Oct. 31, 2011
Coach Karen McNulty admits Lea Freeman wasn't the typical UMass Lowell volleyball recruit.
McNulty recruits nationwide (six Californians are on this year's team) and Freeman was extremely raw coming out of Methuen High. A convert from cross country, she only played two years of volleyball for the Rangers.
"For her to play Division 2 (college volleyball) and contribute right away is a rarity," said McNulty.
Freeman earned a starting berth late in her freshman season and has been a starter ever since.
"She's an incredible athlete," said McNulty.
The 6-foot senior is an all-star candidate this year, ranking among the top 10 in the Northeast-10 conference in four categories.
"At first, it was definitely a little bit of an eye-opener," said Freeman, who has led the River Hawks to an 11-7 record. "Everybody is the best of where they are from. It's pretty intimidating. But I realized I could keep up. I'm competitive, so I didn't let it get the best of me."
That competitiveness had always been a Freeman trademark. It helped her become a rare three-sport Eagle-Tribune All-Star (volleyball, basketball, track).
"I think it's from my mom," explained Freeman, who plans to get into social work or juvenile corrections. "I've always been very, very competitive. I tried to win races and biking. I don't know what it is with me."
She was determined to go out with a bang this fall.
"We had three really big hitters and we lost all three," said Freeman, whose brother, 6-6 Ryan Freeman, is a talented senior basketball player at Methuen. "I knew it was time, not to carry everyone but lead the team. It was a lot of working out in the summer and spring. Almost every day I got to the gym. There is a lot of mental toughness, too. There is nobody there to hold your hand."
McNulty doesn't have to hold her hand but might want to give her a hand. Freeman's clearly playing the best volleyball of her career.
"She's taken a big jump," said McNulty. "She always had moments of brilliance. This year she's consistently sound. ... It's easy to be a great player vs. the weaker teams. She's also played well vs. the better opponents."
Freeman was a right-side hitter now she's a middle hitter and McNulty says she could play outside, too.
"If she had played a long time, she would be a Division 1 setter," said the coach. "She has great hands and she's big enough. But I'm happy she's a Division 2 middle hitter!"
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Sophomore setter Carolyn Eddy from Central Catholic has played well off the bench for the River Hawks. She's second on the team with 2.91 digs a game.
Figueroa jumpstarts River Hawks
Although he's just four years out of college, Christian Figueroa is proving to be a fine young coach. A two-time first-team All-Northeast-10 performer at UMass Lowell, the North Andover native was named interim coach late last fall.
At the time the River Hawks were a highly disappointing 1-10-1 but he somehow guided them to a 2-1-1 record in their last four games.
That was enough to earn him the position fulltime. This year UML is 9-6.
Local River Hawks include sophomore midfielder Luiny Ascencio of North Andover, junior starting defender James Costello of West Newbury, sophomore defender Ross Marchand of North Andover, sophomore starting midfielder Alex Sindoni of Haverhill (1 assist) and junior midfielder Ryan McLeod of Haverhill.
For the 10-3-2 women's team, senior midfielder Maddy Bissaillon of Merrimac has enjoyed a Hall of Fame caliber career. The soccer/track star, a four-year starter, has netted two goals with six assists.
Also seeing time for the River Hawks are sophomore midfielder Margaret McSpiritt of Londonderry, senior defender Jackie Zani of Salem, sophomore starting defender Sarah Raye of Salem (1 assist) and sophomore part-time starting defender Gia O'Connor from Dracut and Central Catholic (1 goal).
Another Central grad, Jane Hatzikonstantis (5-1-1, 0.38 goals-against-average, .893 save percentage), is splitting time in net.
