Seahawks announce 2014 field hockey schedule

NEWPORT, R.I. - The 2014 Salve Regina field hockey schedule features the return of head coach Jennifer Foster to the sidelines after her maternity leave last year.

The Seahawks, 8-10 in 2013 under interim Tia Pydynkowski who now guides the Bears at Bridgewater State (Salve Regina plays there on September 9), start against Johnson & Wales on Friday, August 29, in Providence as part of the Wildcats' season-opening tournament. In their only back-to-back play dates of the season, the Seahawks return to the Scotts Miracle-Gro Athletic Complex on Saturday, August 30, to face the Lyons of Wheaton College in a non-league contest.

Salve Regina matched its highest road goal output with an 8-3 victory over Johnson & Wales in its only previous trip to the Harborside Boulevard venue (October 19, 2013). The Seahawks own a 2-10 all-time record against the Lyons including a 5-3 victory when Wheaton visited the Salve Regina home turf at Gaudet Field in Middletown last September.

The Seahawks open their home schedule for 2014 with Worcester State coming to Gaudet on September 6, after classes start on the Newport campus the previous Wednesday.

"With a large core of returners this fall, we are excited to kick off the season with two games Labor Day weekend," said Foster. "Our non-conference schedule will prepare us for competitive conference play beginning the second weekend in September."

The seven-member field hockey schools in the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) play each other twice (home/away) during the regular season and Gordon College arrives at Gaudet on September 13 to kickoff the league schedule for Salve Regina.

Salve Regina went 6-6 in conference games in 2013, including a season-sweep over Roger Williams, and the Hawks visit Gaudet for the final regular-season home game for the Seahawks on Wednesday, October 29 (7 p.m.).

The Seahawks open pre-season camp on Friday, August 15.