Captain Melissa Tetreau ’06 and the rest of the Andover Varsity Softball team are confidently anticipating the upcoming season, and indeed there is great cause of hope for an extremely successful season for the team. With a few new key additions added to the group under the head coaching of Peter Drench, the new team will dare the competition to challenge it as the 2005 season commences. With only a few seniors lost last season, the team’s strong core group of veterans still remains. A powerful infield defense includes shortstop Captain Tetreau ’06, first basemen Katie Koh ’05, and infielder Jamie Love ’06. The tenacity of these girls will again serve the team well. Outfield positions include Samantha Demetriou ’05, Lindsay Maroney ’07, and Natalie McGarry ’05. New outfielders Ansley LaHue ’06 and Becky Paskievich ’05 are added to the roster as the season begins. Laura Ferraro ’06 is also a new player for the team, able to fill a variety of positions and adding to the depth and strength of the new lineup. For another season Amy Prosper ’06 starts as leading pitcher looking to lead the defense by striking out opponents. “We did loose three seniors last year, but we also gained four to five new kids who are really looking forward to getting out there on the field to play. Everything has been coming together nicely, and all we need now is for the weather to warm-up and this season will start strong,” said Prosper. Joining as new pitchers and adding to the bright future of the team are Claire Fox ’06 and Veda Eswarappa ’08. Said Coach Peter Drench, “We’ve added pitching depth behind Amy Prosper ’06, who did a great job shouldering the entire load a year ago, as newcomers Claire Fox ’06 and Veda Eswarappa ’08 will be asked to share the pitching.” Catchers Megan Winn ’05 and Arianna Wilkinson ’06 welcome new catcher Stephanie Clegg ’08 to the roster, helping them tenaciously defend home plate from the opponent’s runners. These girls are also available to play other valuable positions on the field. Combining the returning center of the team with new talent will prove extremely vital to the anticipated achievement for the team. Captain Tetreau ’06 said, “This upcoming season is looking great. We added depth to our roster with a couple new pitchers as well as others who can play multiple positions. We have a strong core of players returning but the new additions will be a big factor in our success this year.” Andover softball is looking forward to the upcoming season. The team is hoping to improve its 10-7 record from last year as it hits the field for the 2005 season. Head Coach Drench as well as Assistant Coaches Sandra Catoen and Kate Benson prepare the newly fielded team for a win as it plays its first game on Saturday against St. Mark’s at home on Isham Field. Coach Drench said, “We’re really looking forward to this spring. While nobody can say for sure how a team will be until it has played outside for 2-3 weeks, at this time of year optimism reigns. There’s still some sorting out to do when it comes to our lineup, and we’re anxious to begin working on that as soon as Isham Field is playable”
