Holy Family Fall Sports Begin

Holy Family University’s fall athletics teams are set to begin their 2011 schedules.

If you’re a Tiger’s fan or just a sports fan, check out some of their home games.

The main campus is located on Frankford Avenue, just a few blocks from the Andalusia section of Bensalem.

Here are some recent releases regarding the fall schedules:

Men’s Soccer

The Holy Family University men's soccer team announced its 2011 schedule on Monday, which begins Sept. 1 on the road against Molloy College. 

Holy Family begins the season with three straight road contests, which set the Tigers up against three East Coast Conference (ECC) opponents. 

The Tigers open Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) action on Saturday, Sept. 10 with their first home contest of the season against Caldwell College.  Holy Family finished 4-5-2 in conference play last season, winning three of its last four conference games. 

As the calendar switches to October, Holy Family faces some tough competition.   Five of the team's six October conference opponents all made the CACC Tournament a year ago, including a road contest against last year's regular season champion, Bloomfield College on Oct. 8. 

The Tigers also face a pair of non-conference opponents from the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in the month of October hosting West Chester University on Oct. 10 and Millersville University on Oct. 25 to close out the regular season. 

The CACC Tournament is set to begin on Tuesday, Nov. 1 with quarterfinal action.  The tournament continues two days later with the semifinals on Nov. 3 and will conclude with the championship final on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Holy Family finished the 2010 season with a 7-9-3 overall record and was 4-5-2 in conference play.  The Tigers advanced to the CACC Tournament for the fifth straight season.

For more information on the 2011 men's soccer team visit the official home for Holy Family athletics at http://athletics.holyfamily.edu (.)

Women's Soccer

The Holy Family University women's soccer team will begin its 15th season on Thursday, when the Tigers host Southern New Hampshire University at 2 p.m. at Tiger Field.  As the team wraps up preseason training, there is a great sense of energy and focus on the upcoming season.

As the Holy Family women's soccer team puts the final touches on its preseason training, there is great excitement and expectations for the 2011 season.  The team is coming off a successful year, despite their season ending on a down note.  The Tigers ended their season with a 2-1 loss to Georgian Court University in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship game.  It marked Holy Family's second straight championship final appearance and its 12th consecutive showing in the CACC Tournament.  The Tigers ended the season with a 13-6-1 overall record and 8-3-1 in conference play.

Holy Family returns 15 players from last year's squad, including seven starters.  Experience will be key for the Tigers this season, as chemistry will play an important role on the field.

“We return a core of starters from last year that are all quality players,” said head coach Mike Biddle.  “The togetherness and experience they have will really help.  They all seem to be driven on the same goal. And that's to return to the [CACC] championship game.”

Offensively, Holy Family welcomes back its top three scorers from a year ago, including All-CACC and NSCAA All-Region selections in senior Lindsay Fisher (Oakford, Pa./Archbishop Wood) and junior Megan Tole (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Ryan) and Daktronics, Inc., All-Region honoree, senior Dawn Curry (Pennsville, N.J/Pennsville).  Last season, Tole and Curry tied for the team lead in goals as both players netted 13 goals to rank third in the conference.   Curry and Tole finished third and fourth in the conference in points with 31 and 29, respectively.

“They are all seasoned players,” said Biddle.  “They are smart players that know where each other are on the field.  They have a good feel for each other.”

Also returning at the forward position is sophomore Yovanna Quisbert (Falls Church, Va./J.E.B. Stuart) who saw action in 14 games during her freshman season. 

Holy Family will also look to its midfielders for offense and defensive support.  Fisher led the midfielders with seven goals, six assists and 20 points in 2010.  Her six assists ranked fourth in the CACC and tops on the team.  Coach Biddle has high praise for this year's midfield corp.

“They are probably one of the strongest group we have ever had,” said Biddle.  “This core group of players has grown so much over the years.  The ability they possess to control the tempo will keep us in games this season.”

Along with Fisher, the Tigers also have senior Amanda Trabosh (Washington Twp., N.J./Gloucester Catholic) and juniors Melissa Benson (Rockledge, Pa./Little Flower) and Kathryn Helkowski (Levittown, Pa./Conwell Egan) returning to solidify the midfield position.  Benson earned All-CACC second team honors for the first time in her career last season.

