BOSTON, Mass. - The New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Field Hockey All-Conference Teams have been announced and Mount Holyoke College saw four student-athletes recognized. Earning First Team recognition were Kirsten Kilburn, Sarah LaQuerre and Liz DiCesare, while Ruvimbo Mushavi was a Second Team selection.
Earning First Team honors for the third straight season was Kilburn, a senior midfielder and captain from North Branford, Conn., who leads the team in scoring with 44 points on 13 goals and a NEWMAC-best 18 assists. She is also tied for first in the nation in assists per game (0.95).
A former standout at North Branford High School, Kilburn has tallied at least one goal in nine contests, including a three-tally effort in a 5-2 victory against Babson College (10/18). One of the conference's toughest two-way players, Kilburn has posted an assist in 12 games this season and was a two-time NEWMAC and an ECAC New England Offensive Performer of the Week selection this season. Additionally, Kilburn became the Lyons' all-time career leader in both assists and points.
A junior midfielder from Old Orchard Beach, Maine, LaQuerre has started 18 contests, posting five goals and seven assists for 17 points. She is fifth on the team in points and also ranks third in overall assists. Her recognition is the second in her career, having been named to the All-Conference Second Team a season ago.
LaQuerre, who is a graduate of Cheverus High School, has been a critical member of the Lyons defense as well. Her key efforts have helped Mount Holyoke to the ninth-best save percentage in the nation (.835). Among her top performances this season came in a 7-1 win against Smith (10/7), where she tallied a goal and notched two assists.
Rounding out the First Team honorees was DiCesare, a sophomore goalie out of Westford, Mass. One of the nation's top keepers, she owns a 15-3 record and currently ranks 11th in Division III in save percentage - a NEWMAC-best .829 - and is also 17th in goals against average with a 1.06 clip. DiCesare has made 87 saves on the season over 1189:10 minutes of action. Among the NEWMAC leaders, DiCesare is second in wins and goals against average, while ranking fifth in goals against (18).
A former standout at Bishop Guertin High School, DiCesare has been named a NEWMAC Defensive and ECAC New England Defensive Performer of the Week once this season. During her rookie campaign, she was the conference's Rookie of the Year and a Second Team selection.
Mushavi, a sophomore defender who hails from Harare, Zimbabwe, earned her first year-end honor after serving as a constant and powerful defensive presence for a Lyons squad that has held opponents to just 0.95 goals per game and only 18 goals on the season. MHC ranks ninth in all of Division III in goals against average (0.95) and 19th in penalty corners per game (12.00).
Additionally, the former Arundel School standout has helped the Lyons rank 10th in winning percentage (.842). She is also a NEWMAC Defensive Performer of the Week and was a conference and ECAC performer of the week selection during her rookie season.
Mount Holyoke (16-3, 7-1 NEWMAC) was selected with an At-Large bid into the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. The Lyons, who will be making their fourth appearance in program history, host Husson University on Wednesday at the MHC Turf Field. Game time is set for 4pm and tickets can be purchased at the contest ($5 for adults, $3 for students, 12 & under are free). Live stats and live video will also be available at http://athletics.mtholyoke.edu/sports/fh/2014-15/schedule.
