The team will commence their 2007 campaign in sunny
Florida playing 12 games in even days. In
Florida, they will compete against stiff competition, including
Rowan
University who is ranked #20 in the Pre-Season Poll. Other opponents the Mariners will be taking on in the sunshine state include
Mount
Union
College,
Lake Forest
College,
Ferrum
College,
Bethany
College,
Eastern
University,
Heidelberg
College,
John
Carroll
University,
University of
St. Francis and
Ursinus
College. Coach Flahive is hoping the stiff competition down South will only get them prepared for the regular season where they will be facing powerhouses like
Ramapo
College (#9) and
Moravian
College (#20).
The Mariners will also face arch rival Coast Guard on April 1st. With eight returning players and five newcomers, coach Flahive is looking to stay towards the top of the conference, a daunting task for any 1st year coach.
In Skyline play, the Mariners will play against NCAA participant and Skyline Conference Tournament winners
St. Joseph's College on April 14th. They will also square up against
Manhattanville
College who was the Skyline Conference regular season champions and had a 37-game winning streak against Skyline opponents until it was snapped last year.
Key returning players this season for the Mariners include senior Melissa Langston (3rd Base) and junior Marjorie Marino (Pitcher/Utility), both 1st Team All-Skyline award recipients, as well as senior Andrea Carey (C/SS), sophomore Karen Taylor (P/UT), sophomore Jennifer Swanson (SS/C), senior Lindsey Frasier (OF) and junior Brittany Thornhill (1B/P), all of which garnered 2nd Team All-Skyline recognition. Senior Laura Fong (OF) will also be a crucial returning player for the Mariners.
Langston, from
Houston,
Texas (
Hockaday
School), will return to the hot corner after her most productive year in a Mariners uniform. The senior 3rd baseman/catcher, hit a team leading .359, led the team with seven sacrifice hits and seven doubles, while also collecting 24 RBI on the year. Fellow senior Andrea Carey from
Georgetown,
DE (
Cape
Henlopen) will be called upon once again to garner most of the catching duties for the Mariners but will also be looked upon to play shortstop throughout the season. The senior hit .331, drove in a team best 28 RBI and scored 28 runs while swiping 22 bases on the year. Sophomore Jennifer Swanson (
Tucson,
AZ/Sabino), was also productive at the plate hitting .311 with 19 runs scored and 11 RBI. She will be called upon to play shortstop and do some catching throughout the year.
Senior Laura Fong (Egg Harbor Twp, NJ/Egg Harbor Twp) will see significant playing time for the Mariners. Her experience in the outfield is key as the Mariners look to fill some holes. Fellow senior Lindsey Frasier (Aguanga, CA/Hamilton School) is looking to best her totals from last year and will be the anchor in centerfield for the Mariners. Junior Marjorie Marino (
Alexandria, VA/Hayfield Secondary) will be called upon once again to bear some of the pitching load. Coach Flahive will look to Marino for her experience and composure on the mound. Marino picked up a team best 12 victories, 105 strikeouts, 19 complete games and four shutouts in the circle last season.
Sophomore Karen Taylor (
Amarillo,
TX/Randall) will also be called to take on some of the pitching duties.
Taylor collected four victories last year, three of them shutouts, but was hampered by injury. She had a staff best 2.50ERA with six complete games. Junior Brittany Thornhill (Culpeper, VA/Rappahannock County), a returning starter, is coming off surgery which will hamper her playing time this year. She collected 13 hits and 11 RBI in 2006 while also appearing in 13 games on the mound.
With five new faces to add to the mix, it's understandable why Flahive has great expectations for this year's squad. Freshman Jesselyn LaValley (Havelock, C/Havelock), is a three-time All-Area Player of the Year, three-time MVP and two-time Female Athlete of the Year. She will be called upon to make an immediate impact on the mound and at the plate. Fellow freshman Kim Carter (
Bushkill,
PA/East Stroudsburg North), was voted the Most Outstanding Offensive Player her senior year in high school. Carter is a
utility player who will most likely see time in the outfield in her freshman campaign. First year player Nicole Soto (
Jonesboro,
GA/
Jonesboro) will see some key innings in the outfield. Soto was a 2nd Team All-Conference outfielder in high school, where her team captured the county title in her senior year. Although juniors, Kaitlin Mulgrew (Gloucester, NJ/Gloucester) and Amanda McNanley (Sterling, VA/Potomac Falls), are both first year players, the rookies will be called upon to pick up some time in the outfield.