Methacton grad one of top goalies in the country
Methacton grad one of top goalies in country
With a year of experience under her belt, Duke’s redshirt sophomore Sammie Steele is fast becoming one of the top goalkeepers in college field hockey. And, she gets a lot of help from a friend.
Steele, from Eagleville (Methacton), is a key component on the Blue Devils squad that is ranked second on the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll and stood 7-1 overall and 1-1 in Atlantic 10 Conference play after a 3-0 non-league victory over Old Dominion on Sept. 24 in Durham, N.C.
Steele has played all 560 minutes in front of the net and has given up just six goals (0.96 goals against average) and has 26 saves (.813 save percentage) with five shutouts. She’s been extra tough the past four contests giving up just two goals with two shutouts to help Duke go 4-0.
“The more we play, the more confident Sammi gets,” coach Pam Bustin said. “She has responded to the challenge.”
Last season, Steele started all 20 games and gave up 27 goals with 73 saves with five shutouts. She anchored a defense that was 12th in the nation with a 1.48 goals against average. The Blue Devils finished 16-4 and lost 3-2 to eventual national champion Delaware in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament.
Senior back Alyssa Chillano (Spring-Ford) is that friend. A first-team All-American as a junior, she has contributed a goal and an assist this season and has 20 goals and 11 assists for 51 points in 68 games and 59 starts in her career. But more importantly, Chillano is one of the people on the back line who make Steele’s job that much easier.
“Alyssa and Sammi have been playing together since they’ve been 5 or 6 years old in club field hockey,” Bustin said. “You take their play for granted but they trust each other and they’re comfortable playing together.” ALEXA HOOVER (METHACTON) » The senior continues to be an offensive threat for the Penn field hockey team. She had two goals, including the game winner in overtime in a 3-2 victory
over No. 22-ranked American on Sept. 24 in Philadelphia. And, she had both goals in a 2-0 triumph over Villanova on Sept. 9. Hoover leads the 4-4 Quakers with seven goals and two assists for 16 points and now has 63 goals, 21 assists and 147 points with 10 gamewinners in 58 games — all starts. She was a National Field Hockey Coaches Association second team All-American, a first team NFHCA All-Region pick and an All-Ivy first team pick the past two seasons and was All-Ivy and the league’s Rookie of the Year as a freshman. RACHEL YENNEY (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) » The senior forward/midfielder leads the Bloomsburg women’s soccer team with 10 points on three goals and four assists. That’s one goal short of her totals coming into this season — four goals and four assists for 12 points in 50 games and 43 starts. Yenney had two goals and an assist in the season-opener, an 8-1 triumph over Chestnut Hill on Aug. 31. The Huskies are 6-2-1 overall and 5-2-1 in PSAC play after a 2-1 loss to West Chester on Sept. 24 in Bloomsburg. ALEXANDER DOVE (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) » The junior has started off the season unbeaten with the Susquehanna men’s tennis team, the River Hawks opening with victories over Penn College (9-0), Lycoming (71) and Misericordia (8-1). Dove is 3-0 at No. 1 singles and 2-0 at No. 2 doubles.
In singles, he has lost just six sets and in doubles, he and junior partner Alexander Cocolas of High Bridge, N.J., have lost just one set. Dove was named Landmark Conference Player of the Week after going 6-0, 6-0 in singles and 8-0 in doubles against Penn College. MEGAN CLERICO (POPE JOHN
PAUL II) » The 5-foot-5 junior libero leads the Fairmont State women’s volleyball team with 282 digs. She’s started all 14 matches and all 53 sets for the Falcons who are 9-5 overall and 1-1 in Mountain East Conference action after defeating West Liberty 3-1 on Sept. 22 and losing to Wheeling Jesuit 3-0 on Sept. 23 in Fairmont, W.Va. Cleerico had 26 digs against West Liberty and 16 against Wheeling Jesuit. She had a season-high 29 digs in a 3-1 triumph over Jefferson on Sept. 15. SABRINA ROBERTO (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) » The freshman took over as starting goalkeeper for the Widener field hockey team on Sept. 6 and the Pride has won five straight with her in front of the net. She has a 4-0 record and has given up just two goals (0.49 goals against average) with 12 saves (.857 save percentage). Roberto had three saves in a 1-0 MAC Commonwealth opening victory over Lebanon Valley on Sept. 23 and had three saves in a 1-0 non-league triumph over DeSales last Wednesday. Widener is 6-2 on the season.