Wheaton field hockey seeks first conference tournament title

November 1, 2006

NORTON, MA- The Wheaton College field hockey team makes its sixth conference tournament semifinal appearance this weekend, and first since 1997, as the third seed in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Tournament, hosted by Wellesley College.

Following an 11:00 a.m. semifinal on Saturday between top-seeded Wellesley and number four Babson College, the Lyons take on number two Springfield College at 1:00 p.m. The winners meet on Sunday at 1:00 p.m. for the tournament crown and an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament.

At 14-6, the Lyons broke the program wins record by downing Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), 4-1 in the first round. With a program-record 56 goals, Wheaton has the league's most potent offense (2.7 goals per game). Springfield, which defeated Smith College, 4-0 in the first round, is 15-5 after tying Wellesley for the regular season crown to earn its seventh title in nine years. The Pride, which is ranked 17th by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA), downed Wheaton, 4-2 on October 14. Springfield is the two-time defending NEWMAC Tournament champion.

Wheaton has won eight of its last 11 games, scoring at least twice 10 times. The Lyons have not been shut out since last October 20, and they carry a program-record 23-game scoring streak. After matching its conference wins standard by going 5-3 in NEWMAC play, the Blue and White downed the Engineers for its first conference tournament win since 1997. The Lyons have been to only one league final, the 1997 New England Women's 8 (NEW 8) title game, and have never won a conference tournament crown. A title game victory would propel Wheaton to its first NCAA Tournament since 1983.

Leading Wheaton's offensive charge is junior Sara Dimick (Cumberland, ME/Greely), one of the leading NEWMAC Player-of-the-Year candidates. Dimick paces the conference with 45 points and 11 assists while sitting second with 17 goals. She holds Wheaton's single-season assists mark while sitting one and four shy, respectively, of matching 19-year-old points and goals records.

Senior Rachel Sminkey (White River Junction, VT/Hartford) is tied for fourth in the NEWMAC in each goals (12) and points (28), while sophomore Alisa Ardito (Branford, CT/Branford) gives the Lyons three 20-point scorers for the first time. Senior co-captain Shea Clarke (Bellingham, MA/Bellingham) has tacked on nine assists, while junior Lyndsie Ryalls (Branford, CT/Branford), a two-time all-conference selection, has six goals and six assists.

Clarke and senior co-captain Elizabeth Reimers (Wareham, MA/Tabor Academy) provide the most experience in the defensive half, while junior Kim Anson (Washington, CT/Shepaug Valley) is the lone backfield player to start all 20 games. Senior Mary Catherine Boll (Columbus, IN/Miss Porter's School) has broken Wheaton's 23-year-old wins mark by going 14-6. The Blue and White defense has compiled four shutouts, as Boll has a 1.70 goals against average and .825 save percentage while playing all but 14:26 this season. Boll's 165 saves are the second most by a Lyon since 1998.

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