University of Richmond Athletics
Field Hockey Hosts Saint Louis On Senior Day
10/27/2007 | Field Hockey
Oct. 27, 2007
IN-GAME COVERAGE:
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| GAMETRACKER
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The Richmond field hockey team hosts Saint Louis on Sunday at noon for Senior Day at Crenshaw Field.
Richmond has already locked up and Atlantic 10 Tournament berth and will be the third seed, facing second-seeded Massachusetts in the semifinals on Friday at 2 p.m. at Saint Joseph's University. Top-seeded Temple will play fourth seed Saint Joseph's at 11 a.m.
The five-time defending Atlantic 10 Champion Spiders are 4-2 in conference play and a win Sunday would give Richmond a conference winning percentage over .700 in the last six seasons. The Spiders have won 46 of their last 48 games against Atlantic 10 competition dating back to the 2001 season.
Senior captains Erin Arthur and Tara Kelly will be honored before the game in a Senior Day ceremony. Arthur and Kelly have helped lead the Spiders to three Atlantic 10 Championships and three NCAA Tournament berths in their four-year careers. The Spiders have a combined conference record of 24-2 during Arthur and Kelly's time at Richmond, and have a combined overall record of 56-26.
Arthur is a four-year starter for the Spiders with 78 starts in the 81 games she played in a Richmond uniform. The defender missed just one game in her four-year career and has seven-career goals with 13 assists for 27 career points. She has two game-winning goals and was named Academic All-State as a junior, along with earning Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week honors in 2004.
"She is the heart of the Spider program," head coach Gina Lucido said. "I am so proud and blessed to coach such an excellent woman and leader. Erin has been a constant rock for her team to stand upon and served the Richmond program tirelessly for four seasons. She has been invaluable to my mission at Richmond in my inaugural season. Her passion and commitment are unparalleled. Erin is excellent and honest, the depth of her passion touching my heart and her peers for a lifetime."
Kelly played in 77 of 82 Richmond games over the past four years with 40 starts. She scored nine-career goals and had 13 assists for 31 career points. She was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Week last season after scoring a goal in the 2-1 win over 13th ranked James Madison and handing out two assists in a 3-2 win over 11th ranked American in back-to-back games. She was also named Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Week in 2004.
"Tara has taken the Spider tradition of excellence and made her mark upon this team through perseverance and model leadership," Lucido said. "Her drive and heart have built her into a relentless defender and selfless teammate, serving the team in a variety of playing roles, and attacking each with passion. Tara is a respected leader and the model of hard work and service. She is a treasured extension of my vision at Richmond and blessing to my life. Tara Kelly has risen to the call without fail; she has the heart of a champion."
