STANDISH, ME – Despite losing a trio of four-year starters to graduation, Head Coach Rupert Lewis has high expectations for the 2011 Saint Joseph's field hockey team.
The Monks graduated 2010 First Team All-NAC players Alyssa Dunn, Kayla Nowell and Courtney Rague from last year's squad and all three were major contributors over four seasons. The trio combined to net 95 goals and 76 assists for 266 points – or 41% of the team's offensive output - during their four-year tenure.
As this impressive group has moved on, Coach faces the unenviable task of replacing the bulk of the team's scoring from last fall. Not to belabor the point, but Rague (14 goals) – the 2010 NAC Player of the Year - and Nowell (13) accounted for 27 (or 58%) of the team's 47 goals last year.
But successful programs like the one Coach Lewis has constructed at St. Joe's don't rebuild – they reload – and that's exactly what this Monks team has done in preparation for what should be another banner season.
Eight starters return and an impressive group of newcomers are on board this fall. Top returners include forward Sarah Bartell '12 (Exeter, N.H.), goalkeeper Meaghan Johnson '12 (Portland, Maine/Cheverus) and defender Brittany Locke '13 (Waterville, Maine) – the team's three captains. Bartell (7 G, 1A) and Johnson (13-4, 1.29 GAA, .842 SV%) garnered First Team All-NAC honors a year ago and Locke paced the Royal Blue with six defensive saves as a sophomore.
Melanie Allen '13 (Jackson, N.H.), Meghan Carr '14 (Topsham, Maine), Renee Leach '12 (Springvale, Maine), Carley Denis '14 (Lewiston, Maine) and Ashley Walukevich '12 (Kingston, N.H.) also started for the Monks in 2010.
Top newcomers include forwards TJ Cowin '14 (Newry, Maine) and Peyton Dostie '15 (Standish, Maine) and defender Kaylee Heath '15 (Pittston, Maine). Cowin, a transfer from NAC-rival Simmons College, led the Sharks in goals (11) and points (28) last fall and is likely to help replace some of the offense provided by last year's seniors.
The Monks have enjoyed great success over the last three years with three NAC Championship appearances and a 19-1 record in conference contests. In the trio of title games St. Joe's has lost by a combined total of three goals and two of the championship games went beyond regulation.
Coach Lewis, the most successful skipper in team history with a 63-46 (.578) record over six seasons, has garnered back to back North Atlantic Conference (NAC) Coach of the Year honors and has almost single-handedly transformed the program into a perennial powerhouse in the NAC.
With a traditionally-strong defensive philosophy in place and a balanced offensive attack at the ready, fans should expect the SJC field hockey team to contend for a conference crown yet again this season. With 13 returners having valuable tourney experience under their belts and a talented recruiting class in the fold, this could very well be the team that advances to the NCAA DIII Field Hockey Tournament.
Saint Joseph's opens the 2011 campaign with a game at Anna Maria College on Monday, September 5th at 1:00 PM.
