BANGOR, Maine — Husson University field hockey coach Madeline Hoeppner, at the age of 23, is barely older than some of her players.
But the first-year coach has guided the 9-8 Eagles to their first North Atlantic Conference championship since 2011 and a spot in the NCAA Division III Tournament, where they will meet No. 16 Mount Holyoke, 16-3, in the first-round game in South Hadley, Massachusetts, at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
“Things have gone very well,” said Hoeppner, who played field hockey at Division I Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, Connecticut, before graduating with a degree in marketing in 2013. “The girls have been very respectful. They love the game and want to have fun, and that’s what I’m all about. As long as they come driven at practice every day, it’s going to be a good day for us.”
She said her team has improved steadily and is playing its best field hockey right now.
“We have a very well-rounded team,” she said.
Husson will be looking for its first ever NCAA Tournament win in field hockey.
“They have a lot of talent, but we feel we can win,” Hoeppner said.
The Eagles have allowed only three goals in their last five games.
Seniors Annika Durrell of Livermore and Melissa Souza of Massachusetts and junior Kayla Royer of Greene have been exceptional in the back, she said. In addition to their defensive prowess, Souza has six goals and two assists, Durrell has 3 & 1 and Royer has 1 & 2.
In goal, Newfield freshman Abby Greenleaf and Rhode Island-native Kaitlin Dolloff, a sophomore, have “really rose to the challenge” according to Hoeppner. They have combined for a 1.54 goals-against average and .794 save percentage.
The scoring has been balanced as five players have scored at least five goals, including Souza.
Former Nokomis High of Newport teammates Taylor Lovley (8 & 6) and Taylor Shaw (5 & 2) — sophomore and freshman, respectively — start up front with Belfast junior Britt Mellor, whose first goal came in the double overtime win over University of Maine at Farmington in the NAC final.
Skowhegan freshman Mikayla Toth (1 & 4) is the central midfielder. She is flanked by Dexter sophomore Libby Kain (9 & 2) and Hampden junior Olivia Plaisted (1 & 3).
Mount Holyoke features Kirsten Kilburn (13 & 18), Charlotte Wagner (12 & 12), Sophie Perekslis (14 & 0) and Julia Bell (12 & 3). The Lyons have two Maine natives who have dented the scoresheet in junior Sarah LaQuerre (5 & 7 in 18 games) from Old Orchard Beach and Portland’s Cheverus High School and Old Town freshman Kathryn Rawson (2 & 0 in 17 games).