A pair of nationally ranked teams will invade the University of Maine Field Hockey Complex this weekend as the Black Bears open their season against No. 8 Liberty University on Friday and No. 15 UMass on Sunday.
Both games begin at noon. Liberty and UMass will square off at noon Saturday.
Liberty is the defending Big East champion and was picked to win the league again in the preseason coaches poll thanks to the return of nine starters. Liberty finished 17-3 a year ago and lost its NCAA Tournament game to Syracuse in a shootout, 3-2. Syracuse converted four of its shootout chances to Liberty’s two.
All-American second team defender Dara Semmartin, a unanimous All-Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and reigning Big East Goalkeeper of the Year Diane Saint Martin headline the list of returnees. Sophomore Saint Martin was the unanimous preseason Big East Goalkeeper of the Year.
They were joined on the preseason All-Big East team by junior forward Josefina Tomasi and sophomore defender/midfielder Julieta Tornati.
Liberty has won three of the last five Big East tournament titles and four of the last five regular season championships.
UMass went 16-4 last season but didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament after losing to Miami University of Ohio 2-1 in double overtime in the Mid-American Conference championship game. UMass was chosen to finish second in the MAC behind Miami in the preseason poll.
UMass has six players who were selected to the NFHCA Watch List in forwards Emily Barrett, Amber Fairon, Niamh McKenzie and Elani Sherwood; midfielder Cara Falconer and defender Chiara Curcio.
UMaine is looking to rebound from an uncharacteristic 7-12 campaign, 1-4 in America East, and was picked to finish fourth in the league’s preseason poll.
The Black Bears had three players chosen to the All-AE preseason team in defenders Nicole Kowalewski and Eloise Penty and forward Saylor Kuefler. Penty and Kowalweski were on the Watch List.
Penty and Kuefler led the team in scoring a year ago with 22 points apiece. Pentyi had eight goals and six assists and Kuefler had six goals and 10 assists.
Penty set a school record with six penalty stroke goals.
Sophomore Kowalewski had four goals and two assists and was chosen to the All-America East second team.
The Black Bears could find themselves facing former teammate Rozarie Mrazova, who transferred to UMass after appearing in 35 games for the Black Bears over the previous two campaigns.