Field hockey kicks off season tonight at home

BOSTON - The fall sports season will kick off tonight when the Wheelock field hockey team plays host to Western Connecticut State with a 7:00 face-off at Winsor Field. Junior Julie Kilcoyne (pictured above), is one of three returning tri-captains looking to lead the Wildcats to a New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) championship in 2009.

Junior captains Milbrey Hendrix (Kennett Square, PA) and Michaela Ross (Mansfield, MA) bring strength and experience to a very young program which includes five juniors, three sophomores, and eight first year players under second year head coach Kyoungho Koh. The Wildcats finished the 2008 season in fourth place in the NECC, falling to eventual champions Becker College in the quarterfinals.

 Junior goalkeeper Meredith Race (Marion, MA) will provide leadership in the new backfield, while sophomores  Kylie Hefford (Exeter, NH), Alanna Pihl (Franconia, NH), and Ashley Howard (Gardner, MA) bring a full season of experience to the midfield.  

Despina Savvoulides (Norwalk, CT) leads a strong group of first years in the mid to front field while Chelsey Ballard (Mansfield, MA), Rachel Robohm (North Easton, MA), and Taylor Rogers (Essex, MA) look to make an immediate impact on defense.