Gone are three of the top four scorers along with the leading defender. Amanda Sokolow, voted the team's most valuable player, has graduated following a stellar offensive career at Miami. Kenzie DeVito, voted the most valuable defensive player last year, has since graduated, and offensive specialists Tori Warzeski and Abby Engelsmann are no longer around campus.

"We lost a lot of experienced players," said coach Lil Ferperman. "The returnees from last year's team need to step it up and fill the roles.

We don't have the players with 70 minutes of experience like we had in previous years. If we can have our returning players lead us and the newcomers learn quickly, we will be able to get some early wins and take a positive step into the rest of the year."

Even though the team lost significant players, seniors Chris Stoll and Becky Warwick are back to lead this year's young team. Stoll and Warwick were named this year's captains. Stoll, voted first-team all-MAC during her junior campaign, registered seven goals and eight assists last year for 22 points.

"She is very talented and she has a history of being very healthy" said Fesperman. "She is going to have to be solid both on and off the field to lead our team."

Also returning is midfielder Warwick, who was voted to the all-MAC second team last year. She tied for the lead on the team with ten assists.

"Becky is also going to have to show leadership to our younger players," added Fesperman. "We don't have a lot of experience coming back so Becky must use her talent and bring the team together."

Along with Stoll and Warwick, junior Kari Roche and sophomore Beth Young provide experience that will be much needed on the team. Roche earned her second varsity letter last year while starting all 21 games. Young provides offensive power as she scored five goals in her first varsity campaign.

"The players that are returning are already a hard-working, cohesive group," stated Fesperman. "They enjoy what they do and they know what it takes to work hard everyday."

Courtney Seyferth and Whitney Wall are also back and should make their way into the starting lineup. Fesperman has named both Seyferth and Wall co-captains for this year's team.

Two experienced goalies from last year's squad are back to anchor the net. Marie Vaughn and Lisa Rodelo will battle for the starting position. Both had good spring practices and Fesperman hopes they will provide competition to motivate each other.

"We are going to start over at the goalie position from last year," said Fesperman. "I like how Marie and Lisa are developing and the one who is most consistent and competitive will be our starter."

With the role that many newcomers are going to take, one has experience already at the college level. Sally Russo, who played one year at the University of Massachusetts, was named the Boston Globe's Player of the Year in 1996 and was honored as the ESPN Athlete of the Week.

"Sally knows what it takes at the college level to be successful," said Fesperman. "She is very talented and strong and she will be counted on as one of our midfielders." The team has set goals that will be attainable only with hard work and pre-season dedication. One goal is to win the MAC championship, and with a tough non-conference schedule the team will be able to prepare for the season that lies ahead. The team also needs to stay healthy and score more goals if they plan on making at run at the championship.

"We play a tough non-conference schedule to get us ready to compete in the MAC," said Fesperman. "We want to give ourselves a chance at making it to the championship, but we need to stay healthy and score more goals."