ELIZABETHTOWN, Pa. --- Elizabethtown College is tied for fourth place in the annual Commonwealth Conference field hockey preseason coaches' poll, the conference office announced Thursday.
The Blue Jays feature seven starters returning from last year's team that finished 11-7 overall and in third place in the conference with a 5-2 record. Among the returnees are first-team All-Conference midfielder
Julie Foster, who tallied two goals and four assists for eight points in 17 matches a year ago.
The offense is paced by senior
Liz DeMatteis, who led the Blue Jays in goals (eight), assists (nine), points (25) and shots (43) last season, while
Caitlin Grimes added seven goals and three assists for 17 points, including three game-winning goals.
Also returning to the starting lineup are senior midfielders
Ali Cavanaugh and
Meg Cassels, along with junior defenders
Abby Beykirch and
Jackie Macharsky. The Blue Jays will need to replace three-year starter
Liz Hannegan in goal, with junior
Steph Smith and sophomore
Lindy Hamp each returning after serving as backups last season.
Messiah College took the top spot in the preseason poll by earning six first-place votes and 48 points, while Lebanon Valley College took the other two first-place votes and totaled 44 points. Widener University ranks third with 34 points, with Elizabethtown tied with Alvernia University for fourth with 29 points. Albright College (20 points), Arcadia University (11 points) and Shenandoah University (nine points) round out the survey.
Elizabethtown opens its 2010 season at the Black-Eyed Susan Tournament at Stevenson University on Saturday, Sept. 4 against Sewanee University at 2:00 p.m. The Blue Jays play their home opener on Wolf Field on Wednesday, Sept. 8 at 5:00 p.m. against Juniata College and open conference play at Messiah on Saturday, Sept. 25 at 1:00 p.m.