Today the Patriot League opened its season and the rest of division one continued its play with it own series of surprises. The Patriot League was to have three games, but the game between Lehigh and American was postponed. So both teams will play their first games next week. Lehigh will be at Lafayette and American will be playing Bucknell who lost their opener today 2-1 against Colgate.
I suppose BU was expected to beat the Crusader of Holy Cross but it wasn’t easy, as Holy Cross did fall 2-1 after a fourth quarter goal Goalkeeping was a huge question mark for both teams. Holy Cross needed to find a successor to Marcia LaPlante who was a four year starter but graduated last year. Head Coach Lindsay Jackson’s choice was senior Emma Skumurski, who performed well in her first action. Meanwhile, BU had its own battle for GK as Sally Starr went with sophomore Caroline Kelly against first year recruit from New Zealand Kate Thompson.
It was a competitive game with with Kelly coming up with 4 saves and Skurmurski turning away 6 saves. Holy Cross faced shots 13 shots while Boston faced 11 shots. Eight of Boston’s shots were on goal while Holy Cross had 5. Boston had 7 corners and Holy Cross had 3.
The final score was to be 2-1 in BU’s favor. Boston’s two goals bookended the game, the first coming with less than two minutes into the game and the last with less than three minutes left. The first goal came from Boston’s Kathryn Scheerer off a penalty corner. The Crusaders tied it up late in the first quarter off a Kristen Weber goal delivered close in off a rebound. Late in the fourth quarter BU’s Rebecca James found the back of the net for the game winner through a flurry of defenders.
In between, the game went back and forth and seemed destined for overtime. Holy Cross has a bye next week and will meet Colgate on the 21st in Hamilton. Boston will also have bye and meet Lafayette @ Rappolt Field on the 21st.
Meanwhile, Colgate was to emerge victorious in a 2-1 game at Lewisburg which saw Bucknell do everything but find the back of the net. Gate opened up scoring in the first period with a Meghan Minturn goal off a redirection. It wasn’t until the 3rd quarter that Bucknell finally found the back of cage off a Kari Melberger goal to the right post. One minute later Colgate answered with a Mari Kniezewski game winning goal to end the scoring for both teams. Gate had three shots ( all on goal) while Bucknell had 15 shots (12 on goal). The Colgate goal keeper, Anna Unger, had 11 saves and Claire McCormack and Peyton Fischer split goaltending duties for Buckell with McCormack posting 0 saves and Fischer having 1 save.
An angry Bucknell team will travel to DC to meet American and Colgate will have a bye and greet Holy Cross on the 21st.
Molly McAndrews eludes a VCU defender. Molly is named to All Patriot preseason first team
In a burst of sound logic Lafayette will allow a limited amount of spectators at outdoor venues. The process started when Pennsylvania announced it would allow 20 percent of a venue’s capacity to attend a gathering. For Field Hockey, the capacity in the stands at Rappolt Field is about 800 people meaning that 160 could attend, although there has been as many has 1700 people who attended an event there years ago. ( a lacrosse game in which Lafayette was actually nationally ranked against another ranked team).
Ana Steps named preseason defensive player of the year
In the announcement, the College announced that outdoor events scheduled for March 13 and beyond, would permit two guests per Leopard student athlete ( to accommodate parents of family members), families of coaches, and a limited number of Lafayette students in residence on campus, as long as the college is at level one operational level. This will not include parents and fans of opposing teams. Faculty and staff enrolled in the College’s weekly testing protocol will also be allowed in.
Invited guests are receiving instructions via email as this is being written, they must register and adhere to strict guidelines. Spectator guidelines include 13 points which include a self assessment, wearing of masks, practice six feet distancing, no tailgates, specific entry points, specific contact for invited guests, designated seating areas, no contact with players before, during or after the event, portable restrooms must be used, no concessions, mandatory notification if anyone exhibits Covid symptoms or test positive within 14 days after the event, and the consequences for not following the rules could result in suspension at future events, or complete shutdown of access to spectators in general.
In additional news, Ana Steps and Molly McAndrews are named to the first team All Patriot League team, while Lafayette is picked second in a poll of coaches and SID’s.
American is picked first in the preseason poll, Lafayette second, Boston third, Bucknell fourth, Lehigh fifth, Holy Cross six and Colgate seventh.
