By Alana Pelosi
One is a two-year captain from Virginia who excels academically in addition to her time spent in goal. Another is an upbeat Long Island native and former cheerleader who is always trying to keep things positive. The two may live under the same roof while at school, but the similarities stop there, as one is a defenseman from Colorado and the other an attack from Maryland.
The energetic group of seniors comprised of Maisie Osteen, Debbie Stellke, Kerrin Fraser and Kelly McGrath, or as they are better known by their teammates as “The Box,” has evolved over the past four seasons from young freshman into four leaders both on and off the field.
The girls, who originally started out as a group of five, are now more like sisters who can finish each other’s sentences and talk and unison than teammates. As Debbie explained, “We are definitely a close class because we are such a small size.”
Their coach, Abby Morgan, agreed. “The have been a crew from day one because they were such a small class they were adamant about always being together.”
These young women were Coach Morgan’s first recruiting class at Hofstra and one that she has seen evolve greatly. The changes they have experienced over the years have not only shaped them as players, but also leaders, so much so that Morgan did not believe she could pick one clear cut leader of the group.
Kelly agreed with her Coach, “There really isn’t a leader because we all have a different style. The three of us [Kelly, Maisie and Debbie] are more vocal, but Kerrin’s a workhorse and she gets things done.”
While they are natural leaders and the rest of the team often agrees with them, their small size sometimes can be a disadvantage because as Maisie put it, “It’s hard to drive home a point and be taken seriously with only three people always backing you up.”
Lucky for them, they are on a team where everyone is a close. As they explained, every year the team is getting closer so it is almost as if there are no divisions between the classes, and it shows.
Often, the girls can be spotted around campus together after practice in the cafeteria, or just hanging out because as Kerrin put it, “We share the same lives.”
While they may share lives now, at the end of season their roads all will continue in different directions – well, mostly different that is.
Despite Maisie heading to England, Debbie becoming an English teacher, Kelly looking towards graduate schools and Kerrin sticking around another semester while she takes additional courses to become a physical therapist, these four remarkable young women are not about to call it quits just yet.
In the United Kingdom, Maisie will continue her career as a member of the Welsh national squad, Debbie plans to coach in addition to teaching and Kelly would also like to coach near her hometown of Baltimore. Kerrin, in addition to her studies, hopes volunteer around Hofstra helping out her old teammates, and later head over to England were she aims to join the Lacrosse Development Organization.
Before they embark down their future roads, however, they still have some unfinished business they would like to take care of.
They have no intentions of handing over the CAA title they helped earn last season, and now their sights are set even higher.
While keeping the CAA in mind, they are striving to end on the highest note possible: a visit to the National Championship game.
If others doubt the squad because of a 4-5 record, they’d best think again. In Sunday’s 10-9 victory over conference rival Drexel, the Pride showed they meant business.
Not only was this win just what the team needed after falling 1-4 in their past five games, but it certainly puts them in a great position to start off conference play.
Of the victory Morgan said, “It wasn’t and easy win and we had to fight all 60 minutes, but a win does make a difference and it gives them an extra vote of confidence for the conference.”
The seniors along with the rest of their team must ready themselves for their Friday game against a Towson squad, who may have lost their biggest scorer to graduation, but will also have the home field advantage down in Maryland.
The four, who have been starters this season, while no doubt have a lot show on the field. Yet regardless of the results of the next few games, they hope to make the most of their last couple of months together. “No matter what happens,” says Kerrin, “we want the team remembering us for being motivators and respecting us for never giving up.”