Ball State field hockey team looks to start the 2004 season byknocking off two quality opponents this weekend in Athens, Ohio.The Cardinals will play Northeastern on Saturday and William &Mary on Sunday.
Both teams will likely serve as a good challenge to theCardinals. Northeastern finished at No. 9 in the final 2003 coachespoll, while William & Mary finished at No. 14.
Second-year head coach Annette Payne, who was 8-12 (5-5Mid-American Conference) in her initial campaign, thinks that thetough competition to start the season will be a good test for theteam.
"It's always good to play good teams," Payne said. "We'reworking hard in practice for our first two games and I think we'reready."
A fairly young team will take the field this season for theCards, as seven of the 17 players are freshmen. The team will alsobe without four All-Mid-American Conference players lost tograduation.
Providing some of the leadership this year are the three seniors-- Holly Frantz, Chantelle Issac and Jen Strodel. Issac earnedAll-MAC second-team honors after finishing among the conferenceleaders with eight goals.
Frantz and Strodel each finished last year with two goals andone assist.
Other key players returning for the Cardinals will be LindsayQuay and Tracy Bannister. Quay scored six goals and dished outthree assists on her way to earning 2003 MAC Freshman of theYear.
Bannister will look to continue her tough defense as theCardinals' goalie. She started 18 of the 20 games in 2003, making63 saves and posting a 1.94 goals-against average.
Another change for the field hockey team came in the off-seasonwhen Liz Sanders was named assistant coach. Sanders comes to BSUafter serving as an assistant field hockey coach for the last threeyears at Georgetown University.
Ball State heads into competition this weekend following its 3-3tie against Indiana in a scrimmage Sunday.
"We played well," Sanders said of the scrimmage. "Both Liz and Iare pretty happy with what we saw."
After finishing the 2003 season with losses in four of the lastfive games, BSU will look to try improving on their record in 2004by being competitive every weekend.
"We are just working hard trying to get in a couple differentsystems," Payne said. "Our expectations are to try and compete eachweekend and continuing to progress each weekend."
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