Morris caps standout career at Duke
Blue Devils return locals Chillano, Steele after early exit from NCAAs
The Duke University field hockey team fell short of its expectations this season but two of the three Mercury-area players that were the backbone of the squad will be back next season.
The Blue Devils were the No. 10-ranked team in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association poll, were the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament and looked it after a 3-0 victory over American in the first round. But Delaware scored three late goals for a 3-2 victory in the quarterfinals and Duke ended with a 16-4 record and a wait-until-next-year situation.
Senior Heather Morris (Owen J. Roberts) played her final game but coach Pam Bustin can build around two returnees – Alyssa Chillano and Sammi Steele. Junior Chillano (Spring-Ford) finished with 13 goals and six assists for 32 points with five game-winners.
“Alyssa possesses every skill necessary to excel at this sport at the highest level,” the veteran coach said. “She has a mature sense of competition which helps to make her one of our great leaders.”
Steele started all 20 games in goal and played 1,367 minutes, giving up 27 goals with 73 saves and five shutouts.
“Sammi’s fierce competitiveness is quiet and humble,” Bustin said. “You can see the fire burn in her work ethic and how she approaches her role within the game.”
Still, Morris will be tough to replace. She had 11 goals and three assists for 25 points.
“Heather played field hockey to score goals,” the coach said. “She loves the attack and approached the game with that mindset. The combination of the three will continue to be a huge benefit to Duke field hockey.” KELLYTORNETTA(POPEJOHNPAUL II) >> The 5-foot-8 sophomore outside hitter was named to the Centennial Conference first team for her play with the Muhlenberg women’s volleyball team. She led the Mules in kills with 327 and was second in points (372.5). The versatile performer also had 277 digs, 34 assists, 29 service aces and 28 blocks. Tornetta had 16 kills and 11 digs in a 3-0 victory over Franklin & Marshall in the first round of the league tournament on Nov. 2. Muhlenberg finished 20-11 after a 3-1 loss to eventual champion Johns Hopkins in the semifinals on Nov. 5. VINNY TASCA (METHACTON) >> The 6-foot-5, 190-pound sophomore had a solid season in goal for the 12-6-1 Wilmington (Del.) men’s soccer team. He made 18 starts and posted a 12-5-1 record with four shutouts. Tasca gave up 25 goals (1.48 goals against average) with 66 saves. He was 5-3-1 with three shutouts the final nine games, giving up 12 goals with 42 saves, but a 3-2 loss to Georgian Court on Nov. 4 in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference semifinals ended the season. J.J.PAIGE(SPRING-FORD)>> The Millersville quarterback wrapped up his career with another standout season. The 6-foot-1, 204-pound red-shirt senior connected on 145 of 267 passes for 1,803 yards and 10 touchdowns. He averaged 180.30 yards a game and hit 18
of 35 passes for 313 yards including a 43-yard touchdown pass in a 34-6 victory over Cheyney on Oct. 29 as the Marauders posted a 2-9 overall mark and a 1-6 PSAC record. Paige connected on 337 of 605 passes for 3,712 yards with 25 touchdowns for his career. SHAEDUKA(UPPERPERKIO
MEN)>> The 5-foot-7 sophomore defender scored her first goal of the season for the Moravian women’s soccer team and it was a game-winner in a 1-0 victory over Goucher on Oct. 26. She played in 18 games with 17 starts and helped the Greyhounds limit foes to 22 goals with four shutouts. Moravian finished 10-7-1 overall and 5-2-0 in Landmark Conference play and was beaten 2-0 by Scranton in the league title game. Duka, a public health major, was named to the Landmark All-Academic team. HANKCOYNE(SPRING-FORD) >> The senior wrapped up his career with a solid senior season with the 4-6 Juniata football team. The 6-foot-2, 185-pounder completed 186 passes on 321 attempts (57.9 percent) for 2,459 yards and 16 touchdowns. In a 38-27 victory over Ursinus on Oct. 15, he hit 23 of 36 passes for 348 yards and three scores. A starter just the last two
years, Coyne ended his career by completing 359 of 660 passes for 4,501 yards and 30 touchdowns. He averaged 160.9 yards a game. MADELINEALDERFER(METH
ACTON)>> The freshman forward finished with three goals and three assists for nine points in 19 starts with the Holy Cross field hockey team. She had a goal and an assist in a 3-1 victory over Bryant in the final game of the regular season on Oct. 30. The Crusaders finished 9-10 overall and 3-3 to earn the final playoff spot in the Patriot League Tournament. They were beaten 1-0 by No. 1 seed American in the first round. LEVIROBERTS(BOYERTOWN)
>> The freshman had a solid season playing defense for the Misericordia men’s soccer team and he also came with a couple of big assists at the end of the season. He had a helper in a 6-0 victory
over Delaware Valley on the final game of the regular season and picked up an assist in a 3-0 triumph over DeSales in the first round of the MAC Freedom semifinals on Nov. 1. The Cougars saw the season end with a tough loss to Eastern in the title game, which ended 1-1 after two overtimes but Eastern won on penalty kicks. Misericordia finished 12-5-3. JULIA HERNAN (THE HILL
SCHOOL) >> The sophomore goalkeeper from Pottstown, who didn’t play as a freshman, was named to the Northeast Conference AllRookie team for her play with the St. Francis women’s soccer team. She gave up 34 goals and had 123 saves and had four saves when the Red Flash captured the league title with a 2-0 victory over Central Connecticut. She had eight saves in a 2-0 loss to George-
town in the first round of the Division I Tournament, she and the team finishing 10-12 on the season. SIMONE VAGNONI (SPRING
FORD) >> The red-shirt junior defensive standout scored her first collegiate goal for the Michigan State field hockey team on Sept. 25 in a 4-2 Big Ten Conference victory over Ohio State. She also had goals in a 3-2 loss to American on Oct. 9 and a 3-2 loss to Stanford on Oct. 30. She had two assists in a 7-1 victory over Central Michigan on Sept. 1. Those are the only points of her college career.
The Spartans finished 8-12 overall and saw their season end with a 2-1 double overtime loss to Michigan in the first round of the league tourney. KELLY O’BRIEN (PERKIO
MEN VALLEY) >> The junior shared goalkeeping duties with the 7-8-4 Lafayette women’s soccer team. She played in 16 games with one start and was 2-3-1. O’Brien gave up eight goals (0.91 goals against average) with 37 saves (.822 save percentage). She didn’t start but played 63.55 minutes to pick up the victory as the Leopards defeated Lehigh 1-0 in double overtime in the first round of the Patriot League playoffs. She sat out the semifinal game, Bucknell posting a 2-0 victory to end Lafayette’s season.