Bears Picked Fourth in Little East Field Hockey Preseason Poll

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State Bears have been picked to finish fourth in the 2014 Little East Conference (LEC) Field Hockey Preseason Poll as voted on by the league's 12 head coaches.

The Bears, who posted a record of 16-6 in 2013 including a 9-2 conference mark, registered 93 points in the poll to finish behind Plymouth State University (109 pts), UMass Dartmouth (109 pts) and preseason favorite Keene State College (115 pts).

Under the guidance of first year head coach Tia Pydynkowski, the Bears return four starters from the 2013 lineup.  Junior Brittney Field (Hubbarston, Mass.) and sophomore Brittany Cullinane (Lunenburg, Mass.) at the midfield position, junior Jennifer Arnold (West Yarmouth, Mass.) at forward and senior Sarah Gendron (North Dighton, Mass.) on defense.

Field notched three goals and two assists in 22 games (19 starts) a year ago, while Cullinane tallied a goal and an assist to go along with a defensive save as she started 21 games as a rookie.

Arnold started all 22 games and recorded two goals and four assists for eight points. Gendron has seven defensive saves to her credit over the last two years including a team-best three in 2013. She also started all 22 games last season.

Sophomore Kaylyn Allahyarian (Norwell, Mass.) will take over the starting goaltending duties.

Senior defender Cailin Flannery (Boxborough, Mass.), junior forward Kelsey Kiely (Mansfield, Mass.), junior midfielders Mary Dubin (Holden, Mass.) and Emily Mosca (Dedham, Mass.), and junior defender Molly Bennett (Ashland, Mass.) were the Bears' top subs in 2013 and will vie for starting spots in 2014.

The BSU field hockey squad will open the 2014 campain on Sunday, August 31st as the Bears host non-conference foe Thomas College at one.