 Field Hockey Looks to Build On Victory Over Missouri State
Aug. 31, 2011
THIS WEEK: The Saint Louis field hockey team (1-1) looks to build on its victory over Missouri State with two games in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The Billikens face host Central Michigan Friday, Sept. 2, for a 2 p.m. game before squaring off against Robert Morris Saturday, Sept. 3, in a noon start. WEEKLY AWARD: Junior midfielder Lexie Lindblad was named Atlantic 10 Conference field hockey Player of the Week for the period ending Aug. 29. She scored two goals and added two assists in a pair of Billiken contests last weekend. PURE MICHIGAN: Billiken freshman Clanci MacKenzie returns to her home state of Michigan. She hails from Ann Arbor and graduated from Ann Arbor High School. THE STOPPER: Freshman Lisa Smith already has registered two defensive saves on the season. She had one apiece in the games versus Sacred Heart and Missouri State. PROVIDING ASSISTANCE: Brooke Weaver tied the school record with three assists in the game against Missouri State. The feat had been done three previous times, the last occurring August 31, 2008, when Christine Frampus had three assists versus Georgetown. RETURNING PLAYERS: Ten players return to the squad from last year. Senior Nicole Kent, who led the team with five goals and 13 points in 2010, leads the veterans. The three-member junior class welcomes back Caitlin Brenner, Lexie Lindblad and Lauryn Smith. Caiti Brownell, Laken Gehris, Tori Lycett, Megan Rogers, Jane Tomic and Brooke Weaver comprise the sophomore class.
NEWCOMERS: The Billikens have 11 newcomers on the roster - Jami Alexander, Jessica Allen, Megan Ambrose, Alanah Busby, Megan Depew-Brady, Shannon Knobloch, Clanci MacKenzie, Faith Mackin, Rachel Mohr, Lisa Smith and Aubrey Young. HONOR ROLL: Last year, Laken Gehris was voted to the Atlantic 10 Conference All-Rookie team by the league's head coaches. She started all 20 games for the Billikens and was a standout defensive player. In 2010, Gehris was second in the country in defensive saves with 10, and she helped the team rank fourth nationally with 19 defensive saves. ABOUT CENTRAL MICHIGAN: The Chippewas' game against the Billikens will be their 2011 season opener. CMU was 6-14 overall, 3-7 in the Mid-American Conference last season. St. Louis-native Erin Dye was the leading scorer for Central Michigan with seven goals and 16 points, while Juliana Makrinos was third on the team with eight points. Anastasia Netto returns for CMU in the cage after starting all 18 games last year and posting a 2.68 GAA and 115 saves. Head coach Christy Freese begins her 26th season in coaching with a 203-287-7 record. ABOUT ROBERT MORRIS: The Colonials were 4-14 overall last year, 1-6 in the Northeast Conference. RMU began 2011 with a defeat to No. 17 Albany. Leading scorer Chantele Crow posted team highs of five goals and three assists for 13 points last season. Paige Neet is the only current RMU goalie who saw action last season. She played in three games and finished with a 3.18 GAA. Olivia Netzler is in her fifth season as RMU's head coach. BILLIKEN COACHING STAFF: Head coach Lauren Bruce is in her third season at the helm of the Billikens. She spent three years as a SLU assistant before being promoted to head coach prior to the 2009 season. Bruce is a 2005 graduate of the University of New Hampshire. Joining her on the bench is assistant coach Kate Lipton, who is in her second year at SLU. LOOKING AHEAD: The Billikens continue their road swing with two contests in Burlington, Vt., Sept. 10-11. The games will be played at the University of Vermont, the alma mater of assistant coach Kate Lipton, a 2006 graduate. SLU's next home game is Saturday, Sept. 24, when it hosts Ohio for a 1 p.m. start. |
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