Bucknell University Athletics
Field Hockey to Open Season at Rutgers and Monmouth this Weekend
8/28/2014 9:51:00 PM | Field Hockey
LEWISBURG, Pa. – The Bucknell field hockey team has a difficult five-game road trip to start the 2014 season and it begins this weekend with a pair of games in New Jersey. The Bison will open their season Friday at 4 p.m. at Rutgers and will then play at Monmouth Sunday at 1 p.m.
Bucknell's early season road trip also includes Penn (Sept. 7), Saint Joseph's (Sept. 12) and Princeton (Sept. 14).
“It's certainly a big challenge and they're tough games,” commented Bison seventh-year head coach Jeremy Cook. “They are all winnable games, but they are harder games. They will serve as preparation for our early Patriot League games against American and Boston U. We don't want to start our league schedule in an 0-2 hole, so giving ourselves better tests early should set us up to be successful.”
Bucknell is coming off a season in which it faced five ranked opponents, posted an 8-10 overall record, was 4-2 in Patriot League play and qualified for the league's postseason tournament for a sixth consecutive year.
“Every year we take a step forward in terms of our structure and difficulty rating of what we're trying to do on the field,” mentioned Cook. “Every year we make decisions on how to balance smashing the ball up the field vs. building an attack and trying to manipulate a defense. We are now at the point where we are better at possessing the ball in small areas and creating some disorganization from the defense and exploiting that.”
Friday's game vs. Rutgers will be a rematch of Bucknell's final regular-season matchup of 2013 when it defeated the Scarlet Knights by a 5-2 score in Lewisburg. It was the first win in series history for the Bison, who are 1-5 all-time against Rutgers. (Live Stats vs. Rutgers)
Bucknell owns a 6-2 advantage in the all-time series with Monmouth, which was 6-12 a year ago and opens its 2014 season Friday with a home contest vs. Missouri State. (Live Stats vs. Monmouth)
The Bison, who were picked to finish third in the Patriot League Preseason Poll, this year will be led by team captains and Preseason All-Patriot League picks Kelsey Mucelli and Liz Wills. A two-time First Team All-Patriot League selection, Mucelli notched three assists and started all 18 games a year ago. Wills posted two goals and three assists to rank fifth on the team with seven points in 2013.
“Both Kelsey and Liz are playing really good hockey,” noted Cook, who has guided the Bison to 55 wins since taking over the program in 2008. “They are two of our most experienced players on the team and we expect a lot out of them. They know that and are prepared to have an outstanding season.”
Fellow senior Cassie Lawrence has really impressed Cook throughout the preseason. The forward earned 15 starts a year ago and posted one goal and two assists.
“Cassie is phenomenal,” praised an enthusiastic Cook. “She spent all summer working out with our strength and conditioning staff while she was here working in the engineering department. She is really athletic and has grown as a player.”
Cook also singled out senior Amie Pritchard as another veteran who has been strong this preseason. She has played in all 57 games over the last three seasons and her lone goal last year came against game one opponent Rutgers.
“Amie is explosive out of the back and has learned a lot in terms of how to play her position,” said Cook. “She is one of the few players who hasn't changed positions during her career and that's because of how well she plays in the back. She knocks her position out of the park and is as fast as lightning with the ball.”
The team's leading distributor in 2013 with four assists was senior Maggie Murphy and Cook expects her to play a big role at right wing or right midfield this season.
Up front along with Lawrence will be juniors Abby Watson and Kiersten Sydnor, the top two returning scorers from last year with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Watson totaled six goals and three assists despite starting just four times, while Sydnor has two-goal outings against both Missouri State and Lehigh last fall.
“Abby is filling [the graduated] Rachel Misko's spot and has changed it into more of a distribution role to fit with her strengths,” commented Cook. “Kiersten's confidence has grown and grown and grown and she had an outstanding preseason. She scored a goal in our scrimmage against Toronto and will continue to provide that offensive spark.”
Sophomore Amy Mucelli, the younger sister of Kelsey, will continue to be a factor in the midfield after appearing in all 18 games a year ago, while junior midfielder Kayla Sullivan is now healthy after missing a significant chunk of last year with an injury after a promising rookie campaign.
Cook envisions junior Emily Hitchings to be on the outside right side. She has 20 career starts under her belt and has plenty of experience.
“Emily's communication has been wonderful,” noted Cook. “She has been making better and faster decisions than ever.
Junior Shannon Keen is expected to be the starting goalie heading into the season after serving as backup to All-Patriot League selection Erica Perrine the last two years. The Hatfield, Pennsylvania, native has played nearly 70 career minutes over three games.
“Shannon has really lived up to what we expected of her,” commented Cook. “She worked hard in the summer in terms of her quickness and staying fit. She is communicating very well and is playing with a ton of confidence. She is saving the ones that need to be saved.”
Cook is a little unsure of what to expect of the Bison this year as the squad lost its center forward, a center mid and goalkeeper from last year, but he is pleased that three defenders, three midfielders and the last two team MVPs return.
