With the loss of first team All-American goalkeeper Michele Brennan, the Lady Lion field hockey team find itself with a big goal to fill.
The run for the position is between 5-foot-11 freshman Shelly Meister, and 5-foot-3 sophomore Paulette Thompson, who had about 10 minutes of playing time last season.
“Both are extremely close to the position,” said Coach Char Morett. “Paulette has more experience against college level field hockey,” said Morett, “but Shelly has the height and aggression.”
“Michele is helping both to learn the fundamentals,” Morett said, “both are coming along wonderfully. Shelly is working on covering the cage with a full split, and Paulette covers the angles.”
Brennan, who holds the school record for the number of shutouts, has returned this season to help coach her successors.
“I put in four hard years,” Brennan said, “it is nice to be on the other side.”
Brennan, who had to return this semester to take additional credits, opted to volunteer as goal coach to help ease the transition, and to help fill the loss of former assistant Megan Donelly.
“I am used to coaching younger athletes,” Brennan said, “it is a refreshing change coaching these two. They’re both extremely talented, and catch on to anything I show them, and they do it well.”
“It is nice to be able to offer my experience,” Brennan said, ”I’d like to see them do well.”
Brennan was playing for the U.S. Field Hockey team, but was sidelined by a broken leg. She made a brief attempt to return, but felt that she did so prematurely. She has plans of returning when the U.S. team reconvenes in December. Until then, she is enjoying coaching the two goaltender contenders.
She said that she feels that both show great potential in different styles. She also said that they are improving vastly as they are gaining some much needed experience.
“This is a terrific opportunity to be taught by Michele,” Meister said. “She has been my idol since I was a freshman in high school. I saw her play when I went to see Penn State in a final four game, and since then I have looked up to her style of play,” she said. “Her coaching has made the transition to college field hockey a lot easier, but the whole team has made that easy. We’re all like family,” said Meister.
“Paulette and I are good friends even though we’re competing for the same position,” said Meister, “We encourage and push each other hard, and I think that will help us to be ready sooner. We tend to sympathize with each other because we’re both in the same dilemma.”
Thompson, who had 10 minutes of playing time last semester, feels that her game has greatly improved. She played spring ball and gained a lot of experience.
“I enjoyed working with Michele,” Thompson said, “It is better working with her now that she is coaching and helping me to mold into her style. I feel that I am a lot better this year, and having a coach like Michele helps alot.
“Even though Shelly and I are out for the position we still get along great and work well together. I think it will be a good season.”
“Char and I thought that this year would be a rebuilding year with seven freshmen, but everyone came out strong and I look for them to do excellent this season,” Brennan said
Neither Thompson nor Meister will know who will be starting until closer to the Lady Lions season opener at Syracuse on Sept. 8.
“Right now they’re neck and neck,” said Morett, “Who knows, maybe they’ll split the time.”