The Tigers also feature a wealth of depth at the midfield position with the return of junior Katie Maguire (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Huberts), who provided the team with valuable minutes off the bench in 17 contests.  Senior Paigemarie Pellicciotti and sophomores Bree'an Blaney (Port Richmond, Pa./Little Flower) and Taylor McKee (Reading, Pa./Reading Central Catholic) return as well for Holy Family.

Defensively, the Tigers will be very young this season with four new freshman vying for playing time.  Senior Kristie Koczkodon (Philadelphia, Pa./John W. Hallahan), who has the most experience on the defense, will anchor the young squad, as her leadership will come into play this season.  Sophomore Rachel Dillinger (Phoenixville, Pa./Phoenixville) also returns after appearing in seven games as a freshman. 

“We are very young on the back field,” said Biddle.  “The defense may show some inexperience in the beginning until they learn the system and most importantly, each other.”

In net, Holy Family will be strong as ever according to Coach Biddle.  The team features two veteran goalkeepers in senior Gina Mansi (Washington Twp., N.J./Washington Twp. ) and junior Rachel Dunkle (Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood).  The two combined for a .728 save percentage last season and surrendered only 28 goals. 

“We are as strong as ever in the goalie position,” said Biddle.  “Both keepers work extremely well and compliment each other.” 

As mentioned earlier, Holy Family will be young at the defense position with the addition of four freshmen looking to fill space on the defensive side of the ball.  The Tigers have a combined seven new players this season, including forwards/midfielders MaryKate Morris (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert's), Kimber Kissleback (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy) and Erin Blaney (Port Richmond, Pa./Little Flower).  The new defensive recruits include, Ashley DeOrio (Philadelphia, Pa./Saint Hubert's), Jordan Harwood (Arkport, N.Y./Arkport Central), Madison Hudson (Oakville, Ontario - Canada/Oakville Trafalgar) and Samantha McCusker (Philadelphia, Pa./Archbishop Carroll). 

“Our recruits are well rounded,” said Biddle.  They all fit the team's needs at midfield and defense and will vie for playing time.  As they get to know our style of play and become familiar with their teammates things will work out fine.”

Holy Family's road to a return trip to the conference championship game and possible NCAA bid will be tough in 2011.  The team starts out with a strong non-conference schedule and not to mention a very competitive CACC conference.  In the month of September, the Tigers have non-conference games against Southern New Hampshire University, Shepherd University and New York Tech.

“Our schedule starts out strong,” said Biddle.  “We have a core of our conference games early on this season.  The CACC has gotten a lot better.  We're hoping to stay one step ahead of everyone else.  Our non-conference schedule features a few nationally ranked teams which will give us some exposure.”

The Tigers will also have home contests against West Chester University (Oct. 4) and C.W. Post (Oct. 12) in October.  Holy Family will close out the regular season with an out of conference match against Millersville University (Oct. 26.). 

The Holy Family women's soccer team has its sights set for a third consecutive trip to the CACC Championship game.  Beyond that, the Tigers believe they have what it takes to return to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years.  The journey will be tough but with the experience and leadership of its veteran players the Tigers may be dancing come November. 

Women’s Volleyball

The Holy Family University women’s volleyball team announced its 2011 schedule on Wednesday, which is set to begin on Friday, Sept. 2 at the Millersville Tournament.

Holy Family will begin the year competing at the Millersville Tournament hosted by Millersville University Sept. 2-3.  The Tigers will face West Chester University and Georgian Court University in a pair of non-conference matches on Friday and will compete against Slippery Rock University and a team to be announced on Saturday.

Holy Family will then return home for its first home match of the season as the Tigers host Molloy College in a non-conference contest on Wednesday, Sept. 7.   Holy Family will then head to Springfield, Mass., to compete in the AIC Tournament hosted by American International College Sept. 9-10.  

