They know the drill by now

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

COLLEGE CONNECTIONS: Mike Lowe

It's only the second week of preseason practice for the University of Southern Maine women's basketball team, and the Huskies already are well ahead of schedule.

As well they should be.

With the five starters and many top reserves returning from a team that finished 31-3 and reached the NCAA Division III Final Four last season, the Huskies should know what they're doing.

"If I stay out of the way," said Coach Gary Fifield, "we'll probably be OK."

Most folks think the Huskies will be a little better than "OK." USM was ranked No. 1 in the Women's DIII News preseason poll.

Fifield, in his 19th season, is trying hard to make this like any other season even though the expectations obviously are high.

"Everything is the same," he said. "I'm not treating this season any differently. I don't feel any different. I don't think the kids feel any different. The goals are the same."

As with each of Fifield's previous 18 teams, the Huskies hope to:

n win the Little East Conference regular-season title;

n win the LEC tournament to gain the league's automatic NCAA berth;

n be playing their best basketball of the season entering the NCAAs.

"The ultimate goal is to win the national championship," said Fifield. "Of course, there are a lot of other quality teams that have the same goal, several in this state alone."

Fifield knows what the Huskies will face this year, and he's certain his players will be ready for the challenge.

"They have been very hungry in the preseason," said Fifield. "The effort has been outstanding."

USM is led by Megan Myles of Auburn and Ashley Marble of Topsfield, two of the best players in the nation.

A trio of fast-running and tight-defending guards return in Katie Frost, Donna Cowing and Katie Sibley, backed by several key reserves.

The Huskies were strengthened by the transfers of guard Megan Patti from Truman State in Kirksville, Mo., and Angela Sante Fe from Merrimack College.

"Both will be pretty good players for us," said Fifield.

The strength of this team remains its experience and depth. Given the number of players back (nine), Fifield said the team is already ahead of last year's practice schedule.

"If you looked at where we are (this year) at practice No. 8 as opposed to where we were for practice No. 8 a year ago or two years ago, we're at a different stage as far as putting our system in," he said. "I mean, the returners know what we're doing, they know the expectations and they certainly help teach the newcomers. It does make it easier."

The depth allows the Huskies to maintain a competitive edge. USM has a very difficult early schedule, with three of the first four games against Williams, Bates and Bowdoin.

The Huskies prepare for the long run at a championship with very intense intrasquad scrimmages.

"Every day people are battling not just for a starting position, but for playing time," said Fifield. "We are very deep and it kind of makes your practices that much more competitive.

"In the long run, it pushes everyone so we're getting better."

Of note: Rider University sophomore forward Stephanie Walker of Lyman was named Northeast Conference field hockey player of the week after scoring four goals and one assist last week. Walker leads the team in scoring with 14 goals and six assists. Four of the goals have been game-winners.

n Junior Sarah Sweatt of Portland was one of several members of the Trinity men's and women's swimming and diving teams to participate in a 1-mile ocean swim as part of a fund-raiser for cancer research and support. The group was the top team fund-raiser with $11,500.

n The Colby women's basketball team will hold a two-day minicamp at Wadsworth Gymnasium on the Waterville campus from 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 25 and 26. Open to boys and girls ages 7-17, the camp costs $60 per child or $100 for two siblings. For more information or to register, contact Coach Lori Gear McBride at 859-4949 or lmcbride@colby.edu.

Keeping tabs: Sherwin Parkhurst of Cape Elizabeth became the first Babson College male in 13 years to win a cross country race. Parkhurst, a junior, finished first out of 67 runners to win the Regis Invitational on Oct. 15 with a time of 28 minutes, 43 seconds. As a result, he was named New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference men's cross country runner of the week. His finish boosted the Beavers to their first team victory since 2002. He was the first Babson male to win a race since Eric Sullivan won Babson's invitational on Sept. 26, 1992.

n University of Maine at Farmington sophomore Brandon Poulin of Gorham earned second-team honors on the North Atlantic Conference golf all-conference team.

n Freshman Brittany Simpson of Kennebunk is having a strong season for the Cedarville (Ohio) University women's cross country team. She had her best finish of the season last weekend as Cedarville won the Southeast Classic. Simpson finished 14th with a time of 19:06.38 on the 5,000-meter course. A week earlier she had finished 38th with a time of 19:28.1 in the Ohio college championships.

n Sophomore forward Eileen Jenkins of Gorham is among the leading scorers for Springfield's nationally ranked field hockey team. Jenkins has started 15 games for the Pride with three goals and four assists. She is one of four Mainers on the roster. Others are senior forward Sarah Brooker of Auburn, sophomore forward/midfielder Brittany Veazie of Dexter and senior back Megan Swanson of Unity. Brooker is the team's leading scorer with 15 goals and two assists; Veazie is the third-leading scorer with eight goals and four assists.

n Junior forward Stephanie Gildart of Portland is the fifth-leading scorer on the Western New England College field hockey team. Gildart has four goals and four assists for the Golden Bears, who are 16-3 and won the North Atlantic Conference regular-season title with a 9-0 record. Freshman Sarah McQuarrie of Windham has two assists for WNEC, and junior goalie Melissa Ezold of York has appeared in two games and has not allowed a goal.

n Sophomore midfielder Sara Dimick of Cumberland scored two goals for the Wheaton field hockey team in a 7-0 victory over St. Joseph's. Dimick has started every game for the Lyons and has two goals and three assists. Freshman midfielder Rachel Alfiero of Cape Elizabeth has played in 16 games for Wheaton.

n Sophomore Sarah Kelly of Portland is a forward on the Buffalo State women's hockey team.

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:

mlowe@pressherald.com

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