Five Eagles Earn All-Conference Honors
Huntingdon, Pa., At the conclusion of the regular season, Landmark Conference field hockey coaches voted for All-Conference and Player of the Year awards.
Dan Sherman
Asst. SID
Juniata
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Huntingdon, Pa., At the conclusion of the regular season, Landmark Conference field hockey coaches voted for All-Conference and Player of the Year awards. Five members of the 2014 Landmark Conference Champions were named to the All-Conference teams.
Senior Julianne Jones (Middleburg, PA / Midd-West), along with juniors Sarah Bilheimer (Bethlehem, PA / Freedom) and Kelsey Leibelsperger (Fleetwood, PA / Fleetwood) received First-Team All-Conference recognition for their tremendous efforts on the field this season. It is the first time these players recieved first team honors. Bilheimer had been named to the second team each of the past two seasons. Leibelsperger joined her on the second team last year. This is the first time Jones has receieved an All-Conference award.
Jones finished the regular season leading the conference with her .82 goals against average and .865 save percentage. She ranks in the top ten in the nation in each category and is currently ranked second in all of NCAA Division III in save percentage. Jones' hard work in the offseason has paid off for herself and her team, as she and the Eagles defense has carried this Juniata team all season.
Bilheimer led the Eagles in goals and assists this season. Her ten scores tied her for fourth in the Landmark, while her eight assists tied for the conference lead. The forward has been such an integral part of the Eagles offense, coming up with crucial shots time and again, whether in regulation or during one of the team's many overtime games. The junior has been the team's most clutch player this season. Whether its been assisting on or scoring goals that sent a game to overtime, or ending the game with a golden goal, Bilheimer has been a thorn in opponent's sides throughout the 2014 campaign.
Leibelsperger is one of the best, if not the top defender in the Landmark and this honor was well deserved. The junior, along with senior Tori Buser (Allentown, PA / Parkland) has been an unstoppable force on defense for Juniata, coming up with crucial defensive saves. She has been described as, "the consummate cover player", with her coach adding thatshe, "has an amazing ability to end runs time and time again with her fabulous timing and block tackles. Its no question an attacker hits a wall when they hit Kelsey." This team has had to rely on its defense all season to keep them in games, until the offense could get into a groove. The team would not have been able to survive so many overtime games this season, had it not been for the outstanding play of Leibelsperger and the rest of the Juniata defense. So much of what she and her fellow defenders goes unnoticed, but it is hard not to recognize the way she has impacted games during the regular season and in postseason play and this recognition was well earned.
Making the Second-Team All-Conference was senior mid Kortney Showers (Aspers, PA / Biglerville) and junior Allison Groft (Hanover, PA / South Western). This is the first All-Conference honor for both players. Showers, the team captain and center midfielder, has been a full-field force this season. Her veteran presence has been more than valuable to this team, as she had been a tremendous leader. During the season coach Gillich praised her captain for how far she has come during her four years at Juniata, "Her leadership by example, work ethic, and vocal leadership is a gift to the team. She has raised the bar for herself and her teammates. She works relentlessly to come up with the ball and has proven she is tougher than she even realized."
Groft is one of the players expected to replace Showers as a team leader during the 2015 season. Along with fellow junior Bilehiemer and freshman Katie Alexander (Mifflinburg, PA / Mifflinburg), Groft has been part of a group of forwards that opponents have come to fear. The junior tied for the team lead in goals with ten and like Bilheimer has been a clutch player this season. The forward always seems to come up with a big assist or goal, just when the team needs it. She keeps the team loose with her smile and personality and fires her teammates up when they need it. Groft is one of the toughest players on a team full of scrappy warriors. There is no doubt that this forward will be able to take over the mantle as team leader next season.
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