Pat Myers Head Lafayette Lacrosse Coach in a separate message, said, ” We continue to review options for alumni attendance as we move forward.” So we shall see!!
Lehigh v American Game Scheduled For Sunday Postponed Due To Covid Concerns
March 7 is opening day for Patriot League Field Hockey’s seven team league. There are no preseason games, no scrimmages just six games to determine who will be the four who will play in the Patriot League tournament, which will decide who gets the auto bid for the NCAA national tournament. The patriot league winner then will play a minimum of nine games, far less than a normal season.
The question is how do you handicap this season? Freshman had no preseason competition, sophomores did not have a spring season last year, so one might think the team with the most upper class players has an advantage. Conversely coaches might think of this season like a spring season except for the playoffs. There are several conferences that have already started and doubling up on games between conference foes. I should note also there a several schools like Old Dominion and Liberty who are letting a limited amount of spectators. Temple who plays in the city had spectators looking through the fence on the southern end street!!
Just to breakdown the schedules and rosters of all Patriot League Teams!!!
American University
Ana Steps takes control against Temple
March 7 @ Lehigh, March 14 with Bucknell, March 28 at Bucknell, April 4 @Lafayette, April 11 with Lehigh, April 18 with Lafayette.
American will dress 23 players which includes 3 seniors and 8 Juniors. The fabulous Noor Coenen is back for her senior season. Dani Acuna is the junior GK with a freshman Bryn Underwood who is the freshman who bring some competition to the position. They won the PL title last year beating Lafayette in their two games by one goal in each game. On paper, it looks tough to repeat and they have a tough schedule playing Bucknell and Lafayette twice.
Boston University
March 7@ Holy Cross, March 21 @ Lafayette, March 27, Colgate, March 28 Colgate, April 11 Holy Cross, April 18 Lehigh
Always a contender in the league, Boston had a disappointing season, not even making the Patriot League tournament. If someone were drawing a schedule for Boston to make it back they could not have make it better. They have more games at home then any other team in the League with Lafayette their toughest game away. They will only carry 20 players but with 6 seniors and 4 juniors.
They did pick up a GK from New Zealand ( a regular supplier of BU talent) and there will be competition for sophomore Caroline Kennedy.
The team has been practicing all fall and it’s hard to believe Sally Starr won’t make progress this season.
Bucknell University
Bucknell always fields a competitive team and no doubt Jeremy Cook will get his team ready. They will be playing American and Colgate twice, along with single games each with Lafayette and Lehigh. They open March 7 hosting Colgate, and travel March 14 and 21 at American and Lehigh repectively. American will come to play on March 28 then on April 4 will travel to Colgate for the rubber match and finish on April 11 hosting Lafayette.
Bucknell will dress a second highest amount players at 25 with 6 Seniors and 7 Juniors providing the experience. I see no reason why Bucknell can’t win at least 3 games and be in the hunt.
Colgate University
Colgate will play the least number of games at home and will play Boston, Holy Cross and Bucknell twice. They open @Bucknell on March 7, will host Holy Cross on the 21st, they then will travel to Boston for a March 27 and 28 7pm games. They finish hosting Bucknell on the 4th of April and travel to Holy Cross on the 18th. Of all the Patriot League teams, their schedule is hard to understand.
Dressing 9 senior and 5 juniors experience aplenty is their main asset for their 22 player roster. The first two games may tell the tale for the Raiders.
Holy Cross
Holy Cross will be one of the Patriot League teams that will play two Patriot League teams twice. Boston University will arrive in Worchester on March the 7th for a 7 pm game, followed two weeks later at Colgate on March 21st, and will host Lafayette on the 28th at 11 am. The Crusaders will then travel to Lehigh on the 16th and Boston return match at 7pm on the 11th. They finish with a home game at Colgate on the 18th.
Holy Cross will dress a league leading 26 players with 7 seniors, 5 juniors, 6 sophomores, and 8 freshmen. They lost against American in the PL playoffs and would dearly like a second shot this year.
