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Sports

Comsewogue Field Hockey Looks Solid in 2011

The Lady Warriors should be a formidable force in Suffolk County field hockey this fall.

looks to build upon the success they garnered last year when they ended a four year playoff drought and posted a solid 10-4 League III record and going 10-6 overall.

Unfortunately, Comsewogue was bounced in the opening round of the Suffolk County playoffs – a tough 2-1 loss to Lindenhurst.

Although the Lady Warriors lost just two key players from last year’s team and return a majority of players from their 2010 squad, they are seeded fourth in League III behind defending league champion Miller Place, Rocky Point and perennial field hockey powerhouse Shoreham-Wading River.

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“Last year was successful,” said head coach Nicole Kidd. “We ended a three or four year drought by making the playoffs. I just wish that we could have gone deeper in the playoffs. This year our goal is to make the playoffs again and to go further in the playoffs. We were ranked lower last year but we have a more competitive schedule this year including a tough non-league schedule where we will play two League I teams Northport and Bay Shore.”

Key players in the resurgence of the Warriors in 2011 are senior forward Mary Kate McCormick who recorded 12 goals and 14 assists in earning All-Suffolk County honors in 2011. Also expected to spark the Lady Warriors offense this year is All-Suffolk County senior midfielder Alex Hagney who posted 10 goals and two assists a year ago. A third key in the offensive cog is All-Conference junior forward Karie Znaniecki who tallied 13 goals and six assists last year.

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“We have some holes but I think we have the younger kids to should them fill in nicely,” said Kidd. “Our offense will not be much different than it was last year. We have some good girls playing on the right side and hopefully they can keep it together. On defense we lost our center-back Amanda Liebetruth and it will be hard to replace her but we’ll just have to work that much harder.”

One of the keys in the Lady Warriors defense will be the play of returning senior goalie Caitlin Moran. As a junior last year Moran allowed just 34 goals while recording 137 saves in 2011. “She’s a good keeper,” said Kidd. “She plays all year round and it helps when your team has confidence in their keeper.”

So how will the Lady Warriors perform in 2011? Kidd remains optimistic if only by her choice of deciding a tough non-league schedule to compliment the already difficult league schedule Comsewogue will face this year.

“We’ll be competitive,” says Kidd. “We’ll at least make the playoffs and that should be our goal, the girl’s want revenge on last year’s loss to Lindenhurst. We’ve always had one-goal losses in the playoffs.”

Hopefully 2011 will change that. But also posing a significant threat to the Lady Warriors 2011 hopes will be Southampton, Port Jefferson, Pierson and Riverhead. Following a strenuous preseason with scrimmages against Ward Melville, Pierson and Commack, Comsewogue opens their 2011 season at home against Northport on Tuesday September 13th with league play beginning on the 19th against at Shoreham-Wading River.

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