2010 Field Hockey Season Preview
SWARTHMORE, Pa. - With the return of its top three scorers from last season, a talented crop of underclassmen and a veteran core of four seniors, the Swarthmore College Field Hockey will look to build on last season’s improvement and make some noise in the Centennial Conference.
Under the guidance of third year head coach Lauren Fuchs, the Garnet will look to take the next step after a five-win campaign in 2009. While the team loses the services of second-team All-Centennial midfielder Joslyn Young ’10 to graduation, seven starters return from a team that lost four games by just one goal – three of which were in Centennial Conference play.
On offense, Katie Teleky and Sophia Agathis - the team leaders in goals and assists in 2009 as freshmen – give Garnet fans hope that the squad can add to last season’s 2.05 scoring average, which ranked sixth in the Centennial Conference. Teleky scored nine goals in her outstanding rookie campaign. Agathis led the team with nine assists while ranking 38th in the country in assists per game, (.5.). Along with the sophomore pair, senior Sophia Ferguson will also play a vital role in the Swarthmore offense in 2010. Ferguson finished with six goals and three assists during the 2009 season.
On the defensive end, senior Katie Ashmore will start in goal for the Garnet this season after splitting time with Gina Grubb last season. In ten games in 2009, she surrendered only 2.92 goals per game. Sophomore Allison Ranshous started all 18 games on defense for the Garnet in 2009, while sophomore Julia Tallarico played in 17. Senior midfielders Devon Novotnak and Hadley Roach and sophomore Catie Meador will also be called upon to help protect the Garnet net.
A formidable 2010 schedule features match-ups with four teams that finished ranked in the Top 20 by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association at the end of 2009. Swarthmore’s non-conference schedule is highlighted by a visit from Eastern, which lost to eventual national champion Messiah in the second round of the 2009 NCAA Division III Tournament. In the challenging Centennial slate, the Garnet travel to perennial National Championship contender and defending conference champion Ursinus on October 20th for a 7:00 p.m. match under the lights.