressive list of
career accomplishments with her third consecutive all-conference
honor and second major award of her career after winning the NEC
Rookie of the Year honor in 2006.
Experienced Scorers
The Bobcats also bring back their top three scorers from last
season in seniors Mackenzie Liptak (Schuylerville, N.Y), Christine
Grady (Enfield, Conn.) and Hartnett.
Big Mac
Liptak led the Bobcats and ranked seventh in the NEC in
goals with eight. In her break-out season, Quinnipiac was 3-3 in
games in which she scored, including wins against Fairfield,
Monmouth and Maine. Her best stretch of the season fell on Sept.
14-21 when she totaled five goals and an assist in three games. Of
her eight goals, five were unassisted.
The
Hart Foundation
Tri-captain Lauren Hartnett ranked second on the team in
points (13) after registering five goals and three assists. All
three totals were career-highs.
Making
The Grade
Christine Grady scored five goals and dished out one
assist in 2008. Grady has 10 goals and an assist for her two-year
career. She currently sits in 17th place all-time at Quinnipiac
with 10 goals.
Out
Of Africa
Quinnipiac also returns its assist leader in junior Megan
McCreedy (White River, South Africa) who dished out five helpers
last season.
First
Impressions
As a freshman last season, Kaitlyn Notarianni (Clarks
Summit, Pa.) led Quinnipiac with two game-winning goals. Notarianni
went scoreless in her first eight career games before a two-goal
explosion in Quinnipiac's 5-0 win against Siena on Oct. 19. She
also scored the only goal in the Bobcats' next game, a 1-0 win
against St. Francis (Pa.) on Oct. 24.
2008 Team Honors
Tara Thibeault Most Valuable Player Award
Megan Sciascia was given the program's top honor, the Tara
Thibeault Most Valuable Player Award, after earning All-Northeast
Conference Honors for the second consecutive season as she was
named to the NEC Second Team. In 2008, Sciascia emerged as a
dominant two-way player in the NEC as she totaled career highs in
goals (2), assists (3) and points (7).
Best Offensive Player Award
Hartnett was award the Best Offensive Player award after
she reached career highs in goals (5), assists (4) and points (14).
In conference play, Hartnett led Quinnipiac in scoring against NEC
teams after she finished the year with two goals and two assists
for six points. Hartnett was one of three Quinnipiac field hockey
players this year to earn NEC First Team honors.
Nina Walker Most Improved Player Award
Van Nostrand earned her first All-NEC honors, joining Hartnett on
the conference's first team, after emerging as one of the NEC's top
defensive players. This season, the Quinnipiac defense ranked among
the conference leaders in fewest goals allowed and goals-against
average due, in large part, to the increased role by Van Nostrand.
For her efforts, she was given the Nina Walker Most Improved Player
Award.
Zag Team Player Award
Bonnie Shea (Walpole, Mass.) was honored with the Zag Team
Player Award, given to a Quinnipiac player whose ability to think
outside-the-box on the field and also be an asset to her community.
Shea was a solid contributor to the Bobcats' midfield as she
started in 17 of Quinnipiac's 18 games.
Jill DiSanti Best Defensive Player Award
Brandy Longacre (Bethlehem, Pa.) earned the Jill DiSanti Best
Defensive Player award after a break-out season that saw the senior
defender log over 1200 minutes on the field while starting in all
18 games for Quinnipiac. Longacre was a driving force to the
Bobcats' defense that ranked among the conference leaders.
Active
Leaders
Points
21 Christine Grady
20 Lauren Hartnett
18 MacKenzie Liptak
12 Megan McCreedy
5 Katie Van Nostrand
4 Bonnie Shea
Goals
10 Christine Grady
8 MacKenzie Liptak
6 Lauren Hartnett
3 Megan McCreedy
2 Bonnie Shea
2 Katie Van Nostrand
1 Megan Brady
Assists
8 Lauren Hartnett
6 Megan McCreedy
2 MacKenzie Liptak
1 Christine Grady
1 Maria Molonoski
1 Katie Van Nostrand