By Kirsten McKenna

Sunday marked the last day that Shannon Alexander, Ayanna McClean, Pemba Ramdoo, and Nadine Surak would ever play at the Hofstra University Field Hockey Stadium. Currently, the Pride stand with a record of 6-9 (2-4 CAA) and is vying for a chance to compete in the CAA Field Hockey Championship Tournament at Virginia Beach as the second lowest or lowest seed in the CAA if they get a bid.

The seniors have witnessed a great change within the program over the years: changes that include playing a new stadium, winning and losing seasons, and experiencing the playoffs for the first time in 2003.

Head Coach Kathy De Angelis recognized the 2007 season as a rebuilding season. This fall has been difficult for the team, as consistency and injury issues have constantly confronted the girls. De Angelis said, “The team is going through the same kind of rebirth process that the current seniors went through when they were freshmen.”

According to senior captain Pemba Ramdoo, her freshman season (2003) functioned as more of a rebuilding season than the current season. Ramdoo said, “There was little experience and quality in positions, the current crop of players have been exposed to an experienced attack/defense line, more coaches, and a proper surface which makes for quick growth.”

Serving as one of the main changes the seniors have seen, the building of the new stadium was a major step for the entire team. Head Coach Kathy De Angelis said earlier this season, “It’s an amazing stride for women’s sports and the field hockey program.”

Nadine Surak, Hofstra’s starting goaltender, admits that getting used to the turf has been a challenge and has functioned as the biggest change in the sport for her because in high school she mainly played on grass. Surak said, “The turf is the ideal surface for our team to increase our skills and play a higher level of field hockey, our team fought really hard to get the turf and it was such a reward to play on it.”

Each of the senior girls has delivered commendable performances on the turf, and has contributed greatly to the team over the past four years. Though the Pride currently has a record of 6-9 (2-4 CAA), the current seniors have seen the best and worst of times.

Coach De Angelis said, “Though we are struggling this year, it was so easy for us last year.” For the past two seasons, Hofstra has competed in the semifinal round of the CAA Championship Tournament for the past two years, losing to Northeastern in 2005 and James Madison in 2006.

Last season, Hofstra had key victories over strong conference contenders. Losing to Delaware in the 2006 regular season, the Pride retaliated in the postseason and defeated Delaware in the CAA postseason. Hofstra won crucial matches against Drexel and Northeastern last year, two opponents who they lost to this year.

According to De Angelis, the senior leaders and captains have contributed to the overall talent of the team. She said, “The seniors have helped our program gain a strong name, they’ll be missed.” Senior defenseman Shannon Alexander is currently tied for the national high in defensive saves, recording nine on the season so far. Nadine Surak, who said, “I had a lot of growing to do when I got to Hofstra,” recorded her first career shutout against conference opponent William and Mary. Ayanna McClean and Pemba Ramdoo, the co-captains of the 2007 team, have motivated their fellow teammates to the best of their ability.

As far as to why this year has been a rebuilding season, Surak said, “We had some very big shoes to fill with the loss of some major starters.”

Surak believes that this year’s losses will help strengthen next year’s returning team. Ramdoo said the one thing the Pride lacks, that the team had at its peak is desire. “It [desire] is the seed of all action- it is the kind of desire that spurs positive changes in skill, spirit, communication, teamwork.”

With only a few days remaining in the regular season senior captain Ramdoo offers strong words to her teammates: “There’s two practice days and two game days. Two days for peace and two days for war. We must fight complacency, satisfaction, fear, injury, and pain. The Time has come to stop planning and play, to stop wishing and will it.”