Freshman Simone Hefting was a welcome returnee for the playoff season
Lafayette College
Lafayette lost to the American Eagles in the championship game by one goal, and they would like a second shot. The schedule may be the most competitive in the league but that just the way Head Coach Jennifer Stone would like it. They have the first week off which will give them time to watch Lehigh take on American on the 7th. So the first week will be March 14 at home against Lehigh at 1 pm, followed by a home match against Boston on March 21 as Boston looks for revenge their overtime loss to the Leopards last year. On March 28 there is the trip to Holy Cross followed by a home game with American at 2 pm. The Leopards hit the road on April 11 and 18 with Bucknell and American respectively. A successful run with this schedule could set up the Leopards well, for the post season.
Lafayette will field a balanced team with 22 players consisting of 5 seniors, and 6 juniors, five sophomores and 6 freshman. It will be difficult to replace Lisa Van der Geest but Simone Hefting could come up big. Seniors Grace Angelella, Anna Steps and Audrey Sawer should be a pain to opponents from the midfield. Eva Kaplan showed solid minutes last year and is destined to be an important contributor. Sophie Carr part of the leadership is ready to be an important force on the field!! Molly McAndrews is ready to explode on the attack. The GK position will have three competitors for Goalie coach Jenny Rizzo to bring along.
I like the Leopards but there are no games to be taken for granted with this schedule, and Lehigh could be tougher than most people think.
Lehigh University
Lehigh has been improving every year and last year finished their season by beating Boston at home. They seem to have been working all fall as most Lehigh athletic teams did. Lehigh opens with American and they would dearly love to send a message to the league on March 7th. Then on March 14 they will travel to Lafayette for the “Rivalry.” It will be Lafayette’s first game and Lafayette coaches will have had some time to get a “book” on the mountain hawks. They will host Bucknell at home on the 21st and then Holy Cross on April 4th. Their rubber match with American will be in DC on the 11th, then finishing in Boston on the 18th.
They will feature a strong defense with a a senior GK, and there will be Lenke Havas at D/M, the question will be, where the goals will come from. 22 players will dress with 4 seniors, 4 Juniors, 9 sophs and 6 freshman. Will there be enough bench strength? That question will dominate their season??
The League
It really could a year with a close race. Four wins gets you to the playoffs, there could be several teams at 3-3 with a difficult tie breaker in play. It’s hard to dismiss Lafayette and American to repeat, or Bucknell to be in the hunt. Lehigh may be a year away, and Boston needs improvement, but its hard to believe Sally Starr would not lead a team to the promised land with that schedule. Holy Cross is always filled with surprises, and Colgate with 9 seniors might be another surprise!!
Important Additions: Gov. Wolf Modifies Rules For Gatherings….Will Allow 20 PCT OF Capacity For Outdoor Stadiums!! Will PL Follow New Guidelines!!????
Those of you who are regular readers, or know me personally know, I am not one to mince words. The plain fact is Patriot League Coach of the Year Jennifer Stone as assembled a coaching staff that may prove out to be the best in the Patriot League. Earlier in the year she announced that Olympian and Captain of the Canadian National team Scott Tupper would join the Lafayette coaching staff. The arrival of Jenny Rizzo sends a clear message that Lafayette clearly has its sights sets on the next step in the program!! There is an emphatic communication to recruits and current players to be prepared to sacrifice and train, while they receive the excellent education Lafayette offers. Please don’t apply unless you are ready to make the commitment!!!
Rizzo graduated from Penn State after playing 79 games for the Lions in the cage. Her career save percentage was .749. She also played for the US U-19, U-21, and US development squad. She also was a member of the USFHA all academic squad with a major in Bio Behavioral Health. She is a twin to her brother Jack and calls Hersey her home.
Her 5400 minutes between the pipes at Penn State will be an asset in the development of Lafayette’s three goalkeepers. Frosh, Emma Garvey, Junior, Becca Herbert, and Junior, Hailey Abbott. In words to live by, she says, ” Don’t ever let anyone tell you you can’t do something. Only you can decide what you’re capable of.”
During last summer as schools struggled for the right strategy on college athletics, there was veiled criticism of the Patriot League as being Ivy followers, seemingly because it was perceived the League would follow the “Ancient Eight,” wherever they would go!! The exception was the service academies, who struck out on their own, citing that athletics was central to its educational mission and they would, as best as possible, carry on, playing full schedules.
