Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Field Hockey Begins 2008 Season with a Fresh Look
8/29/2008 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Aug. 29, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bison field hockey team starts its 2008 season this weekend, hosting Villanova at 4 p.m. on Saturday and Longwood at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. Both games will be played at Graham Field.
Bucknell finished last season with an 8-9 record, losing four of five Patriot League games and missing the Patriot League Tournament. This year's team features eight seniors and returns 10 of 11 starters from the young squad that took the field for the Orange and Blue last year.
Villanova averaged 3.24 goals per game last season, winning 11 of its 18 games and finishing tied for fourth in the Big East. Current sophomore Lauren Wuzzardo led the team with 13 goals and 30 points a year ago.
Longwood finished its 2007 campaign with a 6-15 record and returns 16 letterwinners. The Lancers start their season on Saturday against Lock Haven, a contest that will be played on Graham Field starting at 1 p.m.
Weekend Schedule at Graham Field
August 30, 2008
Longwood vs. Lock Haven, 1 p.m.
Bucknell vs. Villanova, 4 p.m.
August 31, 2008
Bucknell vs. Longwood, 11:30 a.m.
2008 Season Preview
The Bucknell field hockey team opens the 2008 season with a both a new coach and philosophy. New Bison head coach Jeremy Cook has instituted tactical changes to the positional roles and responsibilities the team has used in the past, with the expectation of building and progressing each day toward and through the Patriot League season, which starts Oct. 4 at Lafayette.
The Bison, picked to finish fourth in the Patriot League preseason poll, return 10 starters from last year's team, including senior co-captains Amanda Faust and Steph Graf. Faust is tied for eighth in program history with 60 points, including 24 assists, a total that places her second all-time. Graf has been named Second Team All-Patriot League for each of her three years with the Bison, and has led the league in defensive saves each of the last two seasons.
"Graf and Faust will be expected to have strong leadership roles, especially with the defense," Cook said. "The team will rely on their composure and experience as two top players in the league."
During the preseason, Cook and his staff have placed an emphasis on hard work and making an overall commitment to improvement.
"The staff and I have asked more than the players thought they can give, but they are stepping up to the challenge so far," Cook said.
With the ultimate goal being success in the Patriot League, Cook wants to see increased game understanding, offensive and defensive ability and better execution than the team has now. Cook believes that this will put the team in position to have a chance to win every game.
For the Bison to be successful, contributions are going to have to come from everyone on the roster, but Cook has identified a few players for whom he has high hopes. Seniors Trina Boyer and Jacquie Kataneksza and sophomore Kelly Bruvik are expected to provide the team with some offensive punch, and freshmen Vanessa Charlton, Marci Richard and Mallory Smith can also expect to see some significant playing time. Charlton, whose mother, father and aunt are all Bucknell graduates, scored two goals during Bucknell's 3-1 preseason victory over East Stroudsburg.
Cook will employ a rotation at the forward position, using a minimum of six different players and as many as eight or nine in every game. He expects every player to give a maximum effort when on the field, and not worry as much about conserving energy throughout the game.
Faust and Graf will anchor the defense, which returns junior Jessie Atieh in goal. Freshmen Hanna Botney and Sarah Zargarpour will also challenge for time between the pipes, as Cook feels comfortable with the play of all three.
The Bison will aim to return to the Patriot League Tournament, after missing last year, as well as achieve its first winning season in league play since 2005 and first season with an overall record above .500 since 2003. If the team is able to work harder than it thought possible, then a return to its winning ways is possible too.
