SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. - The Mount Holyoke field hockey team is in the midst of a week-long journey to Beijing, China for the 2014 preseason. The Lyons, who left on August 17, will visit a number of famous destinations in the country as well as play several matches against local teams.
Mount Holyoke will play matches against teams from both Beijing and Tianjin, the first of which will occur on Wednesday, August 20. In addition to their training and matches, the Lyons will visit a number of different spots during their stay including Old Beijing, Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China and the Silk Market.
MHC will also have the opportunity on its final day in Beijing to visit the Olympic Center, including the Bird's Nest – site of the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games – and the Water Cube, which hosted the swimming, diving and water polo events during the games.
Team members on the trip include recent graduate, Victoria Beja-Glasser, seniors Chrissy Boyles, Sarah Watkins, Laura Murphy, Kirsten Kilburn, Christine Ianni and Allison Slysz; juniors Anna Hartman, Sarah LaQuerre and Julia Bell; sophomores Ally Tessier, Cristina Ibarra, Chloe Maurice, Charlotte Wagner, Katherine Guinee, Maura Anderson, Audrey Lemberger, Jessica Taylor, Jillian Kane, Ruvimbo Mushavi, Liz DiCesare and Mariesa Mazzone, as well as all six of the Lyons' incoming first year players.
Also traveling with the team are Head Coach Andy Whitcomb, Assistant Coaches Tricia Chase '12 and Meredith Spencer-Blaetz '11, along with Mount Holyoke Athletic Director Lori Hendricks and several other professors and administrators from the College.
Due to the internet censorship laws currently in place for China, updating for the squad will be unavailable, but fans can log on to the team's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mhcfieldhockey) to view the detailed itinerary of the trip, which lasts until Monday, August 25.
Photo galleries, videos and more will be available on the Mount Holyoke Athletics website upon the squad's return to the United States. Stay tuned!