Those who follow this blog know I favor the approach of the service academies and see competitive athletics as part of the educational offering and opportunities that schools like Lafayette should be committed to. As a senior officer in my company, I would always, all things being equal, favor the student athlete applicant over the applicant who led a more monastic existence at a college. A study executed by a faculty committee when Lafayette was considering adding athletic scholarships revealed, students athletes received higher paying job offers than non-student athletes. In fact, since the addition of scholarships, student athletes on average outperform non- student athletes in the classroom. I can’t think of any “under water basket weaving majors” at Lafayette.
The Patriot League broke with its Ivy League brethren ( wisely), and opted to return to competitive sports this winter and will offer a modified spring schedule for the fall sports and almost a full schedule of spring sports this semester, while returning most students to on campus living.
The Ivies on the other hand, have embraced a modified on campus living arrangement while many are at home enjoying the “University of Phoenix,” style of higher education. All the while, collecting hefty tuition fees and earnings on their 11 figure endowments. One member of the Yale community called the on-campus experience at Yale, “Yale Jail.” There are some who think the Ivy League will continue its stoppage of athletics into the fall, reckoning that the powers that be have already decided, but are afraid to admit it to its student and applicant populations.
In an article in the Wall Street Journal it is reported, “Athletes are in limbo. Sports are so important to some of them that they are unenrolling from their Ivy League schools to prolong their athletic eligibility.” The Ivy League has been reluctant to restart competition despite scientific evidence that indicates the biggest risks for viral transmission do not occur on the field. The Journal points out, that out of 357 division one men’s basketball teams, 347 are playing, the Ivies represent 8 of the 10 not playing.
Prominent Ivy alums are beginning to stir. Bob Warden who oversees private equity at Cerebus, stated, “The Ivy League should be on the forefront of developing ways to reopen…They certainly have the experts and money to make it happen.” Offers to help, at least monetarily, have been rebuffed.
Meanwhile, rosters for more than 23 Ivy League teams have contracted by at least one half. Women’s ice hockey at Harvard went from 24 to 3 players. One baseball coach told me he is down to 12 players, not enough to field a team this spring. Yale’s highly ranked men’s Lacrosse team went from 48 players to 8 this spring.
Again in the Journal article, Jack Starr, Yale’s lacrosse goalie said, ” Online learning is frustrating and tough. Zoom fatigue is real….. I didn’t want a shadow of Yale…I wanted the rich, unabridged version of the school I experienced the first two and a half years.”
In a recent study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison concluded that there has been nearly a 70% increase in serious mental depression in student athletes on the sidelines. I applaud the Patriot League for not being a “follower.” Do I wish the spring season ( especially) for field hockey was more robust?? Sure I do. But breaking from the supposed ” smartest people in the room,” was a right and brilliant decision.
Early on, I thought the schedule would look like the basketball schedule, playing multiple games against league opponents, but the logic of the schedule escapes me, since it saves little money, doesn’t really reduce travel, for everyone. and is not balanced.
The Lafayette schedule looks like this. March 14 Lehigh at Lafayette, March 21 BU at Lafayette, March 28 Lafayette at Holy Cross, April 4 American at Lafayette, April 11 Lafayette at Bucknell, April 18 Lafayette at American for the second time.
That works out to three home games and three away games. There is no game with Colgate, but two games with American. I focused on Lafayette’s two games with American, until I saw the rest of the League. Boston will be playing 4 games at home, two games with Colgate back to back in Boston, two games with Holy Cross, a big game at Lafayette, and finishing with Lehigh in Boston.
American will be playing Bucknell twice and Lafayette twice. Colgate will not be playing Lafayette or American, but play Bucknell twice, Holy Cross twice and Boston twice and has only two home games!!.
The bottom line is that Boston has the easiest schedule including the addition of 4 home games. How this saves significant money and travel for the League overall escapes me, but maybe I’m not smart enough to detect the logic. If that was the overall purpose, they should have pre-scheduled the Patriot League tournament at a centrally located site. Maybe that can be “arranged.”:)
The good news is WE ARE PLAYING, and overall I would rather have the tougher schedule than the easier schedule. With most games on Sunday, I am hopeful they will all be live streamed for us fans!! Additionally, I understand the NCAA will waive the minimum game requirements to allow for Covid and weather obstacles. It’s pretty clear…. all you have to do is win.
