Four Panther Field Hockey players collect All-Little East Conference honors

PLYMOUTH, N.H. - Four members of the Plymouth State University field hockey team have been recognized Monday with selections to the 2005 All-Little East Conference Team. The announcement was made by LEC Commissioner William M. Moore, and the teams were selected by the LEC's 12 head coaches.

The top Panther honor went to senior forward Lilly Silva (Lowell, Mass.), who was named Offensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Conference. Joining Silva on the First Team is junior midfielder Christina Farias (East Dennis, Mass.), while junior back Laurie Allinson (Berwick, Maine) was a Second Team choice. In addition, junior Amanda Spadafora (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) was named LEC Rookie of the Year.

Silva (left), a three-time All-LEC First Team selection, is wrapping up a terrific season and career in a Panther uniform. She is currently second in the LEC in both goals (17) and points (41), and leads the conference in game-winning goals (6). She was selected the LEC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season, and will play in the prestigious North/South Senior All-Star game in Virginia on Nov., 19. Silva, who became PSU's all-time leading scorer on Sept. 10, owns PSU career records for goals (64) and points (150), and ranks second on PSU career list for assists (22).

Farias (right) earned her first All-Conference selection this season after starting 15 games for the Panthers this season. She shares the LEC lead in assists (10) and leads the conference in assists per game (0.67). She also had 10 assists last season, which ties for the second-most in a single season in school history, and owns the PSU career assists mark with 25.

Allinson (left) anchored a Panther defense that surrendered only 29 goals in 17 games while posting three shutouts. PSU allowed more than one goal only five times this fall. Allinson, who received her first All-LEC selection, also contributed to the offense with four goals and two assists, with all four goals coming on penalty strokes.

Spadafora (right), a junior playing college field hockey for the first time, was named Rookie of the Year after scoring six goals and three assists. She was named LEC Rookie of the Week twice this season, and was named All-LEC Second Team in lacrosse last spring. PSU, 12-5 overall, has earned its sixth straight post-season berth, and will host Anna Maria College Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. in the first round of the ECAC Division III New England Tournament.

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