Bromfield Girls Lacrosse Exceeding Expectations

Saturday, May 19, 2012

Joe Parello, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

The girls lacrosse team at Bromfield School has exceeded expectations this year, and is now in the process of fighting for playoff positioning.

“We’re sort of having to re-evaluate of our goals for the season,” first year coach Hilary Kuss said. “I didn’t really know what to expect this year, but I think we’ve exceeded any expectations we had as a team already.”

The Trojans currently sit at 11-4 and in fourth place of the Mid Wach B standings. A little less than two weeks ago, the Trojans scored the biggest win in recent program history, upsetting first-place Oakmont 12-10 at home.

Bromfield has already locked itself into the playoffs with an above .500 record, and it isn’t just Kuss that is a little shocked.

“I am so surprised by this year’s team,” junior defender Miranda DeGugliemo said. “My expectations for this year have been met, and then some. I’m so proud of our team and how hard we’ve worked this year.”

Kuss credits her players for playing as a collective unit, and picking things up so quickly. But her players know that their new coach brings a new level of expertise to the program.

“Hilary is a fantastic coach,” DeGugliemo said. “She’s played a lot of lacrosse, and you can tell she really knows the game. She’s an excellent teacher.”

While a new coach always brings change, the team also had to deal with losing many key contributors from last year’s team. The Trojans lost seven starters from their 2011 squad, and has relied on a group of inexperienced players this season.

“Half of our starting lineup this year has never played (varsity) before,” junior attacker Lily Alfano said. “(As older players) we’re doing a lot to lead the team. During practice we try to set the tone, and we’re teaching the younger girls hwo to play as a team.”

The team definitely has some youth. The Trojans carry a pair of middle school players, and Kuss thinks the development of her younger players is ahead of schedule.

“It’s been a surprise,” Kuss said. “We’re working together as a team really well, and I am trying to incorporate the younger players more as the year has gone on. That’s been important, and they’ve played well.”

With the season nearing an end and the playoffs approaching, Degugliemo believes the team has already been successful.

“If we keep playing the way we’ve been playing,” Degugliemo said. “Even if we lose the rest of our games, I will consider this year a success. We’ve just come so far.”