The entire team is returning to school, and conditioning will begin next week. The League has left open the posibility of fan attendance. I am recieving my first covid shot next week. ( I suppose the advantage of being ancient). So I should be ready for the season.
Eva Kaplan makes her contributions fighting past a n American defender
I wrote two days ago about the eclectic approach to having a Field Hockey season this spring. Little did I know how jumbled and difficult it would be. Field Hockey is primarily played in the Northeast, which was visited by a giant snowstorm over the last several days. With the season only several weeks away teams have been scrambling to find practice space. There are those who do have some sort of indoor turf facility but in almost every case it’s the wrong type of turf and they find practice times squeezed with Lacrosse, Baseball, Track and Field, and Soccer team vying for time.
In many cases clearing an outdoor field is an obstacle, as maintenance crews are busy cleaning the rest of the campus in preparation for students returning to school.
One Division One coach I talked to integrated her training schedule with clearing her field. The first hour warm up was started with handing out 25 shovels for an hour long exercise in clearing the snow covered fields. But that may be the least of the issues facing field hockey teams this spring.
The NCAA has declared that teams may not play more than 16 games in the regular season but must play at least 8 to be eligible for NCAA playoffs. That means the ACC, who did play last fall will have their schedules reduced in some cases. However, a school like Boston College could schedule games since they played a very limited number of games this fall. The difficulty is most conferences are only scheduling in conference games.
The Big Ten and Big East look to playing a full schedule by playing in conference opponents mulitple times. Other conferences, as of this writing, look to be playing a very limited schedules amongst their conference rivals. The NCAA championship final four will be played at UNC who as the conference champion of the ACC is hosting with other conference teams competing for 3 open at large slots.
The Patriot League will have an auto qualifier but in order to qualify must of have played 8 games. That works out to six regular season games and two Patriot League championship games!! There can be NO cancellations of regular season games or those two teams will not be able to qualify.
Lafayette has not published a schedule yet or explained how practices will proceed. With this past snow storm, and perhaps a snowstorm this weekend, it makes being ready for a game in one month, a coaching challenge. Hopefully, fitness can be taken care of prior to arrival. Putting together a squad without practice games and limited days of practice will be a challenge. But any activity this Covid season is a challenge!!
Additional Information On Schedules
The Patriot League will announce schedules tomorrow. Lafayette may be playing their first game against Lehigh on March 14!!
So, spring schedules are starting to leak out, and it looks like it will be “eclectic”. Some people may take that as a compliment, but for my purposes the synonym would be “jumbled.” For example we know the Patriot League spring season starts on March 7, the actual opponents will be named after the head of Patriot League goes into her “top secret” vault and releases it to ordinary people. We know the “regular” season closes on April 18 with the championship tournament to be played April 22-24, just in time for the NCAA tournament which is to start April 30 at an unnamed site, and the semi- final and final games to be held starting May 7 and to be played at UNC.
Ok, if you have that down, here’s the eclectic piece. The Big East and the Big Ten have announced their schedules. The Big East will begin play Feb. 26 and end (depending on the school) around April 14. Meaning they will start one week earlier, and end about one week earlier. Some of the schools will play out of conference games with regional opponents. ( Perhaps some ACC schools who did play last fall). In total, looks like they will try to play 14 games playing multiple games against the same opponent.
The Big Ten seems the most organized and forthcoming . They will start Feb.26 and end around April 17 with the Big Ten tournament to be played at Iowa on April 21. They will play an all Big Ten schedule with several games at neutral sites. For example, Maryland will play Michigan State on the 26h of February, Northwestern on the 28th, Ohio State on the 5th of March, followed by Northwestern again on the 7th, all to be played at Virginia Beach, Va. The total schedule is 14 games, playing Rutgers twice on the weekend starting April 15 at College Park.
The Ivy League of course is not playing at all in any sport!!
I am hoping that some fans will be allowed to be in the stands but at the very least, games should be live streamed. ( no promises).
Even the US Team is supposed to play FIH games in April but I could not find dates and venues at this writing..
It’s a season like no other, which I hope will not repeated anytime soon. How will coaches approach the season?? Will it be like an enhanced spring season?? I suspect when it gets to NCAA tournament time it will look and feel like any other championship!!
