Field Hockey Will Rely On Its Competitiveness In 2010

In 2010, the Elms College field hockey team returns a corps of five stellar players and welcomes in a talented group of six newcomers to complete its 11-player roster. Though this squad will be short in numbers, there will be no loss of competitive edge.

Following a 2009 season that saw the Blazers reach the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC) Championship tournament semifinals, ninth-year head coach Katie Grabiec will rely heavily on sophomore goalkeeper Alexandra Bonavita (Agawam, Mass.) to set a tone for the rest of the team. Bonavita was tremendous between the pipes in her debut season, collecting 253 saves and was named NECC Player of the Week three times.

Elms will have to replace six seniors from last season's team including two-time Honorable Mention All-NECC (2008 and 2009) defender Danielle Gero and 2009 Honorable Mention All-NECC selection Danielle Boyer.

Senior forward Andrea Ramsdell (Gardner, Mass.) returns to the squad and will anchor the Blazers' offensive attack. Ramsdell scored two goals and assisted on three others during the 2009 campaign and will look to build on that output this season. Sophomore forward Jaclyn Mederios (Brant Rock, Mass.) joins Ramsdell and will provide depth and experience in the attacking third of the field.

Senior defender Heather Keith (South Hadley, Mass.) and junior defender Emily McInerney (Glastonbury, Conn.) return to the back third of the field and will help establish a solid foundation in front of goalkeeper Bonavita.

Forwards/Midfielders

Joining Ramsdell and Mederios on attack will be senior Alison McBride (East Providence, R.I.), junior Jenna Lipscomb (Cambridge, Mass.), and freshman Abigail Capone (Fitchburg, Mass.).

McBride and Lipscomb will provide tremendous athleticism and depth to the squad. The two will also see time in the midfield along with Ramsdell and Mederios.

Defenders

The Blazers' defensive unit is anchored by Keith and McInerney who will each provide a dominant presence in the back third of the field.

Sophomore Rachel Butt (Agawam, Mass.), also a member of the softball squad and freshmen Julie Hurley (Palmer, Mass.) and Brianna Lyons (Canton, Mass.) round out a stellar group of defenders that will be a menacing obstacle for opposing offenses.

Goalkeeper

Bonavita will mind the net this season, looking to build off last season's fantastic rookie campaign.

Question and Answer with Coach Grabiec
Q: What player needs to make the biggest impact to have a successful 2010 season?
A: Andrea Ramsdell at the forward position has the most experience in goal scoring, Brianna Lyons is going to take over Danielle Boyer's spot, which will be huge and then Alexandra Bonavita in goal. This second year for Bonavita should help us a lot. She'll have more experience under her belt and she'll have grown more accustomed to the faster turf field that we play on. If the three right in the middle, Ani scoring goals, Brianna controlling the pace of play in the midfield, and Ali Bonavita defending the goal, produce like they're capable of producing, that will trigger some very positive outcomes.

Q: Which newcomer other than Brianna Lyons needs to step in and fill an immediate void left by the 2009 graduating class?
A: With Brianna playing the role of connector between the forwards, midfielders and defenders in her center midfield position, I am hoping that everyone around her is able to slide into their roles more easily. We need our returners to play with more maturity and our younger players to come in and make an immediate impact.

Q: Which player has improved the most since last season?
A: I think our first few games will be the most telling of this. It's hard to see who has improved when you're playing against the same competition day after day in practice. Can they do good things like they do in practice when it's game time? That's what any improvements will come down to.

Q: What are your thoughts on the corps of five returners heading into this season?
A: This group is dedicated and just love playing field hockey. This group also gets along very well, where last year, certain personalities didn't mix as well. If they can stay together as a team, I think that things will be different for us than they have in years past. It will allow us to work together towards a common goal.

Q: How hard is it to try and mix newcomers with returners?
A: I try not to treat anyone any differently whether they are a returner or a newcomer. Every member of the team has a job to do, and we work every day to help the players go and do that job the best they can. Having the right mesh of personalities helps as well. We don't have much in the way of conflicting personalities which makes the coming together of the team more smooth. I also try and let the players figure some of this out for themselves; have them ask the question of what do we need to do to gel as a unit, and only step in if there is a major issue.

Q: What is one challenge that the team needs to overcome this year in order to be productive?
A: We need to remain dedicated and focused on what we would like to accomplish on and off the field. A lot has gone on in the last year and we must remain focused on what we have to do. We need to work hard and that translates off the field as well, whether it be in the work world, school, etc. I want the players to have a memorable experience and take some valuable lessons with them. I think if the players are on pace with that, we can have a successful season in more ways than just wins and losses and hopefully overcome whatever challenges present themselves.