FH: Lasell picked second in GNAC preseason poll

WINTHROP, Mass. – Lasell University was picked second in the 2019 Great Northeast Athletic Conference field hockey preseason poll, as announced on Tuesday morning.

Saint Joseph's College of Maine received all nine first-place votes to unanimously take the top spot in the poll. SJC garnered the maximum 81 points overall, ahead of Lasell, which collected 72 points. The poll voting is conducted by the league's head coaches.

Following Lasell, Colby-Sawyer College finished in third place with 57 points, just narrowly ahead of Simmons University's 56 points. Colby-Sawyer fell to Lasell in last season's GNAC semifinals in the Chargers' first year in the league, while Simmons also advanced to the semis. The Sharks captured the conference's first two field hockey championships back in 2014 and 2015. 

The remainder of the poll was made up by Johnson & Wales University with 46 points, Anna Maria College with 33 points, Regis College with 32 points, Rivier University with 19 points, and Albertus Magnus College with nine points. 

Lead by 10th-year head coach Cait Connolly, Lasell will open the campaign at home on Friday, August 30, with a non-conference game against Becker College at Grellier Field (4 p.m.) The Lasers will also be home on Saturday, September 7, hosting Nichols College, with the GNAC opener set for Saturday, September 14, at Albertus Magnus.

The Lasers return 15 veterans from last year's squad, which finished with a 14-7 overall record and a 6-1 conference mark after falling to St. Joe's in the GNAC title game. Included in the group of returnees are four All-GNAC selections – senior attacker Sam Taylor (Hanover, Mass.), senior midfielder Mindy Esposito (Sunderland, Mass.), junior midfielder Megan Horrigan (Wakefield, Mass.) and sophomore goalie Sofia Rodriguez (Peabody, Mass.) Lasell will have to overcome the loss of seven seniors, including four-time All-GNAC selection and all-time scoring leader Cailin Flannery and three-time All-GNAC honoree Julia Franzik.

The 2019 campaign will mark the sixth season in which the GNAC has sponsored the sport of field hockey, with the Monks capturing each of the last three GNAC Championships and NCAA Division III Tournament automatic qualifying berths. Last year, Saint Joe's blanked Lasell, 4-0, in the conference title game before falling to regional powerhouse Endicott, 3-1, in NCAA play. 

The GNAC featured seven field hockey sponsoring institutions in its inaugural 2014 season. The league size grows to nine in 2019 as Albertus Magnus sponsors the varsity sport as a GNAC member, and it will increase to 10 teams in 2020 with the University of Saint Joseph (CT) adding the program next fall. 

Be sure to catch all of the regular-season and tournament action live on thegnac.tv or watch on one of our four custom digital streaming apps (broadcasts are produced by host institutions). The GNAC Tournament dates are scheduled for Sat-Tues-Sat, November 2, 6 & 9 (high seeds throughout) with a trip to the NCAA Tournament at stake.

2019 GNAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. Saint Joseph's of Maine (9) - 81
2. Lasell - 72
3. Colby-Sawyer - 57
4. Simmons - 56
5. Johnson & Wales - 46
6. Anna Maria - 33
7. Regis - 32
8. Rivier - 19
9. Albertus Magnus - 9

 (Courtesy of the GNAC Office)

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