Maybe Lafayette could even host a first round game!! That would be memorable.There will be nine or ten teams getting an auto bid and 12 in the tournament. That probably means a bye for higher ranked teams in first round and play in games during the week.
My druthers would have been a larger Patriot schedule, (perhaps playing two games with each team in the conference). The only team that does not have its own field is American, so it could have been done. But beggars can’t be choosers. Let the games begin!!
I believe we are closing in on normality as vaccinations become available. There will be more live classroom teaching, and even some college football, soccer and field hockey played to replace missed seasons. It has had an effect on everyone and quite frankly my wife and I have been experiencing a “ground hog day” everyday for the last 6. months.
It hasn’t been a totally non-productive period. I have been working on looking for a new training headquarters for US Field Hockey. There have been several meetings via zoom, with friends and even a 75th birthday party via zoom. Christmas was sort of a downer as my family is spread about the country,
However, Pam and I did welcome the newest addition to our house, Bailey, a lovable black lab. She is smart but mischievous, lovable but at times smothering, but most importantly she is a “covid puppy.” She has not had the opportunity to mix with many people, and does get anxious. Once she acquires an object ( a shoe, a pillow, or a TV remote), it became her’s. It was time for school!!!
I don’t often endorse anyone on these pages but we found a trainer who truly worked miracles. After giving us a free evaluation, she trained Bailey… and us to instill manners in this young pup. The trainer’s name is Nichole Finizio owner of More Than Manners Dog Training.
She arrived from her business site in North East Philadelphia and spent seven weeks with us and Bailey helping us cope with her Covid Puppy attitude. At the end, she now responds to commands, and is beginning to adjust to new situations. We are finally really enjoying our new family member and I believe she is a happier dog as well, since we now understand what she was saying to us.
So we finally know that there will be field hockey this Spring. The Patriot League let it be known to all, that fall sports will be played, albeit with strings attached. The seasons, will, for the most part be truncated by playing only Patriot League teams with overnight stays to be limited along with travel. The Patriot League is a multi state league so there is bound to be Patriot League, as well as state and local rules. In addition, I assume individual schools will have there own regulations.
As I watch our basketball teams play, it does gives some insight to how a spring field hockey season may play out. Even the play by play announcers, Gary Laubach and John Leone, at Lafayette, are broadcasting remotely from an RCN studio. In Boston, this weekend, both Colgate and Boston were wearing masks on and off the court. All League games had the bare minimum in attendance with cardboard cutouts in the stands ( available for a slight fee).
Molly McAndrews and Sam Dimiao challenge a Bucknell mid
In Pennsylvania, and nationwide, governors and national leaders are struggling with the rollout of vaccines. Locally, in Pennsylvania we are on the brink of moving on to Phase 1B where the second level vaccinations will be administered. ( That would include those of us who are 75 years and older along with teachers and others). By March 7th I would expect vaccinations would be on the cusp of a universal availability. By April 24, the date of the championship, hopefully many of us will have been inoculated. But that’s all speculation. I note that the governor of New York allowed about 7,000 live fans at the site of the Bills/Colts football game yesterday!
Fortunately, we live in an age of streaming services and hopefully, parents and fans will be able at least see their favorite teams on TV. The Patriot League has announced a new partnership with ESPN plus to telecast games nationally, and Stadium Sports internationally.
I emailed AD Sherryta Freeman who has been leading her staff to make this opportunity to play a reality. What’s the fun of being an Athletic Director supervising zoom meetings??? I asked her about plans for televising all spring activities. I got this answer. ” Yes, we are making plans. Each League member is making every effort possible to broadcast its home events. I know that our Communications team has been working on Covid-related solutions throughout the pandemic for all return to play scenarios. So stay tuned as we to continue to navigate those details.”
So details matter, as Lafayette navigates practice and game schedules to give our charges the chance to play, and fans get a chance to watch them in action. So get your subscription to ESPN Plus or Stadium Sports, to be ready for a return to action!!
If former home and home league protocols apply, we will playing American, Boston and Lehigh at home and Colgate, Holy Cross, Bucknell away. The championship game will be played at the home of the winning regular season team, and any play in game to the NCAA tournament could be at Lafayette and any further games away.
Lafayette College Field Hockey 