Hudson girls soccer team knows how to win
By Ken Powers Contributing Writer

Hudson - To bring diamond vision to the soccer pitch: that's what Hudson High girls soccer coach Russ Davis hopes his team is able to accomplish this season.

A key core of Hawks booters this season, including two of the four captains - cousins Laura and Kristen Bowen - were members of the softball team that captured the Division 2 state title in June.

"It's what they bring to this team that will be important for our development," Davis said. "They know what it takes to succeed, to advance. They know the hard work that is required.

"Kids who haven't been through it think they know what it takes, but they don't," Davis said. "It's not their fault, they haven't been through it so they just don't know. They can't know. But these girls know and they can - and will - share their insights and that will make us a better team."

The group of soccer players with that state championship softball pedigree also includes Melissa Tobin and Maire Joyce.

The Hawks will need all the success from the softball team they can get to successfully overcome the loss of six starters off last year's 10- 7-2 team, a squad that was eliminated from the Division 1 tournament by Nashoba Regional.

Davis - and Hudson's - returning starters include senior forward Laura Bowen, senior outside midfielder Kristen Bowen, senior outside midfielder Allie Beauregard, junior center back Alex Barbert and Tobin, a junior right back. Another returning player who saw a lot of playing time is senior stopper Lindsay Kenney.

Barber and Beauregard will serve as team captains along with Bowen and Bowen.

"It's a transition year for us. If we hope to have any chance of a postseason berth or postseason success, we need to get better as the season goes along," Davis said. "The biggest thing right now is finding the right people to fit in the right places, playing alongside the right people. Who fits right where."

Entering the week the Hawks were 1-0, having defeated Gardner High, 3-1. They began to play arch-rival Marlborough High Sept. 8, but that game was suspended by lightning in the first half with Marlborough ahead, 2-0.

Davis said he doesn't know if the game will be postponed, cancelled, resumed from the point it was suspended or re-started from the beginning.

The goalkeeper position - being battled for by senior Stephanie Domenicucci and sophomore Michelle Serrantino - is the one that is troubling Davis the most in the season's early stages. Domenicucci started both games.

"I got spoiled having [goalkeeper Tanya] Braga back there for four years," Davis said. "The goal position is one where the girl playing it has to be comfortable being in there, but the team has to be comfortable playing in front of her and the coach has to be comfortable knowing that she's going to get the job done. I think on all three of those levels its coming together, it just takes time."

Davis said he expect to get his offense from the quartet of Laura Bowen, junior forward Sam Correia, sophomore center-midfielder/ forward Kelli Chaisson and senior center-midfielder Ashley Bridgeman.