SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (Nov. 22, 2010) – Mount Holyoke College field hockey players Shara Robertson, Taylor Hedges, Tricia Chase, Katie Gibson and Stephanie Slysz have earned National Field Hockey Coaches Association All-Region accolades as a result of their outstanding play this fall.
Robertson and Hedges were named to the 2010 Division III New England East First Team, while Chase, Gibson and Slysz earned Second Team honors. The NFHCA honored 192 players nationally. Thirty-two recipients were selected to represent the New England East Region.
No stranger to postseason recognition, Robertson (right) grabbed First Team All-Region honors this year after earning Second Team accolades last fall. She was recently named to the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team. In 2008, the forward became just the second player in program history to claim NEWMAC Rookie of the Year accolades. One year later, she was placed on the NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team.
Robertson paced Mount Holyoke on the offensive end, pouring in team highs of 41 points and 19 goals. She also chipped in with three assists. Six of her tallies went down as match winners. The forward was the Lyons' injector on corners and their top offensive threat in front of the cage. She notched hat tricks in wins over Simmons College (9/11), Smith College (9/17), the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (10/27) and Springfield College (10/30). Her most dramatic goal of the season came in the waning minutes of double overtime against MIT, when she tapped in a pass from Slysz to give her team a 3-2 victory (10/16).
In addition to earning NEWMAC Player of the Week honors for the week of week of September 13-19, Robertson was named to the womensfieldhockey.com national honor roll for the week of October 25-31. Over the course of her career, she has accumulated 91 points on 42 goals and seven assists. She has knocked in winners 13 times.
Hedges (left) was voted to the All-Region First Team after piling up a squad best seven assists. After setting up Chase's winner in the Lyons' 1-0 victory over Washington College (9/5), she provided the assist for Robertson's clinching goal in their 2-1 triumph over WPI (10/19). The midfielder went on to record helpers in each of her team's final three matches. She was recently selected to the NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team for the second straight season.
Mount Holyoke's most complete player at both ends of the field, Hedges was her team's unsung hero this year. Armed with excellent stick skills, she has the ability to elude defenders and often serves as her team's table setter from the center midfield position. She has excellent anticipation in the open field and also owns a great jab and block tackle.
One year after earning a spot on the All-Region First Team, Chase (right) secured Second Team honors this year. The midfielder battled through a variety of injuries to post 10 points on three goals and four assists while also collecting three defensive saves. After scoring the lone goal in Mount Holyoke's season opening win over Washington College (9/5), she tallied a goal and an assist in its 5-0 triumph over Simmons (9/11). Chase also found the back of the cage in the Lyons' thrilling 3-2 overtime win over MIT (10/16).
Chase is an aggressive work horse, who leaves it on the field each time out. An outstanding athlete, she has served as Mount Holyoke's general on the field for the past three seasons. In addition to being her team's top defender, she has also become a go to player on the offensive side of the ball. Her great one on one moves and a lethal reverse stick sweep have made her a top threat on corner chances.
Over the course of her career, Chase has delivered six goals, 10 assists and 13 defensive saves. She was named to the NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team last fall after earning First Team honors as a sophomore.
Slysz (left) was named to the All-Region Second Team after making an immediate impact on the Mount Holyoke program during her rookie campaign. After a slow start to her collegiate career, the forward erupted for seven goals during the month of October. Over the course of the season, she totaled eight goals and four assists. Slysz recorded points in each of her team's final eight regular season contests. Over that time, the Lyons went 7-1 and closed out the regular season with six straight victories. She knocked in clinching goals in her team's 2-1 win over Nichols College (10/5) and their thrilling 3-2 overtime triumph over Clark University (10/23).
The forward routinely dodges multiple defenders in a row with her outstanding one on one moves. In addition to having excellent vision, she is unselfish, smart, fast and has the ability to draw frequent corners. Slysz was selected to the womensfieldhockey.com national honor roll for the weeks of October 11-17 and 18-24. She was also named NEWMAC Player of the Week for the week of October 18-24.
Joining Chase and Slysz on the All-Region Second Team was Gibson (right). The goalkeeper enjoyed a standout year between the pipes for Mount Holyoke. In addition to leading the NEWMAC with a goals against average of 1.37, her save percentage of .810 was also good for tops in the league. She registered shutouts in wins over Washington College (9/5), Simmons College (9/11), Smith College (9/17), Western New England College (9/21) and Castleton State College (10/13). Her 15 saves in the Lyons' 3-2 double overtime victory over MIT were a season high (10/16).
Gibson makes the most difficult saves look easy and kept Mount Holyoke in each of its matches this season. She has great anticipation, routinely makes point blank saves and has the ability to stop one on one chances. She has been one of Lyons' most improved players since joining the program two seasons ago. Over the course of her career, she has accumulated a goals against average of 1.52, 232 saves and 12 shutouts. She was recently voted to the NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team.
Mount Holyoke closed out its 2010 campaign with an overall record of 11-6 and a league mark of 5-3. The Lyons suffered a heartbreaking 4-2 setback to Springfield College in the Quarterfinal Round of the NEWMAC Tournament. Their 11 wins were their most since the 2005 season, when they prevailed 14 times.
2010 Longstreth/NFHCA Division III New England East All-Region Teams
First Team All-Region
Marisa Ayotte – New England College
Margaux Bolte – Wheaton College
Emma Deans – University of Maine Farmington
Samantha Escobar – New England College
Sarah Fredlund – Babson College
Kathryn Frett – Wellesley College
Brianna Gerrior – New England College
Taylor Hedges – Mount Holyoke College
Colleen Kelly – Babson College
Kameron Klauber – MIT
Morgan Lockwood – Babson College
Molly McShane – MIT
Mel Melkonian – Clark University
Jessica Pashos – Babson College
Shara Robertson – Mount Holyoke College
Jessica Strock – Wheaton College
Second Team All-Region
Emily Asack – Wheaton College
Meghan Bradley – Springfield College
Anneliese Brosch – Babson College
Kate Carnaroli – New England College
Tricia Chase – Mount Holyoke College
Kate Cushing – Wellesley College
Bonnie Davies – Wheaton College
Keri Dixon – MIT
Kelly Gallo – Springfield College
Katie Gibson – Mount Holyoke College
Hattie Laliberte – University of Maine Farmington
Meghan Lennon – Clark University
Stephanie Slysz – Mount Holyoke College
Aliza Underhill – Wheaton College
Courtney Weaving – Babson College
Alex Wright – MIT
