By Joanna Venditto
The Pride field hockey team has added five new players to its roster for the 2004 fall season. The new set of players includes transfer Leslie DeSimone, formerly of Old Dominion University, and four high school seniors; Elizabeth Huebner of Ohio, Ayanna McClean of Trinidad and Tobago, Laura Passalacqua of New Jersey, and Nadine Surak of New Jersey. The players come not only from various parts of the country, but various parts of the world, and with them a wide knowledge of the game, as well as their unique skills.
Leslie DeSimone was an All-State Group Three and All-County player at Mount Olive High School in New Jersey, and she helped lead her team to the New Jersey State Sectional Championship in 2001. DeSimone registered 72 goals and 46 assists in her high school career. In 2002, she was a red-shirted freshman at Old Dominion, and went on to play six games in the 2003 season. Recently, DeSimone won a spot on Rush, a USA Field Hockey Summer League team. Assistant Coach Wendy Brady Andreatta says the team is, “very excited to get a player of her caliber. ODU has won nine National Championships, so Leslie is coming in with a lot of good experience.” DeSimone will serve as a midfielder and forward for the Pride.
Elizabeth Huebner’s field hockey career has been quite impressive. She ended her senior year at Ottawa Hills High School by being named the 2003 Offensive Player of the Year. She was also given First Team All-Ohio honors in 2003, and she participated in the 2003 Ohio All-Stars game. According to Andreatta, Huebner has, “great athleticism and really good work ethic. She is a very well rounded student athlete.” Huebner will be taking on the position of both a midfielder and defender for the Pride.
Ayanna McClean joins the Pride in hopes of filling the shoes of Kate Sergi, the Pride’s star defender who will be graduating this year. “For next year, it was so important to get a player who could step in and fill in the holes that Sergi will leave,” Andreatta said. “Ayanna is an all around excellent player.” Her past accomplishments certainly support Andreatta’s claim. McClean was on the 2000 Junior National Training team, was captain of the South East Port of Spain Secondary School’s field hockey team in 2001, was named Most Valuable Player of the Invitational Club Indoor Tournament. She also participated in the Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo after becoming a member of the 2003 National Team.
Laura Passalacqua attended Rancocas Valley High School where she was a four-year starter on the field hockey team. She was named All-South Jersey Second Team attack in 2002 and Burlington County Liberty Division First Team attack in 2002 and 2003. Passalacqua also made the 2003 First Team All-South Jersey. “Laura has good skills and comes from a very good high school program,” Andreatta noted. “Plus, she has a lot of enthusiasm for the game.”
Nadine Surak was recruited by the Pride thanks to her impressive skills in goal. She attended Shore Regional High School from 2000-2004, and in that time, she set a school record 25 saves in one game, won the New Jersey state title, the B Central title, and the Shore Conference title all in 2002, and made First Team All-Shore in 2003. Surak has big shoes to fill, considering the Pride’s current goalie Jessica Cowperthwait is an All Colonial Athletic Association player. However, the coaching staff believes that it is always good to have three to four goalkeepers on the team.”We are very pleased with the qualities these newcomers will bring to the Pride. Their competitiveness and skill-level will enhance our squad and add to the talent and depth of our returning players,” head coach Kathy DeAngelis said.