After putting together a banner campaign in 2017, the Hand field hockey team comes into the 2018 season with its sights set on defending the conference and state championships that it won last year. In their quest to make more history, the Tigers are taking the field with a roster full of returning veterans and hungry newcomers who have the tenacity to outwork their adversaries.

Last fall, Head Coach Sue Leckey’s club won the SCC Tournament by defeating Hamden (3-0) in the quarterfinals, Cheshire (3-2) in the semis, and Branford by a 1-0 score in the final after winning the decisive penalty-stroke session, 4-2.

The Tigers then entered the Class M State Tournament as the No. 2 seed and won their first three games against E.O. Smith (6-1), Sacred Heart Academy (5-0), and Guilford (1-0) to advance to the final and a matchup against two-time defending champion New Canaan. The Tigers scratched out a 2-1 victory to give Hand its second state title in program history en route to an overall record of 20-1-2.

As her team begins another season, Coach Leckey said the Tigers are focused on bonding and hustling throughout the first two months to prepare for the potential postseason challenges of November. Hand stormed out of the gate by netting a 9-2 victory at North Haven in its opener on Sept. 11. Hand finished its first week at 3-0 after posting a 6-0 home shutout over Sheehan on Sept. 14 and then turning around to edge out Glastonbury by a 1-0 final the following day.

“Team chemistry and work ethic will be critical to how we grow as a team and will determine whether we can compete with the best when the postseason tournaments begin,” said Leckey. “We have the athleticism, but we will need to jell and hone our desire to be a strong unit. We need to nurture the will to work harder than our opponents.”

Hand’s three senior captains are Erickson Richard, Anna Beccia, and Hattie Burt. Richard, a four-year varsity player, returns on the offensive side following 2017 campaign that saw her finish as the team’s second-leading scorer. Beccia adds depth to the offense as a three-year varsity letter winner, while Burt will serve as a flex player for the Tigers.

“Erickson is a talented athlete that will head our offensive production. Anna will be one of our key offensive threats this season. She is experienced and likes to compete,” Coach Leckey said. “Hattie is in her second season with varsity. She has great athleticism and can play anywhere. She will play a key supporting role in the ability to play any position when needed.”

The Tigers are also bringing back a pair of high-scoring starters from last year’s championship run in senior forward/midfielder Kathryn Donahey, plus junior Jacqui Sandor, who’s playing the midfield this season. Coach Leckey said both players give Hand some of the punch that it needs to get back to the top.

“Two returning varsity players who played a key role on our championship team with their speed, athleticism, coachability, and team-first mentality will be scorers this season,” said Leckey. “They were our two goal scorers in the championship game a year ago in junior Jacqui Sandor and senior Kathryn Donahey.”

Hand has two athletes at the goalkeeper’s position this year. Junior Karen Newtown is starting for the Tigers, while senior Lena Conway can also play the cage.

“Karen will see the majority of the playing time this season and is expected to do a great job,” said Leckey. “She will be supported by a hard-working senior goalie in Lena Conway.”

Going through the rest of the lineup, juniors Maeve Connors and Lucy Cutler are returning for Hand and will be relied upon at both the forward and midfielder positions. Other players expected to contribute on offense are seniors Jacqueline McKeown, Ali Lord, Mary Arida, and Jackie Odyniec; along with juniors Maggie Kalinich, Tessie Sheehan, Amy Woods, and Isabelle Fenn.

On the opposite end of the field, the Tigers’ back line is being led by juniors Ciara Halloran, Kennedy Richard, and Jess Murphy, and will also include fellow defenders Nell McArdle, Katherine Barrett, Maeve Miller, and Madi Mortenson, who are all seniors.

In last week’s win against Sheehan, Beccia scored two goals for the Tigers, while Donahey, Richard, McKeown, and sophomore Grace Hartmann each had one. Assisting on scores were Richard, Connors, Donahey, and junior Amy Woods. Newton made three saves in goal for Hand.

In the Glastonbury contest, Sandor scored the deciding goal at the 26:30 mark with assists from Connors and Richard. Newton earned the shutout by making two saves.

The Tigers will be competing against their fair share of fellow SCC powerhouses this year, while also testing their mettle against several perennial postseason contenders from around the state. No matter the opponent, Coach Leckey knows that Hand’s difficult schedule will go a long way toward helping the Tigers establish their identity and build camaraderie on the turf.

“We have a tough schedule with seasonal SCC matchups against Branford, Guilford, and Cheshire, as well as a very tough out-of-league schedule against Glastonbury, Norwalk, and Darien,” Coach Leckey said. “We know we can compete. We have to prove we can win and that we can play as a team.”

From the Sidelines

This will be Sue Leckey’s 17th year as head coach of the Hand field hockey squad.

Mike Niekrash is once again serving as an assistant coach for the Tigers this fall. Niekrash is also the head coach for the Hand softball team in the spring.

Last season, the Tigers finished ranked first in the Connecticut High School Coaches Association Poll.