Amherst, MA (U-WIRE) -- The Massachusetts field hockey team will face one of its final non-conference opponents tomorrow in Syracuse, and with that in mind it is time for them to look ahead at the Atlantic 10.

As conference play looms closer, no team has separated itself as the clear-cut leader of the pack, with four teams tied for the A-10 lead with five wins. However, these wins are of only marginal importance as of Oct. 7, when the Minutewomen (3-7) take on 2004 Atlantic 10 champion No. 19 Richmond (5-4), which defeated UMass 3-1 in last year's conference championship.

Pulling ahead

Despite a marginal 5-4 record, the Richmond Spiders are ranked at No. 19 in the STX/ National Field Hockey Coaches Association Top-20 Poll, the highest ranking for an Atlantic 10 team.

The Spiders faced stiff competition early this season, as they defeated No. 18 William and Mary 2-1 in double overtime, but has since fallen to No. 19 James Madison and No. 7 Old Dominion, dropping their ranking three spots from No. 16 to 19. Their next game pits them on the road against No. 1 Wake Forest, the three-time defending national champions.

Richmond relies heavily on strong defensive play and consistent performances by senior goalkeeper Michelle Schwartz. The Spiders lead the Atlantic 10 in both goals allowed and goals allowed per game, due greatly to the play of Schwartz. However, they are only fourth in goals scored and goals per game.

The team is also led by sophomore midfielder Shannon Taylor, the conference's reining player of the week. Taylor leads the Spiders with five goals, including four game-winners, and a total of 13 points. The sophomore also scored the game-winning goal against William and Mary in double overtime.

Playing abroad

On the UMass campus, two players leading the team this year represented their home countries in the Pan American Junior Women's Field Hockey Championships, which took place in the spring. Junior back Kwylan Jaggassar and senior back Jaime Bawden were selected to play for the Junior National teams of Trinidad and Tobago and Canada, respectively.

The event took place in March in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Canada finished fourth in the standings, being edged out by Chile for the bronze medal, while Trinidad and Tobago finished ninth.

Jaggassar, from Longdenville, Trinidad and Tobago, has started all 10 games this season and leads the Minutewomen in shots (22) and shots on goal (14). She has three points so far, with a goal and an assist.

Bawden, from Pentiction, British Columbia, played for the Canadian Junior National team for the second year in a row. This year for the Minutewomen, Bawden has started all 10 games, recording one assist and a defensive save.

These two players, as well as senior midfielder Patricia Borneo, who played for Trinidad and Tobago in 2004, will try translating their international experience into NCAA Division I success.

Player of the Week

This week the Atlantic 10 announced that Megan Glielmi, a senior forward for West Chester University, had earned player of the week honors with one of the highest single-game outputs in school history. On Friday, Glielmi scored four goals against Colgate, leading the Golden Rams to a 6-2 victory. The four goals, including a hat trick in the second half, marked the second-highest single-game total, and third-highest points total (eight), in school history.

(C) 2004 Massachusetts Daily Collegian via U-WIRE