 "Photo: Brian Tedder/Collegian")
The goalie situation for the Massachusetts field hockey team will undergo changes in the coming weeks.
Alesha Widdall is earning the most time in net because of her solid play and her international resume. Her tour on the United States U-21 national team while in Argentina sharpened her leadership skills and elevated her overall quickness.
In a few weeks, the freshman will be temporarily unavailable because she will be competing in the 2008 Pan-American Games.
UMass coach Justine Sowry said Widdall would be challenged by the schedule of the Minutewomen (4-2), but noted she has grinded out tough games for the Maroon and White. This is why she has seen more playing time than junior Sarah Williams.
Widdall has started five of the six games for UMass this season and has been the goalie in every victory. Her 0.93 goals-against average has been a big help to the Minutewomen because of the lack of experience on the back line.
Williams' stats look less than impressive, but that's only because she hasn't had the playing time that Widdall has seen. That's about to change, though. With Widdall leaving soon for the Pan-Am Games, Sowry plans to put Williams in a lot more, in order to keep her fresh.
Williams knows Sowry's coaching style more and that has given her an edge in practice, even if Widdall has experience playing overseas.
With Williams performing increasingly better in practice, she is more than just a suitable backup. There is no clear-cut starter in goal for the Minutewomen, so only time will tell which goalie will log the most playing time by the end of the season.
Dynamic Duo
The back line sophomores, Jaime Bourazeris and Jackie Tait, are doing well for the UMass Minutewomen.
Tait demonstrates excellent defensive fundamentals and is one of the tougher defenders on the team. She plays high in the defensive zone, while Bourazeris tends to drift back toward the goal. Tait has 11 shots on the season, six of which have been on goal.
Bourazeris is dangerous on both sides of the ball. Her five points is the third-highest total on the team. Bourazeris recently found her offensive stride. She has one goal and three assists, a career high. Two of those assists came Sunday against Harvard (1-3), a game in which Bourazeris scored as well.
Hard work rewarded
After earning Athlete of the Week honors last week for her three goals over the previous weekend, sophomore forward Katie Kelly scored her team-leading fourth goal against the Crimson on Saturday. Kelly also notched an assist, giving her two on the season, good for second on the team.
Kelly has already surpassed her season-high for goals, assists and points. Already having one game-winning goal, she is also on pace to break her season-high two goals.
Kelly has made her way onto the stat sheet in four of the Maroon and White's six games.
The forward line has been stellar for the Minutewomen, scoring 75 percent of the team's total goals and accounting for four of UMass' 11 assists.
Mike Gillmeister can be reached at mgillmei@student.umass.edu.
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