Already one of the top field hockey programs in the nation, Mary Washington College experienced another in a long line of successful seasons in 2901, advancing to the NCAA Tournament regional semifinals. Along the way, the Eagles won fifteen games, tied for first place in the Capital Athletic Conference, and remained ranked in the top ten throughout the season.
A program that developed into one of the elite programs in all of Division III in the 1990's with four NCAA Tournament appearances, MWC experienced a renaissance in 2001. The Eagles reached double figures in victories for the fifth straight year, and the eleventh time in the past twelve years.
The Eagles began the season with an encouraging 3-0 win at Washington College, but then fell to Frostburg the next day, 4-3. MWC rebounded towin its' next seven games, including a triple-overtime win against Lebanon Valley College.The Eagles won CAC games against York, Goucher, and St. Mary's during the win streak, and also topped nationally-ranked Johns Hopkins, 6-0.
After suffering a 5-4 loss at Catholic, the fifth-ranked Eagles defeated previously-unbeaten Lynchburg, 2-0, to start another win streak, that included wins over Bridgewater and NCAA Tournament-bound Salisbury and Gettysburg. In the Salisbury game, Jessica Morris scored four goals and added a pair of assists to set the school record for most points in a game against the top-ranked team in the nation in an MWC 6-3 win. The victory also snapped Salisbury's 45-game CAC win streak.
The Eagles closed the regular season withwins over Virginia Wesleyan and Randolph-Macon. MWC gained a bit of revenge against Catholic in the CAC semifinals, topping the Cardinals by a 4-3 margin. After a 1-0 overtime loss to Salisbury in the CAC championship, the Eagles received a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles fell to St. Lawrence in the regional semifinals, 2-1, in double overtime.
The prospects for,2002 are very, high, despite the loss of three key seniors, including the school's all-time leading scorer, Jessica Morris. During the course of the 2001 season, Morris broke every MWC scoring mark, including career goals, assists, and points, season goals, assists, and points, and single game goals, assists, and points. A two-time All-America selection, Morris was also named as a first team All-America and as the CAC Player of the year. In addition to Morris, perhaps the top player in school history, the 2002 Eagles must also fill the void left by arguably the two other most vital players from the 2001 squad, All-America defender Christine Ballance and goalkeeper Meredith MacDonald. Ballance finished a stellar career with 35 defensive saves, the most in the program in the past 15 years. MacDonald played her best games against the top competition in 2001, including' two brilliant games in the CAC Championship and in the NCAA Tournament.
Heading the list of returnees are AlI-CACfotwards Shannon Nobile and Adrienne Trombley. Nobile scored nine goals and added three assists in 200 1, while Trombley finished second on the team with 15 goals and seven assists. Emily Falvey, Britt Gottlieb, Sarah Sebring and Lindsey Starrt will also look to help fill thevoid left by Morris at forward.
The midfield looks to remain intact for 2002, with Meghan McMahon, Emily Nagel, Autumn Arrowood and Shelley Sabo leading a group of returnees that includes Kim Becraft and Kara Bower. The defender position, even with the loss of Ballance, looks to return severn quality players, including first team All-Region selection Chrissy Soper, Joanna Duggan, Amanda Mulhern, Andi Sasin, and Lisa Cavanaugh, who proved to be among the nation's elite marking backs in 2001. In goal, the Eagles lose McDonald, who recorded six shutouts in 2001. Returnee Sara Shalowitz leads a group of candidates at this position.