By By Patrick McHugh, News Staff

Redemption is on the minds of field hockey members entering the 2009 season.
Last year, the team began the season 5-2, including a stretch of four consecutive wins. The highlight of the winning streak came in a 2-1 road victory over rival Boston University Sept. 14, when the Terriers were ranked No. 18 in the country. It was the team’s first win over BU since the 2005 season.
A break in the schedule disrupted NU’s rhythm, however, and the team did not recover. A nine-day layoff, the longest of the season, resulted in the team going 2-11 in their final 13 games and winless in the final seven contests. Rather than build off its solid early-season start the squad finished with a 7-13 record, 1-7 in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA).
With memories of a disappointing 2008 still on their minds, team members will look to bounce back this season, head coach Cheryl Murtagh said.
‘Last year was tough for us and something we really don’t want to see happen again,’ Murtagh said. ‘I think that’s something that we can use as motivation because it makes people want to change for the better.’
An absence from the postseason is a rarity for a team Murtagh coaches. Last season was the second time in 19 seasons the Huskies did not earn a win in postseason play. Murtagh, who enters her 22nd season at the helm for Northeastern, is the winningest coach in school history with exactly 300 wins to her credit, including 14 NCAA tournament appearances.
Murtagh said she is hoping an extra year of experience will benefit her club. Last season the roster consisted of three seniors and one junior, the rest comprised of sophomores, redshirt freshmen and true freshmen.
Although only three players are lost from last year’s team, they do leave major holes to fill. The three former players are midfielder Ashley Bascetta, goalkeeper Colleen Duffy, and backer Jillian Wilkes.
Bascetta served as a co-captain last season and earned distinction by being named to the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA) All-Northeast Region second team. Starting all 20 games for the team, she finished second on the team in points with 19 thanks to six goals and seven assists.
Duffy was the last line of defense for NU in net and did her job very well. Last season she set new career highs in minutes, saves, and save percentage in a season. She also was second in the conference in shutouts with four on the year.
Co-captain Wilkes started every game for Northeastern at the backer position last season. A second team All-CAA selection and member of the NFHCA All-Northeast Region second team, she had four goals and four assists for a total of 12 points, the fourth-most on the team.
This season 14 players with game experience return, which Murtagh said will help into October and November.
One young player who earned a lot of minutes last season is sophomore forward Carolyn Malloy, whom Murtagh refers to as ‘a natural-born goal scorer.’ As a freshman, Malloy led all rookies on the team with 13 points and was named to the CAA All-Rookie team.
Malloy said the year of experience will help her and the rest of her young teammates.
‘Playing a lot last year definitely gives me confidence heading into this year,’ Malloy said. ‘I think overall, as a team, we now know we have to play every game the same way. Last season we went into some games thinking we could not play our best and still win. We learned we can’t underestimate our opponent.’
Even with the influx of young players, NU has veteran presence to guide it. Leading the team as co-captians will be senior midfielder Montana Hewlett and junior backer Anne-Reike Stuhlmann.
Hewlett has played 59 games in her college career, the most of any player on the team. She is a three-time member of the NFHCANational Academic Squad.
Stuhlmann, who started every game for the Huskies last season, will look to anchor the defense again this season. Also a member of the NFHCA National Academic Squad, she will serve as the team’s primary stick-stopper on the penalty kill line. Not just limited to defensive prowess, Stuhlmann contributed to the offense by leading the team in assists with nine helpers, placing seventh in the CAA in that category.
Malloy said she is pleased Hewlett and Stuhlmann are captains because of the effect both can have on the squad.
‘I’m really happy with our captains selection,’ Malloy said. ‘They are both positive players and good players and will bring a good mentality and a healthy morale to the team.’
Other noteworthy returning players include midfielders junior Pam Aldridge and sophomore Kaela Barker. Aldridge led the team in scoring with 23 points and was named to the All-CAA second team, as well as a first team member of the NFHCA All-Northeast Region. Barker was named CAA Rookie of the Year, a first in Husky history, after tallying nine points on three goals and three assists.
The season begins Aug. 28 against Syracuse at Sweeney Field. The re-match against rival BU is at home Sept. 13, and the CAA opener is Sept. 25 at Old Dominion. The CAA tournament is Nov. 7 and 8 at the home of the regular season champion.
Despite the fact only four teams are invited to the CAA postseason this year, down from six last season, Murtagh and her team are looking to make a big improvement this season, she said.
‘There’s no doubt we want to make the CAA tournament,’ Murtagh said. ‘That’s our mission and our goal, to get to the CAA tournament and go after a championship.’
Malloy repeated her coach’s wishes but also envisioned what an even greater final result would mean.
‘We believe we are a team that can make the CAA tournament,’ Malloy said. ‘And if we get there and play well enough to win and make the NCAA tournament, that would just be’ amazing.’
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