The 2004 Season Outlook

Lindsey Munday led NU in scoring last year as a freshman

2/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

Feb. 20, 2004

EVANSTON, Ill. - When Northwestern women's lacrosse coach Kelly Amonte Hiller takes a look at her 2004 team, she cannot help but get excited. That is not a surprise -- Amonte Hiller is a positive person by nature. However, a quick look at the roster shows that this season her enthusiasm is definitely warranted.

The Wildcats boast a bevy of returning veterans including several women, now juniors, who have played almost every minute since the program returned to varsity status when they were freshmen in 2002.

At the same time, NU has a freshman class that figures to benefit from the tutelage of the upperclass players but also make an immediate impact in the lineup.

"It is so healthy to have experience within a program," said Amonte Hiller, who finally has that after two years of throwing her youthful players to the fire. "This upperclass group is special, because they have had to be the leaders in this program since they first set foot on campus. Because they didn't have it, they really seem to want to share their wisdom with the younger players. It is ideal, in my opinion -- I want a situation where the older players are mentoring the younger players and making them realize what we are all about.

"Our upperclass players now understand it is not what you do in one day, it is what you do every day," she continued. "Yet every day they continue to learn what it takes to be successful and how to get there. The one thing we lacked was perspective, but now they realize it is a full season and a lot of things can happen in that time."

With those ingredients thrown together, the Wildcats are anxious to get the season started.

"We are not focusing on the past," said Amonte Hiller. "The women are excited to be together and see what they can accomplish. The focus is not where we are heading, it is more on making this program great -- right now."

The Attack

According to Amonte Hiller, Northwestern boasts a number of options as an offensive team.

"I think we had good one-on-one players the last few years, but we have gotten players to understand offensive concepts and become a good passing team. We have a lot of different types of players who can help us give opposing defenses different looks."

Despite her absence last season with a knee injury, Sarah Albrecht begins any talk about the NU attack. She led the team in scoring as a freshman in 2002 and was a captain last year before suffering her injury during the preseason.

"When Sarah steps on the field there is a noticeable lift in our lineup," Amonte Hiller acknowledged. "She is a great teammate, and the women love playing with her."

Albrecht's absence forced the other offensive players to find their legs last year, and many thrived. That makes the Wildcat attack even more potent. Lindsey Munday led the team in scoring last year as a freshman, and was followed closely by classmate Laura Glassanos. Courtney Flynn has been a mainstay during her first two years, as has Angela McMahon.

Amonte Hiller expects sophomore Jenny Bush to surprise many as an attacker after an injury-plagued freshman campaign, and Lynda McCandlish has "a ton of skill," according to Amonte Hiller. Freshmen Lindsay Finocchiaro and Aly Josephs are newcomers but could quickly become mainstays in the lineup.

"We have become a team that has many weapons," said Amonte Hiller. "We are able to put pressure on teams that lack defensive depth -- our third, fourth and fifth options will be potent scorers."

The Midfield

Amonte Hiller has always felt like her team could match up with others in terms of speed, a key element in the midfield. This season, she thinks the Wildcats can add depth to the recipe.

"We have always had the speed, but we would burn people until their tanks were empty," she said. "This season we will be able to rest people and save their energy.

"The biggest thing is that we improve every day, so that our players feel confident they have the skills to match their speed."

Junior Courtney Koester leads this group; she earned third-team All-America and first-team All-ALC honors in 2003, just her second year playing the game.

"Courtney is like a sponge, her rate of improvement has been amazing these last two years," said Amonte Hiller. "She sets the tone for our midfield and is a great lesson for our younger players."

Juniors Erin Flynn and Donna McCann have a lot of game experience and become consistent offensive threats for the 'Cats. Munday will also step back from her attacking spot frequently. Kim Corcoran comes to Evanston following two years at Colgate, where she was a first-team All-Patriot League midfielder, and a host of freshmen -- Minnie Doherty, Annie Elliott, Kristen Kjellman, Emily Lovett and Rebecca Zazove -- have also proven themselves during the fall season and will challenge for time in their rookie season.

The Defense

As is the case all over the field, the Wildcats boast plenty of experience in the back line. This season, Amonte Hiller expects her veterans to make the next step toward becoming a defense of the highest order.

"Great players are calm and confident, and our defense is beginning to understand that," said Amonte Hiller. "They have the most experience on the team.

"Our women understand that, while you may not feel like you are in control as a defender, you have to know you are," she said. "You have to have intensity to get loose balls and play your opponent hard. They are used to playing at a high level."

Just as her twin sister Courtney is a catalyst on offense, so has Ashley Koester become the anchor on defense -- in fact, she will serve as the defensive captain this season. "She really unites us at the defensive end," said Amonte Hiller.

Kate Darmody was a first-team All-ALC defender as a freshman, and continues to be a top-notch defender. She and veterans Kaitie Lenahan and Sarah Walsh are not only good one-on-one players, but they are excellent at getting the ball out of NU's defensive zone and begin the attack.

Abby Alley joined the program last year has improved by leaps and bounds, to the point where Amonte Hiller is comfortable matching her up with the top offensive players in the country. Another player who came on strong last year with increased time was junior Shelby Chlopak. Sara Crosby is a veteran junior making the transition to the backfield; she, along with freshmen Hannah Whitman and Kristen Boege, hope to supplant the regulars and earn minutes.

In the Cage

With new assistant coach Alexis Venechanos being a former National Goalkeeper of the Year, Amonte Hiller feels that her duo of juniors Ashley Gersuk and Meredith Philipp are ready to make the step to the next level.

Gersuk's credentials are well-documented; she has been the established leader in the cage since she first arrived on campus, and will continue to be. "Ashley has great leadership skills and is very athletic, and had been playing great before she was hurt during the fall season," said Amonte Hiller. That injury was a blessing in disguise, as it allowed Philipp to earn game minutes. "Meredith improved a lot during the fall, which helps us so much in terms of our flexibility."

Overall, Amonte Hiller feels good when she looks over her roster.

"I see the potential for us to have all the components for a great team," she said.