CANTON -- The St. Lawrence University field hockey team will begin its 2011 season this weekend at the Oneonta Invitational, as the Scarlet and Brown will square off with Utica College and the hosting Red Dragons on Saturday and Sunday.

The Saints will be looking to rebound from a 5-11 season in 2010, and have all of the pieces necessary to do so. Five seniors will provide leadership, including Emily Riley, Erika Swits, Julia Croyle, Brittany Clark and Taylor Vogt, while young talent will look to help the Saints back into contention for a Liberty League title.

"We are very excited about the season, as we've certainly worked hard during the pre-season to come together as a team," said St. Lawrence head coach Fran Grembowicz. "I believe we are communicating well on the field and building good team chemistry."

The Scarlet and Brown boast a very deep and fast offensive corps that should provide plenty of chances to attack opposing defenses. Junior Courtney Davis returns to the squad after a year in the Adirondack semester and is slated to center the offense. Meanwhile, Swits and Vogt provide a wealth of experience and were two of the premier scorers last fall.

Juniors Ashley Ferenczy and Courtney Cartier are expected to make significant offensive contributions and will see plenty of time, while first-year student Carly Stine adds speed and solid stick-work to the team's attack.

St. Lawrence will rely heavily on athletes in the midfield who can both strengthen the offense, but also work to solidify the defense. Regional All-American Emily Riley returns to the group after suffering a season-ending injury last fall. The Saratoga Springs, NY native will serve as the center-mid and center-forward, anchoring the middle of the field for the Scarlet and Brown.

Defensively, Croyle will anchor a solid, experienced group that features the likes Clark and sophomores Kate Higgins and Emma Berry. First-year student Ali Ferenczy will also provide the Saints with a solid defensive midfielder. In goal, sophomore Nicole Matos returns as the starting netminder, while rookie Jeannette Hoets serves as the back-up.

"We are looking forward to the opportunity to compete amongst outstanding opponents in the Liberty League, with our sights set on a post-season berth," said Coach Grembowicz. "Several of our players will be learning and growing into multiple positions to add depth across the field."

The Saints' season gets underway tomorrow, Saturday, September 3 at 11:00am against Utica College. Meanwhile, the team is slated to have six home games broadcast live on the America One network. The schedule is subject to change.