With four games to go in the regular season, it seems a little early to talk about our seniors who are playing for Lafayette for the last time this fall. There is more to be accomplished, and goals to be attained, in my view, but this Sunday will be Senior Day when we traditionally honor our seniors. All have been significant contributors over their careers, but I think it is appropriate to put it all in a succinct writing. Again, they are not done yet, and I expect there will be more history to write in the coming weeks.
Sam DiMaio, Cam Costello, Jenn DeLongis, Lisa Van Der Geest, Caroline Turnbull and Sarah Park have all fulfilled the promise they showed, when first announced as recruits 4 and 5 years ago. Each has had a unique contribution on the field, and have learned to overcome obstacles to arrive this year, in what may turn out to be an historic season!!
Number 2 Sam DiMaio
Sam arrived as a freshman from West Morris Mendham in New Jersey. She was a starting forward and midfielder in High School scoring 30 goals and 28 assists during her career.in her final two seasons, her high school won the conference championships. She was an all conference and all state selection.
She has been an impact player from her first year on college turf. Her first start was in the season opener against Fairfield her freshman year. She played in 14 games and started one. Her first collegiate goal was October first against Colgate.
Since then she has been a regular fixture on the field for the Maroon and White. In 2017, her sophomore year, she played in all 18 games and started in six, tallying two assists in the win over Drexel, and added a goal and an assist in the 3-2 victory over Colgate. She also had an assist in the Richmond game.
In 2018 she had the game winner against Cornell. She scored four goals on the year.
2019 has been a banner year. So far she has 5 goals, on 16 shots, scoring on 31 per cent of her shots. Even when she is not scoring goals the ubiquitous senior seems to be everywhere I point my camera. She is athletic and intense, and I think the above picture captures it all. ( My favorite picture of all time). Even when she is not scoring goals opposing teams have to respect her speed and athleticism.
Sam was also named to the National and Patriot League honor roll with a 3.5 average in Psychology and Government and Law.
Number 13 Cameron Costello
Cam also, has been a key player for the Leopards from the get go. She has started every game of her career to date. She is a key fixture in the mid-field and can be counted on to make key plays. It is her versatility that make her valuable to the Lafayette team. She seems to know where she and her teammates are at all times. She hails from Doylestown, Pa and played at a relatively small high school, New Hope Solesbury. It was there, she played multiple positions while earning conference championships. She was a captain her senior year. She also played lacrosse and was also a three year letter winner.
She has certainly lived up to her potential at Lafayette. While as a midfielder her whole career, goal scoring was not part of her portfolio, but Cam seemed to come up with key plays at key moments. In 2016, she got the game winner in overtime with Quinnipiac, and had a key assist in the 2017 game with Appalachian State, and in 2018 she got an assist in the game with Lehigh.
Her senior season has been her best so far, getting one goal and two assists. The goal was against then nationally ranked Monmouth, helping the Leopards get the win. Cam has a great attitude and I don’t think I ever seen her without a smile…except on the field!!!
Cam is an ace in the classroom as an all Division one honor scholar and a member of the Patriot League honor roll. As of the last accounting she has a 3.68 average in Biology!!
Number 14 Jenn DeLongis
Jenn is a midfielder, but more importantly is a total team player. She can move between the defense and offensive side of the field with equal skill. She is a key player in that she is the stopper on corner sets, placing the ball for the striker.
Jenn comes from Hatfield, Pa. Like most excellent athletes, Jenn played dual sports while at North Penn High School. She was a four year letter winner in lacrosse and field hockey!! Aside from earning all conference awards in both sports and captain of her field hockey team, she won the Coaches Award both her junior and senior years. Not surprisingly she was the North Penn Female Outstanding Athlete.
She jumped right into her college career in 2016 making three appearances during her freshman year. In 2017, she appeared in 11 games. Continuing her progress, in 2018 she appeared in all 19 games and started in 5. She was named offensive player of the week in the Patriot League after scoring the game winning goal against Penn. Also that year she led the team in assists.
