There was a time when the Husson College field hockey team used to play shorthanded. Literally.

“We had 11 players and if somebody got hurt, we’d have to play down a player or two,” recalled fourth-year head coach Ruth Fitzpatrick.

It didn’t take Fitzpatrick long to build the Husson program into a consistent winner as she was able to recruit quality players, many of whom have come from some of the state’s perennial high school powerhouses like Skowhegan, Piscataquis of Guilford, Central of Corinth and Belfast, and it all culminated in the Maine Athletic Conference championship last season.

Husson went 9-4, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to upset the University of Maine-Farmington 3-2 in the MAC title game. Fitzpatrick started six sophomores and five freshmen in that game.

The young Braves have lost just two starters off last year’s squad and have opened with a 7-0 win over Thomas and a 4-1 loss at Colby.

“I think we’re much better than we were a year ago,” said junior sweeper Jaime Ross of Owls Head. “The offense is much stronger.”

“We’re ahead of where we were last year,” agreed Fitzpatrick.

Fitzpatrick said another of her team’s strengths is its versatility.

“The girls are all willing to play any position on the field. And everybody plays,” said Fitzpatrick, who has 16 women on the roster.

Corinth sophomore Jamie Giles has become the starting goalie, replacing Shani Hollins. Hollins is concentrating on her physical therapy studies.

“She played one year as a goalie in high school and said she’d do it. And she has really done well,” said Fitzpatrick.

The backs protecting her are Lyman freshman Janel Fearon, Skowhegan sophomore Nikki Corson, Corinth junior Crystal Strout, Millinocket sophomore Nola Boynton and Ross.

Fearon has been seeing a lot of action in place of Ross, who has a sore knee.

Morrill junior Amanda Brown and Skowhegan freshman Brie Searles patrol the midfield while the front line consists of Cushing sophomore left wing Lexi Harjula, Palmyra sophomore left inside Nicole Palmer, Waldo sophomore right inside Sara McIntire and Lincoln junior right wing Jen Comeau.

Palmer was the team’s leading scorer last year and had three goals against Thomas. Four others have scored at least one goal already including Comeau and Brown, who were also among the top scorers last fall.

The reserves are Windham freshman goalie Becca Fisher, Guilford sophomore forward-MF Meagan Galuski, Morrill freshman MF-back Ashley Briggs, senior forward Yoko Egami and sophomore forward Kim Knower.

Fitzpatrick and her Braves, who are competing in the North Atlantic Conference this season, have been ecstatic about practicing and playing on the new artificial FieldTurf surface on the outfield of the John Winkin Baseball Complex field.

“It’s amazing,” said Ross.

“It has been a wonderful addition. It has brought out some of the individual skills we have. You get a much truer bounce than you do on grass,” said Fitzpatrick, who also feels it will be a valuable recruiting tool.

Husson College

Field hockey schedule

September

14 – Lasell, 4 p.m.

15 – Wheelock, 11 a.m.

21 – at UM-Farmington, 1 p.m.

29 – at St. Joseph’s, noon

October

5 – at Lasell, 1 p.m.

6 – at Simmons, 1 p.m.

12 – UM-Farmington, 2 p.m.

16 – St. Joseph’s, 3 – 30 p.m.

19 – at Elms College, 2 p.m.

20 – at Becker College, 1 p.m.

25 – at Thomas, 3 – 30 p.m.

November

2 – North Atlantic Conference quarterfinals, at higher seeds

5 – NAC semifinals, at higher seeds

9 – NAC championship (at high seed)