Resilient Bears like new coach UMaine confident of improvements for ’07

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ORONO – The University of Maine’s field hockey team has had to be resilient.

Josette Babineau is the Black Bears’ third coach in three seasons.

But the Bears like what they’ve seen from their new coach and the feeling is mutual.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a team work as hard as this one. That’s definitely a strength of ours,” said Babineau, who spent the previous three years as an assistant at Cornell.

Senior back and co-captain Kristen Healy of Turner said Babineau has been “awesome.

“She really knows her stuff,” said Healy.

“She’s very tactical. We’ve learned a lot of new skills,” said senior back and co-captain Erin Reusch.

The Bears impressed their coach with their performance in a season-opening 2-0 loss to UConn, which was ranked fifth in the nation. Maine also lost the next day to Sacred Heart 1-0.

“I was very impressed with out UConn game. The players were very motivated and played very strong. We gave up just one goal per half and UConn had to work for their goals. Our goalie [Maygan Cassarino] played very well but most of their shots came from poor angles.”

Junior Cassarino made seven saves and senior Rebecca Giroux made six against Sacred Heart.

“Our goaltending is another strength,” said Babineau.

Giroux played in 15 games last season for the 8-11 Bears and had a 1.92 goals-against average. Cassarino appeared in four games and had a 1.75 GAA.

“They have different styles and we’re going to try to use that to our advantage,” said Babineau. “One style might be better suited to a particular opponent.”

Healy (1 goal, 2 assists last year) and Reusch (1 & 2) will be the center backs with Reusch making the transition from the midfield.

“They’re both good, two-way players,” said Babineau. “They were phenomenal last weekend.”

Sophomore Jackie D’Amato (2 & 0) and junior Gigi Niekrash will be the outside backs although Niekrash has been sidelined by an arm injury which has pressed freshman Maire Dineen into duty.

The midfield will be manned by junior Kim MacDonald (2 & 1) and redshirt freshman Mallory Anderson along with freshmen Brittney Cummings of Belfast and Courtney Veinotte of Canaan.

Winthrop junior Nicole Emery (6 & 2) and senior Amy Zdrojesky (4 & 5) are back up front and they were the team’s top two scorers a year ago. Lovell junior Brooke Anderson joins them up front.

“Amy is very talented, Brooke has a lot of speed and Nicole is very strong physically,” said Babineau.

Newcomers Michelle Niedziejko, Leigh McIlvain could see duty in the midfield or in the back and Hampden senior Christie Mosley can play up front.

“We play a pressure system on defense and it’s coming together real well,” said Healy.

“We try to force them into making making turnovers,” said Reusch.

The co-captains have been impressed with the newcomers and feel the team will continue to make significant improvements over the course of the season.

Healy pointed out that the Bears have a “real close-knit team.”

Maine visits Dartmouth College today.

UMAINE SCHEDULE

AUGUST

31 – at Dartmouth, 3 p.m.

SEPTEMBER

1 – vs. Syracuse at Dartmouth, 2 p.m.

8 – Northwestern, noon

15 – at Brown, noon

16 – at Quinnipiac, noon

22 – Rhode Island, 11 a.m.

23 – Providence, noon

29 – Albany, 2 p.m.

30 – at Boston College, 3 p.m.

OCTOBER

6 – at New Hampshire, 5 p.m.

12 – Boston University, 6 p.m.

14 – vs. Davidson at Hanover, N.H., noon

19 -Vermont, 2 p.m.

27 -at Fairfield, noon