Monday, November 29, 2004
Written by Jason Varney

PANZER, NAPOLITANO NAMED TO 2004 STX/NFHCA ALL-REGION TEAM

MEDFORD-- The National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) announced the 2004 STX/NFHCA Division III All-Region Teams last week, and two Jumbos were among the honorees.  Junior tri-captain Lea Napolitano (Waltham, MA/Waltham) and senior tri-captain Dana Panzer (Sayville, NY/Sayville) were both named to the New England West Region First Team, in recognition of their outstanding accomplishments during the 2004 fall season.

Napolitano, also selected earlier this month to the All-NESCAC First Team, was an integral part of the Jumbos' success this season.  The forward scored 17 points over the course of the 2004 season, notching six goals and five assists for the Jumbos, ranking second on the team in both categories.  In one of her strongest offensive showings of the year, the junior scored two goals just over a minute apart for the Jumbos in a 2-0 conference tournament win over NESCAC foe Wesleyan on October 31.

Panzer exits the 2004 season after making her mark at Tufts, and around the region.  The senior has garnered a heap of awards as a result of her performance this fall, being named to the NFHCA Division III North Senior All-Star Team and the All-NESCAC Second Team, along with being named NESCAC Player of the week on October 4.  Goal-less entering the 2004 season, Panzer will leave Tufts after setting the school record for total points in a season, combining 12 goals with nine assists for 33 points, leading her team in all categories. She scored two goals to lead the North to victory in the NFHCA Senior All-Star Game.

Panzer had two multi-goal efforts this season, one coming on October 21 when she scored twice in a 4-0 Tufts shutout over Wheaton College.  In another strong offensive effort, Panzer appropriately teamed up with Napolitano to account for all three Jumbo goals in a 3-0 shutout over NESCAC rival Bates College.  Napolitano scored the game's first goal off a Panzer assist, with Panzer going on to score the game's final two goals off Napolitano assists, to lead the Jumbos to a convincing Homecoming win.

Coach Tina McDavitt's Jumbos finished the season with an impressive 10-6 (5-4 NESCAC for fifth place) record, a huge improvement over last year's 5-10 (3-6 NESCAC) mark.  Tufts cruised by Wesleyan in the first round of the NESCAC playoffs, but the Williams College Ephs dashed the Jumbos' hopes for a championship appearance, blanking Tufts 3-0 in semifinal action on November 6.

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