FH: 2011 Pride Field Hockey Preview

8/19/2011 9:01:00 PM

Hempstead, NY - Armed with 18 returnees, including eight starters, and a talented group of nine newcomers, Hofstra Head Field Hockey Coach Kathy De Angelis will be looking to lead the Pride to their seventh Colonial Athletic Association Championship tournament in the past eight years this November.

Last year, the Pride shuffled through a season that featured 17 freshmen and sophomores and season-ending injuries to three starters. De Angelis was hopeful that the team's versatility would boost the lack of depth and experience. But that inexperience, as well as the preseason loss of All-Mideast Region defender Amy-Lee Levey following an auto accident and the in-season losses of two-time All-Mideast Region selection Genna Kovar and Krizia Layne, the second and third leading scorers in the team in 2010, led to a 7-11, 2-6 finish.

In contrast to last year's team which featured just three seniors, the 2011 roster sports seven seniors, six juniors and sophomores, and eight freshmen. The recruiting class could be one of the most experienced and talented of De Angelis' tenure. Many have the potential to see extensive playing time with several possibly cracking the starting lineup.

While the Pride lost just five goals but 44 percent (15 of 34) of its assists to graduation, De Angelis is confident that the 2011 squad, with its added experience and depth, will be able to replenish and top those numbers this season. "More than anything, we have depth with experience at every position this year," De Angelis says. "The return of Amy-Lee (Levey) will solidify our back line and give us a very good transition from defense to offense. With a veteran line-up and the return of Krizia and Genna from injuries, we have set our goal at finishing among the top four in the CAA. That means developing and getting better in every game during the non-conference season in preparation for the tough conference schedule."

Forward
The forward line has experience and depth in 2011. Senior Genna Kovar (Hampton Bays, NY), a three-year starter and a two-time All-Mideast selection at midfield, is expected to make the move to forward this season. The 2009 All-American tallied nine goal and six assists in 14 games last year before missing the final four games with an injury. Kovar has recorded 29 goals in her career and will be a bigger threat on the striker line.

Junior Krizia Layne (Arima, Trinidad), who played on the gold-medal winning Trinidad and Tobago National Team in the 2010 Pan-Am Games qualifying Central American and Caribbean (CAC) Games, recorded seven goals and three assists in 12 games last year before suffering a season-ending knee injury. Several veterans will be vying for the third starting spot including; seniors Darrah Rachman (Reading, PA), who posted four goals and two assists in 16 games last year, and Katelyn Lewia (Wells, ME), who played in five games in 2010; junior Meg Leusch (Rochester, NY), who played in 10 games last season; and sophomores Katelyn Horan (Endicott, NY), who saw action in four games as a freshman, and Jillian Geysen (East Hampton, CT).

The biggest challenge for a starting job could come from the freshman class from Jonel Boileau (Kelowna, BC, Canada), a three-time Most Outstanding Female Athlete award winner in high school who trained with the Canadian Junior National Team last year; Katie Fischer (Reisterstown, MD), a four-year member of the U.S. Futures program and leading scorer at the 2009 National Hockey Festival; and Emily Caffrey (York, PA), a team Most Valuable Player and three-year-leading scorer at Central York High School. "Our attack unit this season will be significantly faster," De Angelis says. "In addition, with many returnees our team chemistry will be the key to a successful attack."

Midfield
Even with Genna Kovar moving to the front line, the Pride return three starters at midfield in senior Arielle Williams (Port-of-Spain, Trinidad), junior Michael Gallagher (Port Jefferson, NY), and sophomore Stephanie Cowles (Solana Beach, CA). Williams, who has started every game the past two seasons, led the team in scoring last year with 13 goals and five assists and was a perfect six-for-six in penalty strokes. Gallagher, a 2009 All-CAA Rookie Team pick who posted four goals and two assists in 2010, has started all 38 games during her career. Cowles stepped right in as a freshman and started all 18 games in 2010.

The midfield unit will have added depth with the arrival of junior Melissa McCarthy (Havertown, PA), a transfer from Millersville (PA) University who was a two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) selection; and freshmen Holly Andrews (Afton, NY), an outstanding athlete with great experience at the club and U.S. Development levels; Marta Penas (Barcelona, Spain), a member of the gold medal-winning Spain National Under-18 team in 2010 and regional championship team in 2009; and Rachel Adams (Port Norris, NJ), a four-time All-Cape League selection at Millville (NJ) High School. "We have depth, experience and versatility at midfield," De Angelis says. "We have a number of players who can move forward or back and that will help our overall depth."

Defense
The defense lost one starter to graduation but returns two starters from 2010 and a third starter from 2009 who was red-shirted with an injury last season. Leading the returning starters is senior Amy-Lee Levey (Harare, Zimbabwe) was an All-Mideast Region selection and an All-CAA pick in 2009 before suffering serious injuries in an auto accident after that season. She tallied eight goals and two assists as a junior and 14 goals and six assists in her career which makes her a threat in transition. "Amy-Lee is probably our strongest leader on the team," De Angelis says. "She is sound technically, both defensively and offensively. She has the ability to attack from the back , which is one of her strengths and one of our biggest assets."

Juniors Kerry Kiddoo (Chapel Hill, NC) and Codi Nyland (Washington, NJ) also return to starting roles on the back line. Kiddo has started in all 38 games at midfield and defense during her first two seasons while Nyland has played in all 38 and started 20. Their experience is invaluable to the team's success. Returning sophomores Shannon McCardell (Mullica Hill, NJ, who saw action in 11 games and started three as a freshman in 2010, and Lauren Vallee (Dearborn, MI) will challenge for the starting line-up as well.

Like the attack line, the biggest challenge for a starting spot could come from several talented newcomers including Katie Bishop (Center Conway, NH), a two-time All-New Hampshire selection and National Futures Program product; Ciara Weatherbee (Allentown, NJ), an All-New Jersey selection and National Field Hockey Festival gold medal-winning member; and Holly Andrews, who could also challenge for a spot on defense. "Our defense is a talented and experienced unit," De Angelis says. "We are going to look at the backfield as the core of our team and they will be the key to our success."

Goal
The Pride return all three goalies who logged playing time last year including senior starter Amanda Heyde (Somers, NY). Heyde, a three-year starter, played in all 18 games and started 17 as a junior. She posted a 3.10 goals against average, a .667 save percentage (96 saves), seven wins and two shutouts in 1082:16 of action last year. Heyde has started 42 of her 49 games during her career. Pushing Heyde, who is returning from off-season back issues, is senior Meredith Golden (Louisville, KY). She saw 104 minutes of action in four games but posted a 1.34 goals against average and made 14 saves for a .875 save percentage.

Sophomore Kaitlyn De Turo (South Setauket, NY), a 2008 All-Long Island selection, was the only other player to start a game for the Pride last season, getting the starting nod at Maine. She played in three games as a red-shirt freshman and made 10 saves on the year. "We have three goalies who have game experience," De Angelis says. "Each goalie brings different assets to the field and we expect all three to contend for the starting job. I am comfortable with any of the three in the goal."

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