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Strong sophomore class to help Owls defend LEC field hockey crown
KEENE, N.H. 8/21/09 - "We'll only go as far as our seniors will take us," is line commonly used by college coaches when addressing their teams' prospects for the upcoming season.
But Keene State field hockey coach Amy Watson has different take on the phrase as she prepares her team to go after its sixth straight Little East Conference championship. While senior captain Lindy Caslin will provide leadership, and All-LEC forward Carly Benning and goalie Vikki Stoessel will give KSC a proven goal scorer and goal stopper respectively, the Owls' sophomore class could very well determine the fate of the team this season.
"We have a solid sophomore class," said Watson as she watched her team go through their paces during an early evening scrimmage. "They look like they're in shape and ready to jump right in and make a huge contribution this season."
Nine-players strong and comprised of five forwards (Jackie Benson, Elizabeth Coffin, Kelly McCall, Aislynn Sherry, and Niki Smith) three midfielders (Kerry Howe, Sabrina Cary, and Alyce Ferenc) and one defender (Abby Belden), the group of Owl second-year players not only return as sophomores, but sophomores with playing experience.
With a year under her belt, Sherry said you come into camp with a totally different mindset. "You still have a few nerves, but you know what to expect," said the Rehoboth, Mass. native, who finished her freshman season with four goals, including the game winner in a 1-0 win over Westfield State. "The confidence of knowing you can play at this level is invaluable as far as taking your game to the next level."
"Coming into this season, I was a lot more confident" said Coffin a sophomore from Sugar Hill, N.H. who netted two game-winning goals during her freshman campaign. "I calmed down a lot. I knew I wasn‘t going to get cut, so I could focus on my skills."
In addition to Sherry and Coffin, Howe and Benson also got the starting nod at one time during last season. "I really didn't have a set line-up," said Watson. "One of my main goals every season is to give the players some experience, and you can't do that sitting on the bench."
Watson said she learned a valuable lesson one season, when she arrived at camp with a roster of young and inexperienced players. "You always have to look down the road," she said. "Fortunately, we've had the opportunity every season to work the younger players into the line-up."
Not only have the freshmen been fortunate to receive playing time, but also the opportunity to be part of something special as a member of an LEC championship team. "It was quite a first season," said Coffin. "I think we can repeat. We lost some key players, but our sophomore class is really strong and we'll step up."
