Fall schedule promises exciting action

With a full fall sports schedule well under way, Fightin’ Blue Hens fans might want to consider catching the action with stars on the soccer and field hockey fields and the volleyball court.

UD’s volleyball team returns a number of top players after going 21-9 in 2006, a season in which the Hens reached the Colonial Athletic Association championship tournament semifinals. Back on Barbara Viera Court in the Carpenter Sports Building are CAA first team selection Kelly Gibson, CAA second team selection Colleen Walsh and conference all-rookie team selection Michelle LaLonde.

After early season tournaments at home against the likes of the University of South Carolina, Head Coach Bonnie Kenny’s team traveled to tournaments in New Orleans, Miami and Conway, S.C. The team now is entering the conference schedule and will play home matches against Virginia Commonwealth University on Oct. 5, the College of William and Mary on Oct. 6, Georgia State University on Oct. 19, the University of North Carolina Wilmington on Oct. 20, Lehigh University in a non-conference contest on Oct. 30, James Madison University on Nov. 2 and George Mason University on Nov. 3.

The CAA tournament will be played Nov. 16-18 with matches at the highest seed.

The men’s soccer team made remarkable progress last season under new Head Coach Ian Hennessy, going 6-8-2 overall and 4-7 in the very challenging CAA, which includes several nationally ranked teams.

This year, the Hens return senior forward Sobhan Tadjalli, who had nine goals and four assists, junior forward Matt Laudeman, who had three goals and an assist, sophomore midfielder Paul Danaher, who had two goals and an assist, and senior midfielder Tal Blau, who had a goal and three assists. UD also has experience in the net, with juniors Taylor Thames and Jonathan Curry-Edwards.

After early season games at Duke, North Carolina State and Rutgers universities, the Hens are now in conference play. They have upcoming home games at the Delaware Mini-Stadium against George Mason on Oct. 12, Towson University on Oct. 14, Northeastern University on Oct. 26, Old Dominion University on Nov. 2 and William and Mary on Nov. 4. The CAA tournament will be played Nov. 13-18.

Led by Head Coach Scott Grzenda, the women’s soccer team went 8-8-3 in 2006. The team returns midfielder Kasey Shover, who had five goals and two assists, forward Melissa Kilker, who had three goals and five assists, and midfielder Alli D’Amico, who had two goals and two assists.

The UD schedule included a trip to Texas, where the Hens were to face the University of Texas San Antonio and Baylor University. UD is now in conference play and will have home matches at the Delaware Mini-Stadium against Virginia Commonwealth on Oct. 5, James Madison on Oct. 7, UNC Wilmington on Oct. 19, Georgia State on Oct. 21, Hofstra on Oct. 28 and Drexel on Nov. 1. The conference tournament will be played Nov. 6-11.

The UD field hockey team, which went 7-12 last season, returns junior Casey Howard, a first team National Field Hockey Coaches Association all-region selection, and sophomore forward Tori Karsten, who was named to the CAA all-rookie team. Howard led the Hens with nine goals and added one assist, and Karsten had three goals and two assists. Senior Molly Burke had seven goals and two assists.

Head Coach Carol Miller’s team has begun conference action and will be at home at Rullo Stadium against William and Mary on Sept. 28, Old Dominion on Sept. 30, the University of Pennsylvania on Oct. 10, national power the University of Maryland on Oct. 14, Duke University on Oct. 20, Drexel on Oct. 26 and Hofstra on Oct. 28 to close the season. The CAA tournament will be played Nov. 1-4.