WINTHROP, Mass. – The Lasell University field hockey team has been voted to finish second out of 12 schools in the 2021 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) Preseason Coaches' Poll, as announced by the GNAC office on Thursday afternoon.
Saint Joseph's College of Maine, the winner of four straight championship titles, received eight first-place votes to finish with 140 points atop the poll, as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Lasell took the second position with 133 points and three first-place votes, as the Lasers have advanced to the GNAC Championship contest each of the last three years. Lasell will travel to SJC in Standish, Maine for a crucial regular-season contest on Saturday, October 2 at 11:00 a.m. For the complete poll results, please see below.
Led by 12th-year head coach Cait Connolly, the Lasers will open the season with three straight home games on September 1, 4, and 7 against Salem State University, Ramapo University, and New England College, respectively. The GNAC debut is set for Saturday, September 11, against Regis College.
The Lasers return 10 veterans with collegiate experience and a half dozen others who practiced with the team during last year's season that was canceled due to the pandemic. Among the key veterans are five returning starters -- seniors Claire Shepherd (Huntington Beach, Calif./Edison) and Sofia Rodriguez (Peabody, Mass./Veterans Memorial) and juniors Kensie Lennon (Jamestown, R.I./North Kingstown), Kaylie Gonya (Uxbridge, Mass./Uxbridge) and Sage Dodier (Amesbury, Mass./Amesbury).
Also featured in the top five of the poll were Colby Sawyer College in third with 106 points, Simmons University in fourth with 104 points, and Anna Maria College in the fifth spot with 99 points and the remaining first-place tally.
Cementing the remaining spots in the poll were Regis (82 points), Johnson & Wales University (81), Rivier University (63), Elms College (47), Dean College (32), University of Saint Joseph (Conn.) (30), and Albertus Magnus College (18).
The 2021 GNAC Tournament is set to begin with the quarterfinal round on Saturday, October 30, followed by the semifinals on Wednesday, November 3, and the title contest on Saturday, Nov. 6.
2021 GNAC Field Hockey Preseason Poll
1. Saint Joseph's (Maine) (8) - 140
2. Lasell (3) - 133
3. Colby-Sawyer - 106
4. Simmons - 104
5. Anna Maria (1) - 99
6. Regis - 83
7. Johnson & Wales - 81
8. Rivier - 63
9. Elms - 47
10. Dean - 32
11. Saint Joseph (Conn.) - 30
12. Albertus Magnus - 18
(Courtesy of the GNAC Office)
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