Addison Independent, Thursday, September 10, 2015 — PAGE 5C
MIDDLEBURY
UNION
HIGH
SCHOOL
Middlebury Union High School Varsity Field Hockey Team Coach: Megan Sears
Name Grade Lauren Bartlett Makayla Foster Mikayla Humiston Anne Manning Tajah Marsden Alex Whipple Calista Carl Rowan Hendy Kiana Plouffe Mikayla Robinson Lily Smith Bridget Audet Katie Billings Raven Payne Laura Whitley Grace Widelitz
12 12 12 12 12 12 11 11 11 11 11 10 10 10 10 9
Good luck Middlebury Tigers! Middlebury Union High School
Varsity Field Hockey Date Opponent/Event 9/2 @ Mt. Mansfield 9/4 @ Hartford 9/9 @ Rice 9/16 Burlington 9/19 @ CVU 9/24 @ South Burlington 9/26 Mt. Mansfield 9/30 Mt. Abraham 10/2 Colchester 10/6 @ Essex 10/8 @ Burlington 10/10 CVU 10/14 South Burlington 10/16 @ Mt. Abraham
Time 4 p.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m. 4 p.m. 2:30 p.m. 4:30 p.m. 10 a.m. 4 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 10 a.m. 3:45 p.m. 3:45 p.m.
Tiger field hockey seeking to continue upward swing By ANDY KIRKALDY MIDDLEBURY — In 2014, Coach Megan Sears’ MUHS field hockey team enjoyed its best season since the program’s championship in 2011, winning eight times and defeating rival South Burlington in the playoffs before falling to undefeated champion Essex in a semifinal matchup. Nine members of that team return this fall, and the Tigers are optimistic. “Things are shaping up pretty well. We have a lot of strong returning players throughout the field,”
Sears said. One spot that will feature a newcomer is in goal, where a three-year starter graduated. Sophomore Katie Billings, an ice hockey goalie who put on the field hockey goalie pads last fall for the first time, will step in. Sears is confident she is ready. “She has stepped up and will be a great fit with some of our veteran defenders,” she said. “She is picking it up quickly.” Junior center back Mikayla Robinson and senior flank defender Alex Whipple are veteran defenders who will start. Sears said in the preseason
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that three players were in the mix to start on the other side and back up the starters: senior Anne Manning, junior Rowan Hendy and sophomore Raven Payne. “I do expect they will all see time,” Sears said. Senior Tajah Marsden returns at center middie to key the Tiger transition and support the defense. “She does a really nice job of communicating and switching from side to side when necessary. Her speed is such an asset,” Sears said. Junior Lily Smith will start at either midfield or forward, and Sears said sophomore Laura Whitley had
earned a midfield job. Juniors Calista Carl and Kiana Plouffe, sophomore Bridget Audet and possibly freshman Grace Widelitz are also midfield candidates. Sears said if one of them seizes a starting job, she would probably move the speedy Smith up to forward. Seniors Lauren Bartlett, Makayla Foster and Mikayla Humiston will all play major roles up front. “They’re obviously a strong group of returning forward line players,” Sears said. Sophomore Katie Billings, Widelitz and Carl will also rotate through
on the attack, Sears said, or the latter two might play more midfield if Smith is up front. Sears also sees the Tigers developing chemistry that should also serve them well in reaching their goals this fall. “I see us again being a strong competitor this season. I know the girls are super fired-up coming off of last season,” Sears said. “We’re going to work hard to be the best that we can be, and they have high expectations of themselves, and I have high expectations of them. So I see us as having a really successful season.”
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