by Jim Mullins
Assistant Director
Sports Information
September 4, 1999

Corsairs hope to pick up where they left off last season with another LEC crown

UMass Dartmouth field hockey coach Marilyn Ritz would like her 1999 squad to pick up where the 1998 team left off.

Through the Corsairs' first seven games last season, UMass Dartmouth was shutout five times and posted a 1-6 record. But over the remaining 11 regular season games, UMass Dartmouth won eight of its last 11 games to finish the season at 9-9 overall. The Corsairs also captured a three-way share of its first Little East Conference regular season championship with a 1-0 sudden death victory over Plymouth State.

"Our returning players have picked up where they left off last year," said Ritz, who is entering her 16th season with 13 returning players, including nine starters from a year ago. "The experience these returning players gained last year, together with continued development of their skills puts us at a good starting point for this season."

UMass Dartmouth will have three of its top four scorers back along with several defensive starters. Keying the defensive unit this season will be the return of sophomore goalkeeper Jennifer Burrows (Hubbardston, MA), the Little East Conference Rookie of the Year last year. In her first season with the Corsairs, Burrows appeared in 13 games with a 7-6 won-loss record. She recorded 6.5 shutouts and posted a 1.45 goals against average, third best among LEC goalies.

Leading the offensive unit will be last year's second-leading scorer senior forward Beckey Chase (Westport, MA), who had five goals and an assist for 11 points. Chase was one of two Corsairs to earn LEC Player of the Week honors last season.

Also returning to UMass Dartmouth's starting lineup are the Corsairs' third and fourth leading scorers, sophomore forward Alexandra Wildes (Carver, MA) (5-0-10) and junior defender Erin McDonald (Greenfield, MA) (2-2-6). Junior midfielder Jennifer McGuinness (E. Taunton, MA) will team with senior defender Erin McHugh (Dartmouth, MA) and junior sweeper Sarah Tuxbury (Sudbury, MA) to give the Corsairs a solid starting unit. Tuxbury and Wildes were both named to the LEC All-Tournament team for the Corsairs last season.

UMass Dartmouth will also be able to call on the services of several players with experience gained last season, including sophomore midfielder Kristen Greene (Medfield, MA), sophomore midfield/defender Caroline Kocor (Fairhaven, MA) (2-1-5), junior forward Sandra Methe (Whitinsville, MA) (1-0-2), sophomore defender Jaclyn Michalos (Norwood, MA), junior forward Julie Remick (Buzzards Bay, MA) (1-0-2) and sophomore defender Leigh-Ann Wiseman (Demarest, NJ).


"Our goal is to repeat as Little East Conference champions and to win the LEC Tournament," said Ritz, who will be joined by assistant coaches Joan Allison and Sarah DiPilato. "The LEC is a very strong conference with Keene State advancing to the NCAA tournament last year. But we play a very competitive schedule which will prepare us for the LEC tournament."

In addition to an experienced starting lineup, Ritz had added several talented first-year players who she thinks could compete for starting jobs in their rookie season.

Among the new forwards Ritz will be looking at this season are Erica Babiaza (Mendon MA), a transfer student from Worcester State, plus first-year players Jacquelyn Briggs (Hingham, MA), Angela Carr (Dartmouth, MA), Jennifer Davis (Westford, MA) and Jinneane Sperrazza (Mansfield, MA). Newcomers on the defensive side will include Jennifer Amaral (Westport, MA), Grace Cimo (Medfield, MA), Erin Dziedzic (Palmer, MA), Beth Falabella (Pepperell, MA) and Kristin Litchfield. First-year goalie Sue Peckham (Orange, CT) will be Burrows' backup.

UMass Dartmouth opens its 18-game regular season schedule at Elms College on Sept. 11 before hosting a pair of non-conference game against Wheaton College and Wellesley College. LEC competition begins Sept. 28 at home against Eastern Connecticut. In addition to four LEC regular season games, UMass Dartmouth has scheduled several quality non-conference opponents, including Worcester Polytech (Sept. 25), Babson College (Oct. 14), Connecticut College (Oct. 21) and Merrimack College (Oct. 26).

The season-ending LEC Tournament gets underway October 28 with the championship game set for Oct. 31.