HAMILTON – Another Colgate field hockey season is upon us, as the Raiders 2019 campaign gets underway on Friday at Central Michigan.
COLGATE CAPTAINS
The Raiders have announced its team captains for the 2019 campaign, in senior
Maggie Lake and junior
Katie Anderson.
One of the team's three seniors, Lake started all 18 games for the Raiders last year, recording one assist in the 2-1 overtime win against Rider. Posting seven shots with two shots on goal, Lake is a staple student-athlete on and off the field as she majors in Neuroscience. Academically, Lake has been recognized as a three-time NFHCA National Academic Squad, Patriot League Academic Honor Roll, and Raider Academic Honor Roll member.
A junior midfielder, Anderson also started all 18 games for the Raiders last year, where she posted one game-winning goal and one assist for three points. In addition to tallying two shots on goal, Anderson posted a defensive save against Bucknell. As a Biology major, Anderson has been a two-time NFHCA Scholar of Distinction, NFHCA National Academic Squad, and Patriot League Academic Honor Roll member.
Anderson is the first junior captain for the Colgate field hockey program since Heather Davis and Natali Plesniarski in 2006.
PRESEASON ACCOLADES
Being recognized by the leagues' coaches for her success last season, junior forward
Taylor Casamassa was selected to the 2019 Patriot League Preseason All-League Team.
Casamassa started all 18 games for the Raiders last year, marking one goal and eight assists for 10 points. The Hummelstown, Pennsylvania native led the team with 28 shots, including 12 shots on goal. After earning her first point in Colgate's win against LIU Brooklyn, Casamassa went on to mark multi-point games on three occasions.
In addition to a three-game point streak in the 2018 campaign, Casamassa earned a career-high of five shots in the wins over Central Michigan and LIU Brooklyn, in addition to a career-high of three shots on goal in the 1-0 overtime win against the Chippewas.
For a complete list of Patriot League preseason awards, click
HERE.
TEAM OUTLOOK
The Colgate field hockey program is coming off of 2018's 4-14 season, a mark that matches the success of the 2017 season's four wins. The victories marked the most since a 5-12 record in the 2014 campaign. In preparation for the season, the Raiders had faced Cornell, Syracuse, and UMass Lowell in 2019 spring tournament play, as well as home-and-home scrimmages against the Orange in the fall preseason.
A young squad, the Raiders will be led by three seniors in
Nicole Salamone,
Iona MacKillop, and
Maggie Lake in addition to a nine-player junior class. Six freshmen join a program with lots of momentum, as the squad returns its top four scorers as well as both goalkeepers in its 17 returners to the program.
The six-player freshman class includes goalkeeper
Sloan Isen (Bala Cynwyd, Pa./The Westtown School) and forward
Julia Jamesley (Scarsdale, N.Y./Scarsdale), in addition to four midfielders in
Amanda Allen (Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville),
Rebecca Hance (Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset),
Emily Kness (Yorktown Heights, N.Y./Lakeland), and
Mari Kniezewski (Blue Bell, Pa./Mount Saint Joseph Academy).
For more information on Colgate's freshman class, click
HERE.
SCHEDULE RUNDOWN
Colgate's 2019 slate features a total of 17 games, including nine at home on Tyler's Field. Highlighting the schedule are home matchups against in-state rivals Syracuse and Cornell, as well as a total of six Patriot League games with three taking place at home.
The Raiders kick off the 2019 campaign on Friday in Mount Pleasant, Michigan by facing familiar foe Central. Last season, Colgate opened the season with a 1-0 overtime win against the Chippewas in the Colgate Classic. On neutral territory, the Raiders then take on Saint Louis to conclude the Central Michigan shuffle on Saturday to prepare for home action.
The Raiders open their home slate with a two-game home stand by hosting Lock Haven on Sept. 6 followed by the program's first faceoff against Towson in program history on Sept. 8.
Colgate opens league play by hosting Lehigh before taking on Lafayette in its first Patriot League road game on Sept. 28. The Raiders then return to nonconference action as they host in-state rival Cornell on Oct. 1.
For another standout home game, the Raiders return to Tyler's Field to host the defending Patriot League Champion in Boston University on Oct. 11. The Raiders conclude Patriot League play on Oct. 26 as they host American, and wrap up their home slate on Oct. 27 as they host Vermont for Senior Day.
After the regular season is finalized with a faceoff at Bryant (Nov. 3), the Raiders look to extend their season in the Patriot League Tournament. The four-team tournament is to be hosted by the regular season champion with the semifinals taking place Nov. 8 and the championship on Nov. 10.
FOLLOW THE RAIDERS
For more information on the Colgate field hockey program, follow the Raiders on Twitter @ColgateFH and on Instagram at Colgate_FH.
