Eight members of the Rider University field hockey team were honored by the Northeast Conference for academics it was announced Wednesday.

The 2006 Rider University field hockey season came to an end Friday with a loss to host Lock Haven in the semi-final round of the Northeast Conference Championship tournament, held on the Charlotte Smith Field at Hubert Jack Stadium. “We have grown a lot during the course of this season,” said Rider head coach Lori Hussong.  “I think the players learned the lessons we wanted them to take with them as they go on in the future.”

The Rider University field hockey team competes in its seventh straight Northeast Conference Championships tournament this weekend. “We’re very proud that we’ve accomplished that,” said Rider head coach Lori Hussong, “especially this year with the league being so competitive.”

The Rider University field hockey team travels to Lock Haven University for the Northeast Conference playoffs on November 3 and 4.  The Broncs play the host Eagles at 11:00am on Friday with the championship game at noon on Saturday.  LiveStats are available for all three games and Live Audio is available for the Lock Haven~Rider game.

Four members of the Rider University field hockey team were honored by the Northeast Conference at the championship banquet Thursday evening.

Game Notes

In a season that featured 11 one-goal games, why should today be any different? The Broncs lost a Northeast Conference game at Lock Haven on Sunday and will be the fourth seed in the conference tournament, hosted by the Eagles Friday and Saturday, November 3-4.

Rolling a seven.  When in Atlantic City, it could be considered lucky.  When in Loretto, Pennsylvania, it’s anything but luck.  Try some hard work and determination.  Playing with what has been viewed as one of her youngest teams ever at Rider, head coach Lori Hussong and the Rider (12-5, 5-2 NEC) Broncs qualified for the Northeast Conference playoffs for the seventh season in a row, with a hard fought 1-0 win at St. Francis in a driving rain storm.

The only stat that matters is the final score.  The Broncs dominated Sacred Heart on Sunday, holding a 35-16 advantage in shots, including 20-4 in the second half. The result? A 3-2 Northeast Conference loss in double overtime to the Pioneers.

You have to walk before you run. Junior Stephanie Walker (Lyman, Maine/Massabesic) helped Rider run out to an early two goal lead, scoring twice in the first 21 minutes as Rider (11-4, 4-1 NEC) defeated Monmouth 4-0 in a Northeast Conference game Friday afternoon.

Rider freshman Heather Connelly (Andover/Newton) of the Rider University field hockey team was honored by the Northeast Conference as the Rookie of the Week for all games played October 9-15.

Freshman Heather Connelly (Andover/Newton) took a crossing pass from senior Meaghan Schweers (South Plainfield) and scored with 2:16 left in the first half to give Rider a Northeast Conference victory over Siena Sunday. “Any time you don’t play up to your potential and still win, it’s a good thing,” said Rider head coach Lori Hussong.

Home, home on the range. Well, it’s more like a grass field than a range. Home sweet home? Maybe. Sweet home Alabama? No Rider’s home is in New Jersey. There’s no place like home? Definitely! After playing on campus for only the second time this season, the Broncs will go with any phrase you can come up with after defeating Robert Morris 5-0 on Friday in a Northeast Conference game.

Ashley Boulden’s passion for teaching, hockey and softball go hand in hand.

They will play in a foot of snow if it means getting a win.  Looking to break a two-game slide, Rider (8-4) traveled to Lafayette to face the Leopards in the pouring rain on Wednesday night and came out with a 2-1 win in the final regular season non-conference game of the year.

A tale of two halves. The Broncs scored twice in the second half but it was not enough as Lehigh defeated Rider 3-2 on Sunday in a non-conference game.

One athlete carried the team on her back, and the other has recovered nicely from a broken back.  Krysta Bearish of the field hockey team, and Tyler Brewington of the golf team, were named the Rider University Athletes of the Month for the month of September.

The Broncs lost to Quinnipiac in a Northeast Conference game Sunday, ending Rider’s six-game winning streak. “They came out on fire in the second half, we played a little sloppy in the second half, and that was it,” said Rider head coach Lori Hussong.

If that was the opening act, we can’t wait to see the next show.  The Broncs defeated Fairfield 3-2 in overtime in the Northeast Conference opener for both teams Friday.

The two C’s.  For Rider field hockey, they are anything but average.

Although St. John Vianney head coach Katie Conlon and assistant coach Angela Fuoco may be a year apart in their schooling, their collective coaching minds have invigorated the Lancers this season.

There is an old expression that says, ‘it doesn’t matter how you start, it’s how you finish that counts.’ Don’t tell that to Rider head coach Lori Hussong. “We had a much better start today,” said Hussong, “and that was the key to the game. I’m very pleased the way we came out.”

The big ‘50’.  For a goalie still coming of age in her senior season, it is a milestone that few have accomplished in the history of the sport on the collegiate level.

The Broncs bounced back from a sluggish first half to defeat URI Saturday. The game was played at The College of New Jersey due to Rider’s wet field. “At half time we talked about playing with intensity and second effort,” said Rider head coach Lori Hussong, “and I think that was the difference in the second half.”

 In an effort to find a way to help hockey programs that are relying on a grass competition surface, UmpireHockey.com found a superior grass surface and interviewed its lead groundskeeper.  The competition surface selected is at Rider University, Lawrenceville, NJ. As the photos in this article show, it is one of the few grass surfaces in the United States—this side of a golf green—worthy of selection.

Keeping the tradition alive.  On Tuesday, Rider freshman Brittany Kennedy was named the Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week for all games played August 29-September 4, the 17th time under seven-year head coach Lori Hussong that the Broncs have received a conference Rookie of the Week honor.

Wet and wild.  The Broncs came back twice from one-goal deficits on the slick turf at Colgate on Saturday before falling to the Raiders in overtime 3-2.

Exciting, non-stop, 70 minutes of jam packed action.  And a win to top it off.  With a team expected to score a bunch this season and not give up very many goals, the Broncs found themselves in a back and forth battle with the Golden Rams of West Chester in the season opener Wednesday night.

Rider University, the defending regular season field hockey champion of the Northeast Conference was picked to finish second in 2006, in voting conducted by the league head coaches. 

Success in Sports can be measured in many ways. Wins and losses, standings, improvement, and a wide range of various statistics help us measure. At Rider University, the successful 2005-2006 academic school year is being measured by grade point average.

The Rider University field hockey team has signed five players for the 2006 season, Rider head coach Lori Hussong announced.

Nine members of the Rider University field hockey team were named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Division I National Academic Squad.