2006 Field Hockey Season Outlook

Central Michigan University featured the Mid-American Conference’s most potent offense in 2005. In 2006, head coach Cristy Freese believes her forwards are capable of producing more goals than last year’s powerful MAC Tournament champion squad. “Our goal is to continue to be a top offensive team in the MAC and not just because we were last year, but because we will work harder,” Freese said. “I thought we could have scored even more than we did last season. I hope to see all the forwards scoring in double digits this year. We have the talent and confidence to make these results possible.” CMU showed steady improvement throughout the season on its way to the 2005 MAC Tournament championship. The Chippewas were seeded fourth as the host school and defeated Miami, 3-1, in the championship game. After falling to Boston University in the NCAA play-in game, the Chippewas finished the year 11-12, 5-5 in the league. Freese’s squad returns seven letterwinners from that team, including six starters. Headlining the returnees are second team All-MAC picks Samantha Sandham and Erin Dottery. Sandham, a sophomore midfielder, was second on the team in assists and Dottery, a senior back, anchored the defense. CMU also returns its top two goal scorers in senior Alicia Balanesi and sophomore Kelly Jordan. They tied for second in the MAC for goals scored with 11 apiece. CMU did lose six letterwinners, including two-time first team All-MAC pick Erika Takach. With the return of much of the offense Freese directed her attention to building up a solid midfield and backfield. She rotated positions and recruited based on the need for defense. Four of the seven freshmen will play in the midfield and backfield for the Chippewas. “This season we have recruited talented young field hockey players who can step in and play right away. That gives our team more depth than in past years,” Freese said. “With all these talented players, it will make our team work harder to earn and keep their positions.” Forward CMU looks to continue penetration in the circle with the return of last season’s two leading scorers, Alicia Balanesi (Hanover, Pennsylvania/Sr.) and Kelly Jordan (Burt, New York/So.). Both scored 11 goals in 2005, while Balanesi added seven assists and Jordan three. Balanesi, the lone senior on the forward line, worked to develop her shot with more power, while Jordan, a MAC Championships all-tournament team selection, worked all spring on being a more consistent passer and scorer. Sophomore Moyra Betuzzi (Kelowna, British Columbia/So.) has tremendous speed that will complement the other forwards and she hopes to break into the starting lineup. Newcomer Allyce Avery (Farmington Hills, Michigan/Fr.) brings a great deal of speed to add to the forward line. “The main goal for the forwards this season is to be more consistent on a game-to-game basis,” Freese said. “We are looking for all the forwards to contribute to the scoring.”
Midfield Samantha Sandham (Cape Town, South Africa/So.) is coming off of a stellar freshman campaign that earned her a place on the All-MAC second team. Sandham was second on the team in assists last season and hopes to continue to not only feed the forwards but become a bigger scorer. Fellow sophomore Amanda Lucik (Zionsville, Pennsylvania/So.) was great off the bench as a freshman seeing time in 22 matches. She is looking to break into the starting lineup this season. Nicole Rao (Pendleton, New York/Jr.) is expected to contribute at the midfield position. Newcomers Lizl Gericke (Fairfax, Virginia/Fr.), Kim Erasmus (Port Elizabeth, South Africa/Fr.), and Tara Schiltz (South Wales, New York/Fr.) are great additions for the Chippewas. Gericke and Erasmus bring knowledge of the game and experience to the team. Freese expects both players to make a smooth transition from high school field hockey to Division I and step into the midfield lineup this season. Schiltz is extremely athletic and a strong player, and Freese is looking for her to either play in the midfield or back position, depending on the need of the team. “With a young midfield, I will look for these younger players to step up,” Freese said. “I expect the midfielders to confidently transition the ball up the field. With a lot of talented players coming in this season there will be a competitive nature in practice and that will give me more options in the lineup.”
Defense and Goalkeepers The backfield returns two veterans in right back Erin Dottery (Zionsville, Pennsylvania/Sr.) and keeper Danielle Frank (Williamsville, New York/Sr.). Dottery was one of the top defenders in the conference in 2005 and was named second team All-MAC. She led the team with five defensive saves last season and is key in transitioning the ball out of the backfield. Frank’s experience in the net was critical late last season as she led her defense throughout the MAC Tournament and earned herself a spot on the MAC Championships all-tournament team. Sophomore Alison Kist (St. Louis, Missouri/So.) is a solid defender and is expected to play center back. Cortney Blanchard (Cape Town, South Africa/Sr.) spent the spring season transitioning from a forward to the sweeper position for the Chippewas. Blanchard looks to use her experience on offense to confidently carry the ball out of the defensive circle. Keeper Sarah Mancuso (Pittsford, New York/So.) hopes to step back into practice and compete this season after missing last year. Kristen Palinski (Rome, New York/So.) gives the Chippewas more depth. She could push hard for a starting position. Three newcomers will figure into the mix, including goalkeepers Melinda Curran (Cincinnati, Ohio/Fr.) and Kahla Schwall (Antioch, Illinois/Fr.). Curran and Schwall will benefit greatly from the leadership of Frank and new assistant coach Molly Maloney, a four-year letterwinner at the University of Michigan. Carolyn Bennett (Ann Arbor, Michigan/Fr.) joins the team from a very successful high school program and has played both center back and sweeper. “I feel we will have a lot more confidence from our backfield this season,” Freese said. “The sweeper position will be new to Blanchard but she is a team player and a hard worker. With the positive leadership of Frank and Dottery, I have confidence that they will be a solid unit.”
Schedule CMU will once again take on some of the top teams in the country, including three teams from the Big Ten. The Chippewas open their season hosting Syracuse (August 27) and Saint Louis (September 2 and 3). MAC play will begin on Friday, September 29 at Ball State. The Chippewas will look to defend their MAC Tournament title in Ohio, November 2-4.

Central Michigan University Athletics

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