2006 Preview
Coming up just short of a Centennial playoff berth in 2005, the 2006 Swarthmore field hockey team is poised to contend for a Centennial Conference championship in 2006.
Led by senior captains Karen Lorang (San Diego, CA / University H.S.), Julie Monaghan (Wynnewood, PA / Penn Charter), and Summer Spicer (Laurel, DE / Laurel High), this Garnet squad will benefit from a solid defensive unit, a strong midfield, and a balanced offensive attack.
In her three years between the pipes, Lorang has established herself as one of the best goaltenders in the conference, earning All-Centennial honors in her freshman season. In 2005, Lorang posted a 2.38 goals against average to go along with 81 saves, including a career-best 27 stops in 3-2 double overtime loss at 16th-ranked Gettysburg.
Monaghan, who has played in 49 games in her career, will use her experience to anchor the Garnet defense, which allowed an average of 2.18 goals per game in 2005. Joining Monaghan on the back line will be Saranne Perman '07 (Hunt Valley, MD / Dulaney), who had strong 2005 campaigns, and Rachel Turner '08 (Summit, NJ / Summit) and Anna Baeth '09 (Frederick, MD / Frederick High School), who will look to contribute valuable minutes.
Spicer and Neema Patel '07 (Akron, OH / Western Reserve Academy) will control the play in the midfield, aid the defense, and feed the Garnet attackers. Spicer was second on the team in scoring in 2005, banging in 11 goals and assists for a total of 26 points, second only to the 32 points tallied by Heidi Fieselman '06.
On attack, the Garnet will look to replace the void left by Fieselman's graduation - a task left to forwards Abbie Fischer '08 (Sudbury, MA / Lincoln-Sudbury), who recorded 17 points in 2005, and Lindsay Roth '07 (Severna Park, MD / Severn School). Julia Morrison '07 (Brooklyn, NY / Poly Prep Country Day) should also provide valuable minutes on attack for the Garnet squad who finished 2005 ranked fourth in the conference in goals per game.
Swarthmore welcomes seven new players into the fold for the 2006 season, including midfielder Sarah Reynolds (Potomac, MD / Holton Arms School), a transfer student from Williams College. The contingent of first-years are made of forward Alex Gilbert-Bono (Wellesley, MA / St. Mark's School), goalie Gina Grubb (Pittsburgh, PA / Oakland Catholic), attack Abbe Muller (West Hartford, CT / Conard), midfielder Hoa Pham (Lansdowne, PA / Penn Wood), defender Maryanne Tomazic (Freehold, NJ / Freehold), and forward Joslyn Young (Ann Arbor, MI / Community).
Swarthmore will compete in the Franklin & Marshall Pre-season Tournament on August 26 before opening the 2006 season at home vs. Virginia Wesleyan on Sept. 1. The highlight on the schedule comes on September 16-17when the Garnet will host the annual Seven Sisters Tournament. Strong senior leadership combined with big-game experience should spell a strong season for the Garnet in 2006.