Liberty field hockey head coach Jill Dorn expects more from the team this fall and the Hurricanes might have the right ingredients to surprise.

The Hurricanes have a quality mix of veterans and talented youth to hopefully make a bump from last year’s 4-6 mark.

“This year’s team will build and learn to adjust to the varsity level of competition while fostering the youth of the team,” said Dorn. “With a large and talented freshman class, we show a lot of promise, acclimating everyone to the system of play. We are fortunate to have players who better themselves by playing year round and on various club teams. Upperclassmen have been asked to answer the call of fulfilling leadership roles that have fallen upon them due to last year’s graduating captains. We have a lot of speed and will harness that with aggression and raise the level of cerebral play.”

Returning players include Tavia Flecksteiner (attack, senior); Victoria Oquendo (GK, senior); Sydney Taylor (defender, senior); Sarah Fitzpatrick (defender, junior) Jazmyne Frack (midfield/attack, junior) and Ruby Miller (attack, sophomore).

This year’s large incoming class includes Nicole Guzman (defender, senior); Grace Baldo (midfield, junior); Trinity Dunstan (midfield/attack, junior); Reva Singh (midfield, junior); Martina Tsamoutalidis (attack, junior); Caedwyn Bardsley-Cutler (GK, sophomore); Ava Sabetti (attack, sophomore); Danielle Walz (midfield/attack, sophomore); Cozette Frack (attack, freshman); Ava George (attack, freshman); Malia Lockhart (attack, freshman); Tula Sobrinski (attack, freshman) and Emily Taveres (midfield/attack, freshman). Junior Jillian Mayes is also recovering from ACL surgery in May.

“The goals of this year’s team are to work hard to win the 50/50 balls by moving aggressively,” Dorn said. “Communication needs to improve. We need to learn the system of precision passing and break the habit of playing hit and chase.”