University of Massachusets Athletics
Field Hockey Well Represented On All-Conference Teams
November 02, 2006 | Field Hockey
Nov. 2, 2006
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- Junior Erin O'Brien (Annandale, Va.), sophomore Lauren Gillespie (Casco, Maine) and freshman Cher King (Christ Church, Barbados) were each named to the Atlantic 10 first-team All-Conference the league announced today in voting conducted by the coaches. UMass tied Richmond for the most first-team selections. In addition, sophomore Katelyn Orlando (Manchester, Mass.) was an honorable mention pick while King and freshman Sarah Williams (Colorado Springs, Colo.) made the All-Rookie team. Gillespie was also an Academic All-Conference member.
O'Brien earns her first All-Conference nod after leading the Minutewomen's backfield this season. She had three goals and three assists on the year for nine points. In fact, all three of her goals came in one game against Siena marking her first career hat trick. It was also the first goal of her career not coming via a penalty stroke. She started all 20 games this season and made one defensive save while dishing out a career-high two assists against Vermont.
Gillespie earns her first All-Conference nod as well after leading the team in scoring with 13 goals and two assists for 28 points. She had four multi-goal games including the first hat trick of her career against Fairfield. She tied for third in the league in goals, fourth in points and seventh in shots. Gillespie tallied the game-winning goal for the Minutewomen against Fairfield, a game UMass scored four times in the final eight minutes to erase a 2-0 deficit. Gillespie, a Biology major, was also an Academic All-Conference selection. She is a member of UMass' Commonwealth Honors College.
King had a stellar freshman campaign earning her a spot on the All-Conference first team as well as the All-Rookie team. She was second on the Minutewomen with seven goals and four assists for 18 points. King was third in the A-10 in shots, ninth in points, tied for ninth in goals and tied for fifth with two game-winning goals. King took 65 shots and was a two-time A-10 Rookie of the Week.
Joining King on the All-Rookie team was Williams. She played in 15 games, including 12 straight starts to finish the year. Williams posted a 5-7 record with a 2.48 GAA and a .744 save percentage. She posted two shutouts on the season and made 93 saves. Williams posted a career-high 18 saves against UConn while also stopping 15 shots against Richmond.
Rounding out UMass' honorees was Orlando. This is her second consecutive honorable mention All-Conference pick and she was also an All-Rookie team pick last year. Despite moving from the forward line to the midfield, Orlando still posted 12 points with three goals and six assists. She had one game-winning goal and tallied multiple points on three different occasions this season. Orlando tied for fifth in the league with her six assists.
