Through the first four games of the season, first-year Catasauqua field hockey head coach Amanda Freiler hasn’t seen the start she expected.

The Rough Riders began with a 0-4 record with losses to Wilson (1-0), Palmerton (6-3), Moravian (5-1), and Southern Lehigh (3-0). Jordan Soltis and Abby Antipas each have scored two goals apiece.

“We are working hard,” said Freiler. “So far, the beginning of the season has not been what we have hoped for.

“One thing our athletic director pointed out to me was that was the closest Catty has lost to Southern Lehigh by in years.”

Along with Southern Lehigh, Freiler has seen progress made against the other three opponents.

“Looking back at last year’s games, these four teams beat the team by seven-plus goals to zero,” added Freiler. “So, we are closing the gap, as well as starting to find the cage offensively too.

“Those four teams are tough, and we hope that we can take all of the hard work and carry it over to earn a win in the upcoming week.”

The Roughies will be on the road this week, playing at Northern Lehigh Wednesday, Pocono Mountain East Thursday, and Bethlehem Catholic Saturday. They may have some fortune this week, as all three teams began the week with 0-4 records.

Catty has six seniors on its current roster. Goalie Sophia Becker has been averaging more than 20 saves per game. Freiler also has seen progress from nine freshmen on the roster.

Freiler is optimistic her team can turn the corner this year. This week could be a good gauge for the remainder of the season. Freiler certainly knows about winning, as she was part of the 2005 Colonial League Championship team.

“I know the girls are determined to keep grinding,” stated Freiler. “We have great team morale, discussing what we did good and what we need to work on from our prior games.

“They also are very excited to be finally scoring, and they have gained some confidence from that. We just need to keep plugging away.”