Asked for one word to describe the strength of this year’s Syracuse field hockey team, senior Ann-Marie Guglieri answers quickly.

‘Unselfishness.’

‘Both on the field and off,’ Guglieri said, ‘this year’s squad is much different than in the past.’

The Orangewomen must rely on the team’s play as a whole in order to improve on their 10-11 record last season, when they relied heavily on the star power of All-American goalkeeper Audrey Latsko, leading scorer Kristin Aronowicz and defensive leader Missy Grosman.

‘I have a really positive outlook coming into the season even though we don’t have any big stars like last season,’ junior Leah McKay said. ‘This year, with the way we have bonded, we are a strong team.’

Only two seasons removed from a Big East championship and NCAA tournament appearance, the Orangewomen were picked fourth out of six teams in the preseason Big East coaches poll. McKay and Guglieri both believe that Syracuse can be a better team than predicted and it holds the motivation to make it happen.

‘It’s always easier to play when you don’t have a target on your back,’ Guglieri said. ‘Now we definitely have something to prove.’

To improve, the Orangewomen must find a way to solve their biggest problem from a year ago – offense. In 2002, Syracuse scored 25 goals and recorded 18 assists during the entire season, ranking them next to last in the Big East in both categories. Though four of the top five scorers return from last year’s team, the top returning goal scorer, Lindsay Peirson, had only four goals.

Guglieri said the Orangewomen are counting on both returning players and freshmen to help pick up the offensive production.

‘We need to be more offensive this season,’ Guglieri said, ‘We need to push the ball forward and have strong offensive movement.’

The Orangewomen hope that offensive recruit Ashley Fry, who scored 29 goals in high school last season, will help stimulate their offense along with returning players Brittany Carriero and Meredith Gettel.

One problem the Orangewomen didn’t have last season was goal-tending. Since 1999, Syracuse’s goalkeeper position was in the solid hands of Audrey Latsko, who garnered a 1.1 goals against average a season ago. She was named both Big East Goalkeeper of the Year and first team All-American.

This season, co-captain Betsy Wagner will take over in goal, a position that her teammates are confident she will succeed in as a first-year starter.

Wagner sees herself as a very different player from Latsko, but firmly believes that she can get the job done.

‘Everybody’s different in goal,’ Wagner said. ‘Everybody runs a different kind of game. (Latsko) and I are opposites in the cage.’

In field hockey, the goalkeeper plays a crucial role, helping to position the defense and take command her zone. Wagner relishes this role and prides herself as a leader in the Orangewomen’s defensive end.

‘Latsko is a lot more reserved than I am,’ Wagner said. ‘She is content to stay back. I like to step up into the play.’

Wagner is excited to begin her first season as the starter in goal and feels confident that the team in front of her has a new sense of togetherness.

In the off-season, the Orangewomen took a team trip to Australia where they bonded and got a head start on preparation for the season.

Wagner said that the day spring practice began, she sensed that the team, even without it’s graduated star players, is working towards the same goal.

‘The morale and spirit of the team is completely flipped from last season,’ Wagner said. ‘We are all really close. Whenever something is going on with one of us, we are all there for her.’

Published on August 26, 2003 at 12:00 pm