This year she has scored a goal against Richmond and has been a key figure on the team. She has a 25% shot percentage and always ready to support her teammates. My observation is, she is always ready to support the team in any way she can,
She is no slacker in the classroom as a regular on the Patriot League Honor roll. She has a 3.4 average in her majors of Government and Law and Psychology.
Number 18 Lisa van der Geest
Lisa arrived on the Lafayette campus in 2016 from Oegstgeest, Netherlands after attending Rijnlands Lyceum. She wasted no time in establishing herself as not only a premier player on the Lafayette squad but in the League and Nationally. Her freshman year she was first on the team in assists, second in points and third in goals. She had game winning goals in every year as a Leopard. Her freshman year she was named all league in defense and has not relinquished that moniker all three years so far.
Last year she topped herself by being named an all American. This year, already she has been named to the NFCHA all star game, to be played at the end of the year. She is one of two named to the squad from the league
As I have said previously she is the heart of the team, and as captain leads the team with distinction. She is known to help the younger players with their skills and can be heard on the field directing the action from her center back position. She is by all accounts another coach on the field
This year she has earned several player of the week awards, having already scored 4 goals on the season.
She is extraordinarily accomplished, speaks five languages fluently, and is an outstanding student majoring in international affairs, receiving honors by being recognized in the all Division One honor roll as well as the League Honor Roll. At last accounting is she has a 3.58 average.
As in most team sports the team is built around the middle players. Lisa is the center back and follows a line of outstanding athletes who have played the position for the Leopards. She just may be the best that has ever played at that position at Lafayette!! I hope she has saved a place for all the hardware she will no doubt receive at the end of the season!!
Number 19 Caroline Turnbull
Caroline hails from Harding, N.J. an attended Madison High School. She played midfield and forward during her four years. She scored 54 goals and 38 assists. She is winner, as her team recorded multiple championships at all levels.She played in the 2014 NFC and Junior Olympics for the USAFH team.
She wasted no time at Lafayette by playing in all 19 games her freshman year and having three starts. In 2017 she appeared in every game and started in 12, scoring 3 goals and an assist, including the game winner in the 2-1 victory over Appalachian State. She was also named Defensive Player of the Week during the year. Her break out year was in 2018 starting in 14 games. She was named to the All Patriot League team and all tournament team. She had the game winning goal at Holy Cross.
This year she has scored 3 goals and had 3 assists. The goals were one at Syracuse, one against Holy Cross, and the third at Boston University.
Caroline impresses me as a player that is ready to mix it up near the goal and she can be counted on to be in the middle of a scrum. She is an intense competitor and her intensity is infectious to her teammates. She is well like by her teammates and several consider the funniest player on the team.
Caroline is a Civil-Environmental Engineering major .
Number 87 Sarah Park
Sarah has one of the best attitudes I have ever encountered in a goal keeper. She dares to be a bold optimist, and refuses to concede that anyone can beat her. From the get go, this season, she saw big things for this team, and as goal keeper she has done her part for the Leopards success. She earned the starting GK job her sophomore year. Her first year included needed knee surgery and rehab after that.
Sarah comes from Collegeville, Pa and attended Methacton High School. She was a star goalie in high school and was much sought after her senior year. She was fifth in save percentage within the Philadelphia Field Hockey High School area. In addition she is an excellent student. At Lafayette she is a Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering major with a 3.32 average. She has done summer internships in her field and was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
She has saved the best for last and has been named goalkeeper of the week 3 times so far in the Patriot League. She quick and agile and at the moment sports a 73 percent save percentage, playing against some of the toughest competition in the country. She has had multiple shutouts as well, including a stop against Bryant on a penalty stroke at the end of the game to preserve the shutout.
I firmly believe the best is yet to come for this amazing student athlete!!
Lafayette College Field Hockey 