Bucknell University Athletics
Field Hockey Wraps Up 2000 Season
11/13/2000 7:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 13, 2000
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bucknell field hockey team has concluded its season with an overall record of 9-11 and a conference mark of 3-3. The Bison earned a berth in the Patriot League Tournament for the third-straight year, and for the second-consecutive time, played in the championship game.
Bucknell entered the tournament as the third seed behind the host Holy Cross and second-seeded Fairfield. Lafayette was the fourth seed in the championship. The Orange and Blue pulled off an upset of Fairfield in the first round, handing the Stags a 2-1 defeat in overtime to advance to the championship contest. BU then faced Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass., for the title, falling to the Crusaders, 4-1.
Despite not reaching the ultimate goal, the NCAA playoffs, the 2000 Bucknell field hockey team achieved several accomplishments.
"I am very proud of our team to make it to the championship game considering Bucknell was picked to finish fifth in the pre-season polls," said head coach Heather Lewis. "Our program is consistently competitive as we've been in three Patriot League Tournament finals, tied for the most by any school in the league. Naturally, we'd like to win the coveted trophy, but I'm proud of this program for putting itself in a position to compete every year ... it's a testament to the character and pride of the players."
Three players earned All-Patriot League honors for the Bison squad at the conclusion of the season. Juniors Monica McCorry (Richboro, Pa./Council Rock), Melissa Maher (Marcy, N.Y./Whitesboro) and Dena Ebert (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional) were all honored by the league as selections to the all-conference teams.
McCorry made her first appearance on the all-league first-team after being selected to the second-team in 1999. The sweeper on the squad, McCorry was equally impressive in her junior campaign, tallying a team-best 107 positive tackles and 95 interceptions, in addition to recording eight defensive saves. McCorry was tabbed the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week once throughout the 2000 season, and has most recently been named to the 2000 Mideast Regional All-America First-Team. With her nomination, she is eligible for the National ballot.
Leading the way offensively for the Bison were Maher and Ebert. Maher earned a spot on the All-Patriot League Second-Team for the first time in her career after a stellar season. The forward led the team with 12 goals and one assist for 25 points. A two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week, Maher finished the season strong, scoring both of Bucknell's goals in the overtime victory against Fairfield in the league tournament. Her four game-winning scores was tops on the team, and with 18 career goals Maher stands in a tie for seventh-place on BU's all-time career goals list.
Ebert made her way back onto the All-Patriot League Second-Team after earning a spot on the team as a rookie. In her third season with the Orange and Blue, Ebert tallied 10 goals (including Bucknell's lone goal against Holy Cross in the championship game) and two assists for 22 points - second best on the team. For her career, Ebert stands in fourth place on Bucknell's all-time scoring list with 27 tallies. In addition, her 61 career points are fifth best on the BU all-time points list. Ebert garnered Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors in early October for scoring four goals in two games, including the game-winners in both contests. Ebert was recently named to the 2000 Mideast Regional All-American Second-Team.
Junior Lauren Campbell (Harleysville, Pa./Souderton) and senior tri-captain Maura Higgs (New Canaan, Conn./New Canaan) were third and fourth in scoring this season, respectively. After scoring just two goals and two assists the previous two seasons, Campbell became more of a threat offensively, netting six goals and two assists during her junior campaign. A solid player on both ends of the field, Campbell made her presence known on defense as well, intercepting 62 balls and recording 76 positive tackles, while also registering four defensive saves, all second-best on the team. Campbell joins Ebert as a representative on the 2000 Mideast Regional All-American Second-Team.
Higgs closes out her outstanding career at Bucknell with a three-goal, six-assist season. Her six assists were tops on the team and rank her sixth on the Bucknell all-time list for helpers in a season. For her career, Higgs tallied 17 goals and doled out 16 assists for 50 points. She graduates ranked in the top-10 on Bucknell's all-time lists for career points, goals and assists. Her 17 goals rank her 10th on the all-time list, while her 16 career assists place her third in school history. With 50 career points, Higgs stands in eighth place on the Bucknell career list.
Two other seniors closed out their careers with the 2000 season. Captains Katie Yingling (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township) and Brett Russo (Pottersville, N.J./Mt. St. Mary's Academy) both played the final season of successful four-year careers at Bucknell. Yingling was a starter in every game she played in (74) throughout her four years. A member of the All-Patriot League Second-Team as a junior, Yingling was a steady force in the Bucknell defensive unit. This season, she recorded 54 interceptions and 64 positive tackles, along with one defensive save. Her 64 positive tackles were the third-highest total on the team.
Russo played in 70 games throughout her career, starting 39 of them. She completes her field hockey career at Bucknell with three goals and four assists for 10 points. Her contributions to the program go much farther than numbers as Russo has been one of the most vocal and inspirational athletes to ever play field hockey for the Orange and Blue.
Sophomore Amy Marvel (Newtown, Pa./Council Rock) and juniors Anne Hunsicker (Bethlehem, Pa./Moravian Academy), Erin Plasteras (West Long Branch, N.J./Shore Regional), Meghan Hopping (Ipswich, Mass./Ipswich) and Larissa Carso (Easton, Md./Westminster School) all contributed offensively for Bucknell this season. Marvel completed her second season with the Bison, scoring two goals and contributing with three assists for seven points, fifth highest on the team. In addition to her offensive abilities, Marvel proved a threat on the defensive end, tallying 59 interceptions and 42 positive tackles.
Hunsicker added to her career totals, recording one goal - the game-winner in a 3-0 victory at Siena - and registering two assists for four points. She also recorded 55 interceptions and 49 positive tackles on defense. Plasteras had one goal and one assist, while Hopping scored once and Carso assisted on one goal. Defensively, Plasteras finished the year with 49 interceptions and 30 positive tackles, while Hopping posted 40 interceptions and 44 positive tackles, along with two defensive saves.
Sophomore Sonja Wettergreen (Norwalk, Conn./Brien McMahon) finished her second season in the cage for the Orange and Blue. A starter in 17 of the 18 games she played in, Wettergreen played 1,208 minutes, allowing 40 goals and making 168 saves. She recorded a .808 save percentage while posting a 2.32 goals against average. The netminder posted two shutouts in 2000, bringing her career total to seven.
Junior Melissa Rhoads (Audubon, Pa./Methacton) was the other player to spend time in the cage for Bucknell. Rhoads played in six games, starting three of them. She played 217 minutes, stopping 18 opponent shots and allowing nine scores.
Other members of the 2000 Bucknell field hockey team included junior Suzanne Schaubert (Weston, Mass./Weston), freshmen Lisa Bingaman (Selinsgrove, Pa./Selinsgrove), Kate Ruda (Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood), Lindsey Gentel (Sudbury, Mass./Lincoln-Sudbury), and C.J. Casey (Gwynedd Valley, Pa./Gwynedd Mercy Academy), and sophomore Kelly Burrows (Lanoka, Harbor, N.J./Lacey Township).
Schaubert saw action in 15 games during her junior season, recording interceptions and positive tackles. Bingaman and Ruda made immediate contributions as rookies. Bingaman played in 16 games, while Ruda competed in 13 games, starting five of them.
Gentel played in six games for the Bison in 2000, while Casey and Burrows both saw action in two games.
Bucknell finished its season at 9-11 overall and 3-3 in the Patriot League.
