|
| Senior Justine
Ferland moves into the goal after backing up Amanda
McGreachy last season. |
Skyhawks Picked To Finish First In Preseason Poll
Easton, Mass. - Coming off their tenth consecutive conference championship, the Skyhawks sit atop the 2009 Northeast-10 Conference preseason poll, released by the conference on Wednesday.
Stonehill received five first place votes after finishing with a perfect 10-0 conference mark last season, while NE-10 newcomer New Haven received three votes. Last year's runner-up, Southern New Hampshire, garnered two first place votes to finish in third, while the Merrimack Warriors received one first place vote to finish in fourth.
The Skyhawks return four of their top six scorers from a 14-3 campaign a season ago, including All-American Michelle Kelly (Mendham, N.J.). The reigning NE-10 Player of the Year, Kelly returns for her senior season following a junior campaign which saw her lead the team in goals (62), assists (29) and points (91). The senior also enters the season ranked fifth in goals scored (165), sixth in assists (71), and sixth in total points (236) in school history.
The Skyhawks will also lean on junior All-Americans Liza Gross (Loudonville, N.Y.) and Jaclyn Craig (Rocky Point, N.Y.), as well seniors Mary Maloney (Great River, N.Y.) and Justine Ferland (Portsmouth, N.H.).
Gross and Maloney combined for 84 goals and 19 assists on the season, while Craig anchored a defense which gave up just 6.48 goals per game in 2008, good for third in the country. Ferland, who gave up just three goals in nearly 70 minutes of action over three games last season, will we relied upon to fill the void in goal left by Amanda McGeachey.
Stonehill is also looking for their first trip to the NCAA tournament in three years but the path won't be easy. The Skyhawks play each of the top three teams in the country, in West Chester, C.W. Post and Adelphi, while NE-10 foe New Haven is also ranked ninth in the IWCLA poll to begin the season.
Stonehill opens its regular season on March 16 when they play travel to take on St. Anselm.