University of Maine senior soccer midfielder Katie Hodge said the day of reckoning is here.

“We’re going to put it on the line every game. We’re going to live in the moment. This is it,” said Hodge. “This should be a big year for us.”

After two encouraging building seasons, the Black Bears expected last fall to be their breakthrough campaign.

It wasn’t.

The Bears underachieved and didn’t qualify for the America East playoffs, going 3-4-1 in the league and 7-8-1 overall.

“Last year left a bad taste in our mouths,” said fifth-year head coach Scott Atherley. “Our expectations were much higher than where we finished [seventh].

“That was a great lesson. This team has come back as the fittest team I’ve ever had here. They’re all focused on this being our year,” added Atherley.

The Bears, already 2-0, may be without America East Defensive Player of the Year Linda Consolante, who is vying for a spot on the Canadian World Cup team.

Atherley said he expects to learn Consolante’s fate on Friday.

Even without Consolante, Atherley said this team has the potential to be his best “because it is the most focused.”

The Maine coach has switched his alignment from a 4-3-3 to a 3-4-3 and to take advantage of his strong midfield.

“The 3-4-3 really helps us control the midfield. There’s always somebody open to make plays. And the three forwards are great,” said Hodge.

“We expect our midfielders to generate a lot more quality scoring opportunities for us,” said the 37-year-old Atherley. “We had never been able to generate a lot of attack out of the midfield. Last weekend, three of our four goals came from midfielders.”

Hodge had two of them and senior Kim Walsh had another.

The other two midfielders are senior Sawyer Hanson and Emily Stevens, a redshirt senior who suffered a season-ending knee injury last September and has been “arguably, our best player so far” according to Atherley.

Maine’s top three returning scorers: sophomore Heather Hathorn (8 goals, 2 assists) and seniors Annie Hamel (4 & 7) and Kate Crawford (4 & 1), will headline the forward corps along with Jessica Wojcik, Maureen McHugh and Erin Corey. Hamel and Consolante were first team All-America East picks and Hathorn was on the all-rookie team.

Senior Jen Buckley, junior Allison Kelly and sophomore Angela Clark will be the fullbacks in front of sophomore goalie Tanya Adorno, a first-year starter.

Freshman Natalie Berry and junior Eve Briere will provide midfield depth.

2003 Schedule

September

7 ? Manhattan, 1 p.m.

12 ? vs. Dartmouth, at Harvard Invit., 1 p.m.

14 ? at Harvard, 1:30 p.m.

19 ? St. Bonaventure, 3 p.m.

21 ? at Maryland-Baltimore County, 1 p.m.

26 ? at Iona, 3 p.m.

28 ? at Marist, 1 p.m.

October

5 ? Boston University, noon

10 ? Northeastern, 3 p.m.

16 ? at Binghamton, 2 p.m.

19 ? Stony Brook, 1 p.m.

24 ? at New Hampshire, 2:30 p.m.

26 ? at Hartford, 1 p.m.

30 ? Albany, 2 p.m.

November

2 ? at Vermont, noon