Field Hockey Voted Runner Up in Preseason Poll

The Little East Conference is sure to have an intense battle this season all the way to the end when it comes to field hockey. The Panthers are going to be in the hunt the whole fall. Captained this season by seniors Maddy Beatrice (Newton, MA) and Jordan Ray (Standish, ME), they will look to make a farther push in the playoffs this season. Head coach of the Panthers Bonnie Lord also returns for her 17th season.

The Panthers last season entered the playoffs as the number one seed before getting upset by Fitchburg State 1-0 in the quarterfinal round. In the preseason polls this season, the Panthers were voted runner-up with one first place vote behind the preseason favorite and three-time defending champions Keene State.

There are some new faces on the team, including nine freshmen players. Also a new face in goal ss sophomore Dominique Tarr (Antrim,NH). The Panthers do have last season’s leading scorer in Nicole Burgess (Mexico, ME) returning to the field in her senior year, as she looks to repeat her 26-point performance last season.

The Panthers have played one game so far this season, a 4-2 loss at Springfield College. The game went back and forth in the first half with both teams picking up a goal the lone Panther goal coming from Katie Martin (). In the second half Springfield would pick up the go ahead goal only to have Burgess score of a nice pass from Martin to tie it up once more. However, two unanswered from Springfield would give them the victory.

The Panthers then traveled to Fitchburg State to play the Rams on Wednesday night, but fell 2-0 (Recap unavailable for press time).

They will have their season opener this Saturday, September 10th at the Holderness School, where they will try to pick up their first win on the young season.