The Tigers will begin defense of its Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) South Division title as they open conference play on the road against cross-town rival Philadelphia University on Tuesday, Sept. 13.  Holy Family and Philadelphia clinched a share of the CACC South Division title after both teams finished 16-3 in conference play a year ago. 

Holy Family will be home only four times in the month of September, however as the calendar switches to October the Tigers find themselves with eight home matches, including four of its last five conference contests.  The Tigers wrap up the 2011 season at home on Tuesday, Nov. 1 against Chestnut Hill College.

The CACC Tournament is set to begin on Saturday, Nov. 5 with quarterfinal action.  The tournament continues Friday, Nov. 11 with the semifinals and will concluded on Saturday, Nov. 12 with the championship final.  Georgian Court will serve as host for the semifinals and the championship final.

For more information on the 2011 women’s volleyball team visit the official home for Holy Family athletics at http://athletics.holyfamily.edu (.)

Holy Family finished the 2010 season with a 21-10 overall record and a 16-3 mark in conference play.  The Tigers finished tied for first place in their division and earned a share of the CACC South Division Regular Season title for the first time in program history.  Holy Family advanced all the way to the CACC Tournament Final for the first time since 2007.

Women’s Tennis

The Holy Family University women’s tennis team announced its 2011 schedule on Thursday, which begins Sept. 1 with a non-conference match at home against Philadelphia University.

Holy Family will face its cross-town rival Philadelphia at the Torresdale Frankford Country Club on Thursday, Sept. 1 to jumpstart its season.  The Tigers open the year with a three game home stand, which includes matches against Molloy College and Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) foe Concordia College. 

Holy Family will host the Clippers on Saturday, Sept. 10 to open conference play.  The Tigers last faced Concordia this past May in the NCAA Division II Tournament. 

Later in the month, Holy Family will compete in the three-day ITA Tournament that begins on Sept. 17 and concludes on Sept. 19.  The Tigers will then return to conference play and begin a three game road trip starting with another match with Philadelphia in a CACC contest on Sept. 21.

Holy Family will begin the month of October on the road with a non-conference match against St. Thomas Aquinas on Saturday, Oct. 1.  The Tigers will then travel to Goldey-Beacom College on Wednesday, October 5 for its final CACC road contest of the fall before wrapping up the season with three straight home contests.

The CACC Tournament is set to begin on Saturday, Oct. 22 with semifinal action and conclude on Sunday, Oct. 23 with the Championship Final.  This year’s tournament will be hosted by Concordia College.

For more information on the 2011 women’s tennis team visit the official home for Holy Family athletics at http://athletics.holyfamily.edu (.)

Holy Family finished last season 11-6 overall and 6-2 in the CACC.  The Tigers advanced to the CACC Tournament for the sixth straight season after reaching the semifinals a year ago.  Holy Family also earned its fourth ever NCAA Division II Tournament bid as the seventh seed in the East Region Tournament.  Holy Family previously advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2007, 2008 and 2010. 

Men’s & Women’s Cross Country

The Holy Family University men’s and women’s cross country teams announced its 2011 schedule on Friday, which is set to begin on Sept. 1 at Cheyney University.

Holy Family will open the 2011 campaign on Thursday, Sept. 1 at Cheyney University for its first race of the season.  The Tigers will then compete at the University of Delaware at White Clay Creek on Saturday, Sept. 17 and then wrap up the month of September at the Philly Metro Classic on Sept. 24.   The Philly Metro Classic will be held at Belmont Plateau.

The Tigers will begin the month of October at Belmont Plateau running in the Belmont Classic on Saturday, Oct. 1.  The Belmont Classic starts a four-week run for the Tigers, as they will be competing at Goldey-Beacom College at Carousel Park on Oct. 8 followed by the Collegiate Track Conference Championships hosted by Stockton on Sunday, Oct. 16. 

Holy Family will conclude the regular season the following week, running in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championship on Oct. 22.  The CACC Championship will be at Belmont Plateau. 

The team will then race on Sunday, Nov. 6 at the NCAA Regional.

For more information on the 2011 men’s and women’s cross country teams visit the official home for Holy Family athletics at http://athletics.holyfamily.edu (.)