SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The 2014 Longstreth/NFHCA Division III All-Region Teams have been announced and five Mount Holyoke College student-athletes were recognized on the New England East Region squad. Kirsten Kilburn and Liz DiCesare were First Team honorees, while Sarah LaQuerre, Ruvimbo Mushavi and Allison Slysz were tabbed to the Second Team. This is the third All-Region honor for Kilburn, the second for LaQuerre and DiCesare and the first for Mushavi and Slysz.
Earning First Team honors for the second straight season was Kilburn, a senior midfielder and captain from North Branford, Conn., who led the team in scoring with 45 points on 13 goals and a NEWMAC-best 19 assists. She is also currently tied for first in the nation in assists per game (0.95).
A former standout at North Branford High School, Kilburn 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 posted an assist in 13 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, while ranking second in career goals (62).
DiCesare, a sophomore goalie out of Westford, Mass., finished the season with a 16-4 record. She posted a 1.16 goals against average and had a .820 save percentage. DiCesare made 100 saves on the season over 1329:10 minutes of action. Among the NEWMAC leaders, DiCesare was second in wins, goals against average and save percentage, while ranking fifth in goals against (22).
A former standout at Bishop Guertin High School, DiCesare was both a NEWMAC Defensive and ECAC New England Defensive Performer of the Week this season. During her rookie campaign, she was the conference's Rookie of the Year and a Second Team selection, while also being named to the All-Region Second Team.
LaQuerre, a junior midfielder from Old Orchard Beach, Maine, earned her second straight All-Region honor after starting all 19 contests. She posted five goals for sLaQuerre has started 18 contests, posting six goals and seven assists for 19 points. She was fifth on the team in points and also ranked third in overall assists. In addition to her All-Region honor, LaQuerre was also named to the NEWMAC All-Conference First Team.
A graduate of Cheverus High School, LaQuerre played a critical role for the Lyons in the midfield, helping MHC finish second in the conference in both goals (66), assists (48) and penalty corners (238). 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.
A sophomore defender who hails from Harare, Zimbabwe, Mushavi earned her first regional honor after serving as a constant and powerful defensive presence for a Lyons squad that held opponents to just 1.03 goals per game and only 22 goals on the season.
Additionally, the former Arundel School standout is a NEWMAC All-Conference Second Team honoree. She was also a NEWMAC Defensive Performer of the Week and a conference and ECAC Performer of the week selection during her rookie season.
Rounding out the All-Region honors for the Lyons was Slysz, a senior defender from Hatfield, Mass. A starter in 21 games this season, she notched a goal with three assists for five points during the 2014 campaign. Like Mushavi, Slysz helped lead a defensive core that capped the season ranked first in the NEWMAC in save percentage (.830), while also finishing second in goals allowed and goals against average.
This is the first year-end honor for the former Smith Academy graduate, who tallied two goals with three assists for seven points over 45 games in her career.
Mount Holyoke concluded another outstanding season on Saturday, falling to Bowdoin College in the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament. The Lyons posted a 17-4 record, going 7-1 in the NEWMAC. The squad also finished the season ranked #13 in Division III, the program's highest national ranking in history.
