2017 Field Hockey All-Tournament Team and MVP
Following the Empire 8 Field Hockey Tournament and the naming of the Most Valuable Player, the entire 2017 All-tournament team has been announced.
Washington & Jefferson – Rachel Buyan (MVP), Gabby Karr, Claire Shaak and Alexis Miller
Utica – Samantha Whitehouse, Rylee Meelan and Jordan Noga
St. John Fisher – Lauren Fazio and Meagan McDonald
Houghton – Hannah Daniels and Marissa Hollinger
Buyan was named the tournament’s most outstanding player as she tallied three goals and one assist in the two games as W&J won its second E8 Championship in program history and first since 2011. The wins also gave the Presidents a berth to the NCAA Tournament.
Shaak assisted two of Buyan’s goals in the tournament. She assisted the second goal against Houghton and the third goal against Utica, both off of penalty corners.
Karr and
Miller started their 16 and 17 games of the season at midfield and defense, respectively, as the President’s won the E8 title. Karr, Miller and the President defense faced 20 shots throughout the tournament but only allowed one goal. The shutout against Houghton in the semifinal was the eighth of the season for W&J.
Whitehouse made a combined 15 saves through the tournament. She picked up her third shutout of the season as she made 13 saves against the defending champions St. John Fisher for her eighth double-digit save effort of the season. She then made two saves against W&J in the final.
Meelan scored three goals in the tournament including two in the semifinal win over St. John Fisher. She scored five minutes into the second half for a 1-0 lead extended the Pioneer lead to 2-0 just ten minutes later with her team leading ninth goal of the season. In the championship game, Meelan tied the game 1-1 with 2:40 left in the first half.
Noga anchored a Pioneer defensive unit that held St. John Fisher scoreless in the semifinal. It was the first time all season, Fisher hasn’t scored a goal. In the championship game, Noga and Pioneers faced some high offensive pressure as W&J registered 15 shots and nine penalty corners.
Fazio started her 18th straight game for the Cardinals as she aided the offense that fired off 23 shots including 14 on goal. Fazio was credited with two shots.
McDonald played in her 18th game of the season, making her 17th start on defense and helped hold the Pioneers scoreless for the first 40 minutes of the game.
Daniels and
Hollinger helped Houghton on both ends of the field. The Highlanders, making their first E8 tournament appearance, held top-seeded W&J scoreless for the first 22 minutes of the semifinal game and battled hard throughout the second half, outshooting the Presidents, 6-5, but they could not find the back of the cage.