The women's soccer team has high hopes for the season ahead. The Jeffs are preparing for a tough preseason schedule including a game against The College of New Jersey, which edged out Amherst last fall in a shootout to advance to the national semi-finals. "As with any team, we want to start out strong in our first games," said senior tri-captain Simone Burke. "We will have to build a cohesive team dynamic and to work hard to understand and anticipate one another's movements and tendencies on the field."

Despite graduating five seniors, including last year's NESCAC Player of the Year and All American forward Amy Armstrong '07 and four-year starting goalkeeper Piper Crowell '07, the Jeffs are confident in the returning squad.

"We have a lot of confidence in Lili Ferguson, our sophomore goalkeeper, whom I believe will really come into her own this season," said Burke. "Piper is a tough act to follow, but Lili is definitely the girl to do it."

Also returning this season are Meg Murphy '10, last year's NESCAC Rookie of the Year, and Alanna Darling '09, one of only two sophomores to be named to the All-NES-

CAC First Team at the end of last season.

While the Jeffs intend to keep sight on long-term goals, such as winning the NESCAC Tournament and advancing to the upper echelons of NCAA play, staying focused on immediate goals will also be crucial to the upcoming season.

"We like to face every team as if that specific squad is our biggest challenge," said Burke. "We need to understand that every game is equally important and that small steps need to be taken and small, short-term goals need to be accomplished in order to match and surpass our former achievements."

Although each game this season will be a stepping stone on the road to the much-desired championship season, the Jeffs anticipate facing NESCAC rivals and avid competitors, Middlebury College and Tufts University. "We are very similar in terms of team composition and style of play," said Burke. "Both are well-rounded and aggressive teams that don't rely heavily on specific players." The Jeffs also look forward to facing Williams College this season as last year's match was cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

The women's soccer team has been working hard all summer, knowing the importance of being in mid-season shape from the beginning.

"We had a training schedule that included weekly lifting and running workouts to help players get strong and fit before the season," said senior tri-captain and midfielder Heather Nowak. Although the physical strength and agility that the team has been acquiring over the summer will play an important role in the season ahead, the Jeffs will be working hard to build positive energy and unity as a team.

In the first few weeks of practice the Jeffs hope to build a cohesive team dynamic that will translate into fluidity during games. "The group dynamic and how we get along with one another off the field almost directly translates to how we interact in game situations," said Burke. "[We will] have to work hard to understand and anticipate one another's movements and tendencies on the field."

The Jeffs will work hard this season to establish a unified team that supports the unique talents of each player both on and off the field.

"Much of our success in the past can be at least partially attributed to our closeness and cohesiveness not only as players, but as friends," said Burke. "As captains, Heather, Katie [Coffey] and I will be working to support that tradition."

Although the women's soccer team has high hopes following the thrilling successes of last season, the Jeffs are determined to view this season as a clean slate and each game as a new opportunity for success.

"This season will likely be determined by our attitudes as individuals and as a team, our ability to successfully integrate new players, the growth and ownership of underclassmen stepping into bigger roles and our humility in understanding that our success last season does not guarantee the same this year," said Burke.