Husson field hockey, soccer teams aim for playoffs

The Husson College women’s soccer team has lost the school’s all-time leading scorer to graduation. But she is the only prominent player missing and the veteran-laden Eagles have been joined by an infusion of talented newcomers.

The Husson men’s team has a new coach in Per Henrikson and a healthy dose of returnees and newcomers.

And the field hockey team has been bolstered by the return of their leader, Sara McIntire, who missed all of last season while recovering from an auto accident.

The soccer teams have their sights set on winning the North Atlantic Conference tournament and earning the automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Tournament.

Third-year field hockey coach Sharon Tracy said her team “could be a surprise in the conference this year” after going 4-12 overall and 2-7 in the NAC a year ago.

Beatriz DeYcaza scored 17 of her school-record 63 career goals last season en route to NAC Player of the Year honors.

She is assisting eighth-year head coach Keith Bosley who said this team has the potential to be his best.

“We return all of our starters except Beatriz as well as the first three people off the bench,” said Bosley. “And we have a strong incoming class again.”

Bosley said he will look for more balanced attack.

“We may not score as prolifically as we have in the past but we’ll score enough,” said Bosley whose team went 13-5-2 last year but lost to Bay Path (Mass.) in the tourney final 1-0.

Senior striker Deidra Ham, who scored seven goals last fall, and attacking midfielders/strikers Elissa Gordon (9 goals, 9 assists), Laura Clarke, Dani Billings and Kaylin Caron will look to compensate for DeYcaza’s loss as will speedster Meredith Homer, who missed most of last season due to injury.

“We should get more scoring out of the midfield,” said Bosley.

Veterans Shaina Goode, Genevieve Holt and Martine Daigle will be the defensive midfielders along with freshman Melissa Dugal. Freshmen Bonnie Dow and Laurie Melen will also play in the midfield.

The fullback line is very experienced with senior Kelly McHatten, junior May Chan and sophomore second-team All-NAC choice Shelby Morissette (5 goals) along with sophomore Jen Hussey in front of first-team All-NAC goalie Leah Drew and capable freshman backup Tatyana Wolterbeck. She made 17 saves in a 2-0 loss to a Wheaton College (Mass.) team last weekend that was ranked in the top three in two national polls.

Drew is nursing a minor shoulder injury.

Henrikson sees a “lot of potential” in his team thanks to a strong midfield and a veteran defense corps.

Freshmen Nattapong Kongsuriya and Jeff Truchon, senior Chris Cacela, junior Oscar Ody and junior Kyle James will key the midfield along with senior Klinton Xhemali. Kongsuriya and Xhemali will also be used up front.

Senior Shane Coffin, a first team All-NAC pick and a 10-goal scorer last year, will be the catalyst up front along with freshman Muhiddin Abu.

The formidable defense corps includes senior Michael Hoffman, sophomore Kyle Kamal and freshmen Tim Mousette and Josh Bartlett. Sophomore Jason Shorey is a valuable reserve back.

Freshman Chris Jackson will be the goalie and played well in losses to Keene State and Western New England last weekend.

“He has impressed me,” said Coffin who feels the team has the potential to be better than last year’s 9-6-1 club that made it to the NAC semis.

In field hockey, the return of McIntire, who had 22 points two years ago, should take a lot of pressure off first-team All-NAC forward KaroleAnne Emery, who had 25 points in 2004.

“We’ll be counting on Sara plus two or three experienced freshmen to score as well. I’m looking for more balanced scoring and more scoring,” said Tracy who expects freshmen Tedianne Galuski, Kristi-Lynn Levesque and Michelle Barden to be productive scorers.

Senior Janel Fearon will move from forward to the back to help shore up the defense. Junior Jenna Strunjo will be the sweeper and sophomore Shawna Bell will play an important defensive role as will freshmen Shannon Burns and Amy Rickard.

Junior Erin Brown and sophomore Leslie Osborne will anchor the midfield while freshman Michelle Barden can play in the midfield or up front.

Kelly Bocchino, a sophomore, returns in goal.