Strong senior class leads field hockey

“It was a very successful trip and a great opportunity for our returning players to gain valuable playing experience against strong competition on turf,” said Knerr. “It gave us a great head start on our season and was a wonderful travel experience to share as a group.”

Knerr, who returns for her second season as the head coach, will surely welcome Paradis’ return to the sidelines after taking last fall off from coaching. The pair have great chemistry and respect for each other, as Knerr serves as Paradis’ assistant coach for the lacrosse team.

After a successful start to the 2003 season, which saw them rattle off six consecutive wins to begin the season, the Jeffs fell off their torrid pace and finished with a still-respectable 11-5 record and a second round exit in the NESCAC Tournament. After a disappointing 2002 season, the Jeffs rebounded nicely to secure their place back in the top half of the NESCAC standings.

The 2004 edition of the Jeffs will miss the leadership and talent of forward Christine Ryan ’04. A co-captain in 2003, Ryan was also last year’s leading scorer with 18 points and was the most experienced member of the class of 2004, with the instincts and leadership of an on-field coach.

Fellow graduates Lauren Sozio and Molly Jacobs also started for the Jeffs and were instrumental in the team’s turnaround from 2002 to 2003. Jacobs, a two-year starter and co-captain, anchored the defense, while Sozio recorded seven points while battling injuries.

Junior Katherine Skrivan returns as the Jeffs leading goal-scorer from last season with seven goals. Skrivan, forced to play in net once last season during an emergency, is a great athlete. She is very versatile and can play any position on the field.

Captains Alicia Pichard ’05 and Emma Feinstein ’05 return as starters on defense. Their considerable talent on the field and leadership both on and off the field will be important to the defense and the team. Neither player will fill up the box score, but along with another returning starter, Amy Watson ’07, they will surely take pride in protecting K.C. Cosentino ’05, the team’s returning goaltender. Cosentino started all but one game last season, and her microscopic 1.44 goals against average included four shutouts.

Other returning seniors include midfielder Tyler Kelly and forward Erin Leydon, who were third and fourth on the team in scoring, respectively. Midfielder Lauren Anderson, who had two goals and three assists last season, rounds out the senior class. All six members of the class of 2005 have seen significant playing time in the past two seasons and are hungry for a crack at their first NESCAC Championship.

With so many new faces arriving at practice this week, the coaching staff will have some difficult decisions to make before the season starts on Sept. 11 at Trinity College. However, if last year’s success was any indication, this year’s team, with the addition of youth, will exceed all expectations. However, the Jeffs are loath to look too far into the future. “Right now our focus is on developing as a group and preparing for our first game against Trinity on Sept. 11,” said Knerr.