Monmouth Releases '08 Schedule, Names Captains
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Monmouth University head coach Kelly Van Zile has released the 2008 Women's Lacrosse schedule, which features a number of regional non-conference opponents along with a trip to California.
The Hawks, who finished 2007 with a 15-5 overall record and their second straight Northeast Conference title, will begin the season at home against Columbia on Friday, Feb. 29. MU hosts LaSalle on that Sunday before heading to up-state New York to face Le Moyne and Binghamton on March 7 and 9.
MU will travel to play St. Mary's College in California over Spring Break on March 13. After playing Stony Brook the following Sunday, the Hawks begin their title defense against Sacred Heart on March 20, a team they defeated in the NEC Semifinals a year ago.
"We will face some strong competition in the spring but it's exciting to play against teams from many different conferences across Division I," said Van Zile.
Monmouth opens up the home conference schedule with a tilt against Central Connecticut State at 4 p.m. on March 28. The Blue & White will then face a pair of non-conference opponents in Iona and Villanova on March 30 and April 4, before coming home to face LIU.
On April 9, MU will travel to play in-state rival Rutgers for a 7:00 p.m. night game. The Hawks continue the road swing with games against St. Francis and Robert Morris, then welcoming Wagner at home on April 18.
"Northeast Conference lacrosse continues to strengthen and become more competitive within the league each season," said Van Zile.
The season culminates with a home game against Mount St. Mary's, the team the Hawks defeated in last year's NEC final, erasing a three-goal deficit to win 9-8. The NEC title has been won by either MU or Mount in each of the last four seasons.
The 2008 NEC Tournament is slated for April 25 and 27, with a bid to the NCAA Tournament on the line, and the highest seed serving as host.
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WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J.- Monmouth University head women's lacrosse coach Kelly Van Zile has named seniors Megan Nutter (Moorestown, N.J./Moorestown), Jessica Picciuto (North Caldwell, N.J./West Essex) and Ashley Waldman (Oceanport, N.J./Shore Regional) captains for the 2007 season.
Nutter enters her final season of eligibility as one of Monmouth's most decorated players. The two-time All-Northeast Conference selection was fifth in the conference in points with 66 in 2007, while her 52 goals ranked sixth among all NEC players. Nutter's 115 goals currently ranks seventh in MU history and her 144 points is eighth.
Picciuto, a 2006 Second Team All-NEC selection, will be the lone senior defender on the Hawks. Last season she started all 20 games for MU, tallying 42 ground balls and 16 caused turnovers. The North Caldwell, N.J., native has played in 45 total games in three seasons, starting in 40 of them. Picciuto helped lead a defense that ranked first in the NEC in goals against average and 11th in country, allowing just 9.76 goals per game.
Waldman, a local product, ranked fourth on the team in points last season with 56 points coming on 39 goals and 17 assists. The midfielder led the team with four game-winning goals, including the shot that won the NEC Championship with 38 seconds remaining on the road against Mount St. Mary's. Waldman also registered 46 ground balls and 47 draw controls in 2006.
“I am very excited about having Megan, Ashley & Jess as captains this year,” said Van Zile (formally McCardell). “They are each incredible leaders and talented competitors. We will have great leadership on the field as Megan will head up our offensive unit, Ashley will lead the midfield, and Jess will guide the defensive end. They are excellent role models for the rest of the team, they work extremely hard on the field and they are great representatives of our program off the field in the classroom and around the community.”
Coach Van Zile also announced the four weekends that the team will be participating in tournaments in the fall. MU will start off at the all-day Hofstra Tournament on Saturday, Sept. 29, before taking part in the United Sports Training Center Fall Classic on Oct. 6. The Hawks do not know yet who they will face in the first two fall events but on Friday, Oct. 12, the Blue & White will face Lehigh in three 30-minute periods starting at 6:30 p.m. in Bethlehem, Pa. Monmouth will wrap up the 2007 fall season at the Drexel Play Day on Oct. 21, where they will face Drexel, St. Joe's and Columbia, competing against each opponent for two 20-minute halves.
Monmouth won the NEC Championship for the second straight year in 2007, while setting program records for goals, assists, points and wins. Van Zile brought in 10 freshmen to compliment 14 returners as the Hawks look for a bid to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive year.