Field hockey to come out strong

With new talent and returners, team is positive about season

The field hockey team has added depth to the version of the team that finished just one game away from the conference cellar last year.

And they've added a few key players.

And coach Mindy Manolovich has a year of experience, a successful season of coaching the women's lacrosse team under her belt and a team that includes players she recruited herself.

In fact, the team has a lot of reasons to be optimistic.

The first face-off is Saturday at home against Earlham and the second is Tuesday at Wooster. Those will be the tests for a team that hopes to improve from last year's 3-15 overall record and its 2-10 conference record.

"We're looking to come out very strong," Manolovich said.

The addition of senior Jessica Resnick and junior Ellen Scott, both of whom sat out last season, should help the Yeowomen.

And so should the tough defensive play of junior captain Jessica Toubman.

Manolovich is also excited about the five first-years on the team. "Always, when you can recruit, you have a little more rapport with them than the ones that you just walk in on," Manolovich said. "And the [returning] team does appreciate the talent that comes in."

The increased numbers should provide a little cushion in case of injuries. The team size also didn't shrink during preseason training as it often does.

Also, Manolovich is doing some new things with the team. All of the players are now thinking as either offensive or defensive players rather than as people in more specific roles like left wing.

"It's really improved with Mindy's coaching this year," Toubman said. "She's learned a lot from the lacrosse season."

Now, Toubman said, the drills are smoother in practice.

For its part, Manolovich said the team is technically sound enough that she's already running practices that she couldn't run until mid-season last year.

At season's end, the team has a new regional tournament at DePauw that gives teams from the NCAC a chance to match up with other teams from the Midwest.

The new talent base should give the team a shot to rise above the lower echelon of the NCAC. "We can be a contender for one of the top three seeds in the conference," Manolovich said. "We have the talent to do that."

And for the immediate future, there's Earlham, a team the Yeowomen beat twice last year.