The Sacred Heart field hockey team recently embarked on a two-week journey to the continent of Australia to compete in the 2005 Arrive Alive Eastern University Games.

The University of Sydney will proudly host the 2005 games from July 3rd through 7th in the regional New South Wales town of Tamworth. The event will attract more than 4,200 participants, volunteers and officials from 28 universities and tertiary campuses within New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, making it the largest annual multi sport event in NSW and the second largest in Australia.

“The trip will not only be a great opportunity to improve our game it will be a time to bond as well as experience the culture of Australia,” commented head coach Christine Blais. “It is a trip of a lifetime!”

“We will be learning how to surf at Bondi beach, snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef, White Water Rafting in the Rain Forrest and much more!”

Blais, entering her fifth season at the helm, has built the Sacred Heart team into one of the top teams in the Northeast Conference, guiding the Pioneers to four straight berths in the post season tournament.

A trip Down Under to face international competition will go a long way toward getting the Pioneers ready for the rigors of the NEC schedule. SHU boasts eight returning starters from last season's 10-10 team as they get ready for another run at an NEC title this coming fall. Leading the way will be the return of the last two conference Rookie of the Year's in junior Becky Ford and sophomore Jenn Howley. Both were also named to the All-NEC second team last season while leading the Pioneer offensive attack.

Howley led the team in scoring as a freshman scoring 31 points on 13 goals and five assists in 20 games. Ford finished with eight goals and an assist for 17 points on the year. Also back to lead the SHU offensive is junior Colleen Carney, an All-NEC first team selection last year in the midfield. Carney tallied 10 scores on the year while assisting on five others for 25 points.

Carney will also see time in the defensive backfield as junior goalkeeper Ashley Del Greco looks to step in the cage fulltime this coming season. She appeared in 12 games last year, sporting a 2.78 goals against average with a .692 save percentage in 704 minutes played.

The Pioneers welcome nine new faces to this year's team. Freshmen Carisa Eye and Amy Hendricks are expected to step in and contribute offensively from their forward positions. Freshman Melissa Mazin will see time in the midfield while Whitney Mills will look to provide solid back-up to Del Greco in the cage.

Boasting 19 team sports over 4 action-packed days and a not-to-be missed 5 night social program, the city of Tamworth will benefit from the energy and vibrancy that comes when up to 4,000 athletes of 18 – 24 years converge on a city for a week of sport and entertainment.

The 19 sports included in the 2005 Arrive alive Eastern University Games sport program are AFL, Baseball, Basketball, Beach Volleyball, Cross Country, Equestrian, Golf, Gymnastics, Hockey, Netball, Rugby Union 10's, Rugby League 7's, Soccer, Softball, Squash, Tennis, Touch, Ultimate Frisbee, Volleyball.

“I'm very proud of the team for their efforts to make it possible to go on this trip,” stated Blais. “We made a decision in November to make this trip a go and the girls worked very hard the entire spring on fundraising.”

“The team raised more than half total cost of the trip and in only 7 months. I hope that they learn from this that if they want something bad enough, they can accomplish it!”

Contact: Funda Alp (alpf@sacredheart.edu)

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