Scots Season Begins With Weekend Road Trip to Maryland, Kentucky

Kate Persing

The College of Wooster, which won the 2006 North Coast Athletic Conference championship and went 15-6 overall, will open the 2007 field hockey season on the road this weekend. The Fighting Scots are scheduled to play at Frostburg State University (6-13 in 2006) Saturday, Sept. 1, at 11 a.m., and at Centre College (9-7 in 2006) Sunday, Sept. 2, at 1 p.m. Frostburg State and Wooster have not met since 1987, with the Bobcats winning the only two previous match-ups (1-0 in 1987, 2-0 in 1986), while the Scots were a perfect 8-0 versus Centre until the Colonels prevailed each of the last two years (2-1 in 2006 and 2-1 in overtime in 2005).

2007 Preview Notes: Wooster has won three conference titles during a six-season stretch, including last year when the Scots became the first to march through the league’s regular season undefeated (12-0) since 1999 ...  It appears Wooster will be hard pressed to make it four titles in seven seasons during 2007 due to the loss of several top players, however, there still may be enough firepower from 11 returning letterwinners and 13 first-years, termed as “one of the more talented classes” in program history by 18th-year head coach Brenda Meese, to make a run at another trophy ... The Scots’ best position is forward. The sophomore duo of Amanda Artman (Shaker Hts., Ohio / Shaker Heights) and Brittany Montgomery (Glens Falls, N.Y. / Glens Falls) are expected to lead the way. Artman exploded on to the NCAA Div. III scene, leading the league in goals (19), assists (12), and points (50) and ranking 14th in the nation in scoring (2.38 ppg) en route to second-team All-American honors as a freshman. Montgomery actually was the NCAC’s top scorer through the first nine games last season and ended up finishing with 14 goals while earning a spot on the all-conference team (honorable mention). Meese believes highly-touted newcomers Eileen Barrer (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Pioneer) and Briana Lynch (North East, Md. / North East) have the ability to step in and give Wooster “four very solid forwards” ... There is a possibility one of the forwards could be moved to midfield where the Scots lost all three starters and will lean heavily on freshmen ... Sometimes overshadowed by its offensive output last season, Wooster’s defense was equal to the task, leading the league with an average of 0.95 goals allowed while shutting out 10 of 21 opponents. Senior Kate Persing (Canton, Conn. / Kimball Union Academy – N.H.) played an integral role on that unit, resulting in second-team all-NCAC recognition, and will now anchor the Scots’ backfield, along with fellow two-year starter Anna Hurley (Oxford, Ohio / Talawanda). A junior, Hurley already has 16 defensive saves. Also returning is sophomore Katrina Wojciechowski (Webster, N.Y. / Webster Thomas), who is a leading candidate to earn the third starting back position after playing 15 games with four starts last season ... Wooster will have a new goalkeeper. Sophomores Carly Herman (Ann Arbor, Mich. / Huron) and Izzy Maffetone (Setauket, N.Y. / Ward Melville) both saw limited action in 2006.