August 24, 2009
Fall Openers Have Delmarva Flavor
Soccer, Volleyball, Field Hockey to Launch
2009 Seasons Against Regional Rivals

CHESTERTOWN, MD - The Washington College field hockey, volleyball, and men's and women's soccer teams will all launch their 2009 seasons next week against Delmarva rivals. The men's soccer team opens up against Salisbury in a battle for Eastern Shore bragging rights, while all three Shorewomen teams will open their campaigns against Wesley College - Washington's geographically-closest Division III competitor.

Following a break-out 2008 season which featured a school-record 9-1 start and the team's first-ever Centennial Conference Tournament victory, the Washington College field hockey team will not be taking anyone by surprise in 2009. With a host of talented returners and an influx of young talent, however, the Shorewomen should be poised to take the next step up the Centennial Conference standings. Washington welcomes back 2008 All-Centennial Conference first-team and All-South Region second-team senior goalkeeper Elena Nicholoff (Tunkhannock, PA/Lackawanna Trail) as well as 2008's leading goal-scorer, junior attack Danielle Rosato (Narvon, PA/Pequea Valley) and 2008's leading assist-getter, junior defender Sara Rutkowski (Wernersville, PA/Conrad Weiser). The Shorewomen will have revenge on their mind when they travel to Wesley for a 7:00 p.m. season opener on Tuesday, September 1st; the Wolverines handed the Shorewomen their only loss in their first 10 games of the 2008 season.

While the field hockey team will be traveling to Wesley on September 1st, the Washington College volleyball team will be hosting Wesley in a 7:00 p.m. match looking to improve upon its 4-0 all-time record against the Wolverines. Senior setter Caitlin Ward (Wantagh, NY/Holy Trinity), Washington's all-time leader in career assists, and senior middle hitter Kelli Canada (Midlothian, VA/James River) return for their fourth and final seasons. The Shorewomen will also get a big boost from sophomore outside hitter Lauren Feeny (Upper Darby, PA/Villa Maria Academy), who redshirted last season with an injury after putting together an impressive freshman campaign in 2007.

There will be no time for growing pains for the men's soccer team when it hosts Salisbury at 7:00 p.m. on September 1st. The Shoremen are a young squad with just two seniors and four juniors on the roster. A pair of veteran defenders - junior Danny Wood (Lancaster, PA/Lampeter-Strasburg) and senior Tom Heppard (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) - will serve as the Shoremen's captains. Sophomore forward/midfielder Jordan Haas (Wyomissing, PA/Wilson) is the Shoremen's leading returning scorer. The Sea Gulls, meanwhile, won their seventh Capital Athletic Conference Championship and made their eighth trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament last season.

The Washington College women's soccer team will wait until Friday, September 4th, to get its season underway as the Shorewomen will host Wesley at 7:00 p.m. The Shorewomen have not beaten the Wolverines in their last five tries, though that span includes two ties and two one-goal losses. Like their male counterparts, the Shorewomen have just two seniors and four juniors on the roster. Sophomore midfielder Gabby Devaud (Baltimore, MD/Institute of Notre Dame) earned All-Centennial Conference honorable mention last season, making her just the second freshman in team history to garner All-Centennial recognition. Sophomore forward Jennifer Kiarsis (Rye, NY/Canterbury School, CT) is the team's leading returning scorer.