Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Field Hockey Places Five on All-Patriot League Teams
11/1/2011 8:00:00 AM | Field Hockey
Nov. 1, 2011
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell field hockey placed three players on the All-Patriot League First Team and two more on the second team, it was announced on Tuesday. Rachel Misko (Morristown, N.J./Madison) was a unanimous first-team honoree, while Marci Richard (Oley, Pa./Oley Valley) and Mallory Smith (Schnecksville, Pa./Parkland) were also voted to the first team. Vickie Resh (Hamburg, Pa./Hamburg Area) and Erica Perrine (Bridgewater, N.J./Bridgewater-Raritan) were named to the second team ahead of this weekend's Patriot League Tournament.
With three selections, Bucknell tied a program high for first-team accolades. The last time the Bison placed three players on the All-Patriot League First Team was in 1995 (Megan Bossuyt, Dani Johnston, Jaime Paldin). They also earned three spots from 1990-92.
The 2010 Patriot League Rookie of the Year and a Second Team All-League selection a year ago, Misko became one of six players to earn a unanimous selection to the First Team on Tuesday. The sophomore forward is second on the team with four goals and 13 points this fall. Her five assists is also third among Bison. Against Patriot League opponents, Misko is tied for third in assists per game (0.80), eighth in shots per game (3.00) and tied for ninth in points per game (1.20).
Misko was recognized once already this season by the league when she was selected the Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 3. Of the five Bison honored this week, she is the only one to be voted to a postseason team previously in her career and the first Bison sophomore to be a first-team selection since Amanda Faust in 2006.
Smith also recently claimed an Offensive Player of the Week nod from the league. The senior scored the game-winning goal in double overtime at Colgate last weekend, sending Bucknell to the postseason for the fourth consecutive season and earning her the weekly award from the league yesterday.
Smith has enjoyed a breakout season in her final campaign, leading the team with six goals and 18 points. Her six assists is also second on the squad. A forward and co-captain for the Bison this fall, Smith entered the season with just 11 points on four goals and three assists in her career. She closed out the 2011 regular season ranked second in Patriot League action in goals per game (0.80), third in points per game (2.00) and eighth in assists per game (0.40).
Helping Smith and her teammates to several of those goals was Richard. Another senior co-captain, Richard leads Bucknell in assists with a career-best seven on the year. Those assists in Patriot League play also tie her for third with 0.80 per game. She currently has 21 career points on five goals and 11 assists.
When Bucknell plays in the Patriot League Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday, it will mark the first time in program history the Bison have advanced to the postseason four straight years. Smith and Richard, along with fellow seniors Kate Bowen (Forty Fort, Pa./Wyoming Valley West) and Sarah Zargarpour (North Vancouver, British Columbia/Handsworth Secondary), also helped Bucknell to a league championship match in 2008.
While Smith netted the game-winning goal against Colgate to give Bucknell a chance at the league tournament, Perrine made an equally important contribution to the effort, holding the Raiders scoreless for more than 80 minutes. It was the second shutout of the season for the sophomore goalkeeper, who also finished her regular season with a .728 save percentage and a 2.07 goals-against average. With 91 saves this season, Perrine is the first Bison keeper to make more than 90 stops in a single season since Emily Groendyke in 2006.
Perrine, who has improved to a 7-8 record this fall after going 0-1 with just five saves and eight goals allowed as a rookie, is a two-time Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week. She received her first accolade on Oct. 24 after holding American to one goal and giving Bucknell its first win over the Eagles since 2001. She was also named the top keeper on Monday after blanking Colgate and recording a career-best 15 saves at No. 5 Syracuse.
Bucknell's third sophomore to be recognized, Resh has largely flown under the radar statistically but has made major impacts on the Bison's game this fall. The midfielder has one goal and one assist this season, with her first career score coming in a 2-1 win at Lock Haven. A key defensive stop late against the Eagles helped maintain the tie that gave the Bison the overtime victory. Resh's effort that weekend earned her the title of Susquehanna Valley Limousine Bison Athlete of the Week.
Resh has also been a key part of Bucknell's defensive effort throughout the season. The Bison are 4-0 in overtime games and have allowed just one shot to opponents in five overtime periods.
It is the first time Bucknell has had three sophomores named to All-Patriot League teams in the same season. Prior to this year, just 14 Bison sophomores had earned accolades since 1990.
Claiming the major awards in 2011 were Deanna DiCroce of Lafayette, who was the Offensive Player of the Year. American's Tatum Dyer was the Defensive Player of the Year, Lehigh's Sierra Segear the Goalkeeper of the Year, and Lafayette's Brittany Blass the Rookie of the Year. Steve Jennings of American was selected Coach of the Year.
Major awards and all-league selections are determined by a vote of Patriot League head coaches.
Bucknell, which is 7-11 overall and 3-2 in the Patriot League, will continue its season on Friday when it plays top-seeded American in the first round of the Patriot League Tournament at Washington, D.C., at 11 a.m. The winner of that matchup will advance to the championship game and play the winner of No. 2 Lafayette vs. No. 3 Lehigh at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Offensive Player of the Year: Deanna DiCroce, Lafayette, Jr., F
Defensive Player of the Year: Tatum Dyer, American, Sr., D
Goalkeeper of the Year: Sierra Segear, Lehigh, So., GK
Rookie of the Year: Brittany Blass, Lafayette, Fr., M
Coach of the Year: Steve Jennings, American
First-Team All-Patriot League*
Tatum Dyer, American (Sr., D)^
Gina Hofmann, American (Jr., D)
Jenn Bradley, American (Jr., M)^
Marci Richard, Bucknell (Sr., M)
Rachel Misko, Bucknell (So., F)^
Mallory Smith, Bucknell (Sr., F)
Peyton Hawkins, Colgate (Sr., M)
Jamie Caniglia, Holy Cross (Sr., M)
Carolyn Cabrey, Lafayette (Sr., M/D)^
Deanna DiCroce, Lafayette (Jr., F)^
Emily Valeo, Lafayette (Jr., M/D)
Brittany Blass, Lafayette (Fr., M)
Sierra Segear, Lehigh (So., GK)
Kim Eng, Lehigh (Jr., F)^
Second-Team All-Patriot League#
Shelly Montgomery, American (So., M)
Melissa Casale, American (Sr., F)
Alex McMackin, American (So., F)
Erica Perrine, Bucknell (So., GK)
Vickie Resh, Bucknell (So., D)
Amanda DiDomizio, Colgate (Fr., GK)
Mackenzie Peet, Holy Cross (Fr., M/F)
Jaclyn White, Lafayette (Jr., M/D)
Steph Fratoni, Lehigh (Fr., M/D)
Marie Mignogna, Lehigh (So., D)
* - 14 players due to ties in the voting
# - 10 players due to ties in the voting
^ - unanimous first-team selection
