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LANCASTER, PA – The Franklin & Marshall College field hockey team finished the year 11th in the November 9 STX/National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division III National Coaches Poll. Last week, F&M went 1-1 as the Diplomats defeated Dickinson (6-0 W) and fell to Ursinus (4-3 L OT) in the Centennial Conference Playoffs.
Against Dickinson in the semifinals, forward Eileen Keever (Jr., Prospect Park, PA/Interboro) scored twice and added two assists in a 6-0 rout to advance to the title game. The title berth marked the first in program history as the Diplomats previously advanced to the semifinals of the 2002 CC tournament before falling to then #1 seed McDaniel 1-0 on November 9, 2002. Versus Ursinus in the title tilt, Lindsey Mummert (So., New Oxford, PA/New Oxford), Maggie Onasch (So., Bowling Green, OH/Maumee Valley) and Brittany Croll (Jr., Frankford, DE/Indian River) scored as the Diplomats fell 4-3 (OT). Franklin & Marshall, which received the #1 seed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference South Region Tournament, will open ECAC play on November 10 at 2:30 p.m. versus #8 seed and #13 nationally ranked Lebanon Valley College at Baker Campus in a rematch of a regular season battle. In the regular season meeting between the two programs at LVC, Stacy Swymelar (Jr., Phoenixville, PA/Phoenixville) scored on a penalty corner with no time left on the clock for a 2-1 win. The game appeared to be headed for overtime until the Diplomats were awarded a corner seconds before time expired. Then with the clock reading 0:00, Swymelar took the entry pass from Brenna Dolphin (So., Wilmington, DE/Archmere Academy), dribbled to her left, and fired a shot into the left side of the cage to give F&M the victory. Leading the charge has been the junior tandem of Croll and Keever who have combined for 38 goals and 15 assists for 91 points. Individually, Keever leads the team in goals (20), assists (nine) and points (49) as she has raised her career numbers to 33-14-80, while Croll ranks second in goals (18), assists (six) and points (42) for 36-14-86 in her three year career. Along with those two up front the Diplomats have received solid play from Swymelar who has 11 goals and two assists for 24 points this year. Two other players to watch are Mummert and midfielder Allison Barthold (Fr., Manheim, PA/Manheim Central) who have scored 8-3-19 and 1-2-4, respectively. However, the key to the Diplomats’ title hopes will ride on their defense as F&M enters the tournament allowing 1.27 goals per goal with five shutouts as the team is outscoring opponents 64-23. Keying the defense has been the senior trio of Brynn Jackowski (Sr., Pottstown, PA/Pottstown), Lindsay Mohr (Sr, Pennsburg, PA/Upper Perkiomen) and Erin Benjamin (Sr., Mt. Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley) who have been outstanding In front of the cage. In the cage, goalie Michelle Altman (Jr., Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) has been steady for F&M ranking among the Centennial Conference leaders in save percentage (.849), goals against average (1.48) and saves (146) while allowing 26 goals in 1,232 minutes of play. The National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll is voted upon by NFHCA member coaches. November 9 STX/NFHCA Division III Field Hockey Poll
1. Salisbury University (18-0)
2. Messiah College (18-1)
3. Ursinus College (19-1)
4. Middlebury College (15-1)
5. William Smith (16-2)
6. SUNY-Cortland (15-2)
7. Hartwick College (15-2)
7. The College of New Jersey (13-5)
9. Springfield College (19-3)
10. Juniata College (14-3)
11. Franklin & Marshall College (16-4)
12. Williams College (14-3)
13. Lebanon Valley College (15-7)
14. Utica College (14-2)
15. Montclair State University (12-6)
16. Gettysburg College (12-7)
17. University of Mary Washington (15-6)
18. Rowan University (10-7)
19. Wesley College (17-3)
20. Virginia Wesleyan College (17-4)
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