Sept. 2, 1999
The 1999 Northwestern field hockey season brings forth a sense of optimism as the Wildcats return 12 letterwinners and welcome nine freshman to the squad.
?Last year, I was real proud of the way our team played,? said head coach Diane Loosbrock. ?We played hard every time we stepped on the field.
?It was a long season, but the team never gave up, and that will pay dividends for us down the road. It was a team full of heart.?
This year, Loosbrock will look to employ a faster tempo of on-field play than that of previous Wildcat teams. To do so, NU will utilize a five-forward offense to generate many scoring opportunities and a great deal of excitement for the fans.
?We?re going to play a style which allows our players to take a few more risks, which should be very exciting to watch,? said Loosbrock. ?We have a great deal of young players with speed on this team. The thing I like most about this year?s squad is their eagerness to learn and improve daily.?
FORWARDS
Anchoring the forwards for Northwestern will be senior Amy Haase, who tallied two goals and two assists last year. She is a threat to distribute the ball from the center position and will have to generate quality scoring chances for her teammates for NU to be successful.
?Amy is a defensive forward,? said Loosbrock. ?We expect her to pick up lots of loose balls and create opportunities around the goal.?
On the wings will be sophomore Lisa Comrie and junior Lindsay Wright, the Wildcats top two returning scorers. Comrie tallied a team-best six goals last year, including the game-winner vs. Dartmouth.
Wright made eight of her 11 starts during the Big Ten season last year, leading NU in shots and scoring during conference play. Three of her eight career goals have been game-winners, including one in the 1998 season opener vs. Wake Forest.
?Lisa is a high goal scorer and we expect the same from her again this year,? noted Loosbrock. ?We are looking for Lindsay to score a few more goals for us this year and become a bigger part of the offense.?
The two midfielders are expected to be juniors Wendy Roberts and Jodie Condie. Roberts started 17 of NU?s 20 games last year while Condie started 10 of the first 11 contests before a stress fracture sidelined her for the remainder of the season.
?Wendy is probably our fastest player in a dead sprint,? said Loosbrock. ?Jodie missed the last half of the 1998 season due to injury, but we expect her to step back in the mix without a problem.?
A trio of freshmen should see a great deal of time off the bench at forward. Michelle Cifelli, Courtney Perkins and Stacy Spenser all bring excellent credentials to the Wildcat program and are expected to make an immediate impact.
BACKFIELD
The backfield will feature a mixture of veterans and youth, with the starting lineup looking to consist of three seniors, one sophomore and one freshman.
Anchoring the middle of the defense should be sophomore Nicole Smith, who moves over from the right back position.
?Nicole will be a big key to our success this year,? said Loosbrock. ?We need her to start the attack and create some big offensive opportunities.?
At the right and left back positions should be a pair of seniors in Kristy Whitman and Ana Perez. Whitman has started all 61 of NU?s games during her three seasons. Perez saw action in 16 games last year, primarily off the bench.
?We?re moving Whit to the right side this year after playing her in the middle last season,? said Loosbrock. ?She is very experienced in the backfield.
?Ana is probably our fastest defender. She is very good at tackling and plays very smart.? Loosbrock expects to open the season with senior Ryann Carmody and freshman Lindsay Millard at the two fullback positions.
?Ryann sees the game better than anyone else on the team,? noted Loosbrock. ?She can control the backfield and, more importantly, instills confidence in everyone else.
?Lindsay is the future for our defense. She has great speed and potential. I expect her to step in and perform right away.?
Among the primary reserves in the backfield should be junior Colleen Hotz, who missed all of 1998 with a torn ACL.
GOALKEEPING
Returning in goal for the third-straight season is senior Jess Yates. Yates, a second-team all-region honoree last season and a member of the U.S. National Under-23 team, played 75 percent of the team?s minutes in the cage during 1998. Serving as backup to Yates will be freshman Kendra Mesa.
?Jess has to control the defense,? said Loosbrock. ?She has two years of experience and has matured as a player, especially playing with the U.S. National Team. She is very agile and has great verbal skills on the field.
?Kendra is a very athletic goalkeeper who has a lot of potential. She will see a lot of playing time during her career at Northwestern and, this season, will have the luxury of developing behind Yates.?
THE 1999 SCHEDULE
The Wildcats open the 1999 campaign at home on Labor Day weekend against Central Michigan and New Hampshire. NU also will travel to the Philadelphia area for three matches before opening Big Ten play at home on Sept. 24 vs. Penn State.
?If we?re to be successful this season, our young players will have to step in and play with confidence,? concluded Loosbrock. ?We also need to make better decisions in clutch situations, which will come with experience. We?re definitely on the right track to rebuilding the tradition of Northwestern field hockey.?