University of Richmond Athletics
Five-Time Defending Atlantic 10 Champion Field Hockey Opens Season With Spider Classic Saturday And Sunday
08/23/2007 | Field Hockey
Aug. 23, 2007
GINA LUCIDO TALKS ABOUT THE SPIDER CLASSIC 
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The five-time defending Atlantic 10 Champion Richmond field hockey team opens the 2007 season on Saturday at 10 a.m. when the Spiders host Hofstra at Crenshaw Field in the first game of the Spider Classic.
That game will be the first of the Spider Classic, which also features No. 16 ranked American and Radford. Richmond is receiving votes in the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Poll, which has the Spiders 23rd in the nation, while Hofstra is 27th.
Saturday will be the Richmond debut for head coach Gina Lucido, who joins the Spiders after six years as an assistant coach at Indiana.
"The ladies are so eager to get out there and just kind of see what they can do," Lucido said. "We've been focusing on being poised out there. We've got good balance right now, there will be a lot of new faces, but most importantly our team chemistry is really in a good place. I feel a very good vibe from the young ladies."
American and Radford will play the second game on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. The Spiders will play No. 16 American on Sunday at 2 p.m., following Hofstra vs. Radford at 11 a.m. All games of the Spider
Richmond finished the 2006 season 17-5 and 7-0 in conference play as the Spiders won their fifth-straight Atlantic 10 title. Richmond is 42-0 against Atlantic 10 Conference teams over the last five years, but was picked second in the league behind Temple in the 2007 coaches poll.
Richmond opens the season with some tough national competition as its first four games against teams are either ranked or receiving votes in the NFHCA.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Hofstra vs. Richmond, 10 a.m.
Radford vs. No. 16 American, 12:15 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Hofstra vs. Radford, 11 a.m.
No. 16 American vs. Richmond, 2 p.m.
