Spotlight: Brandi Alexander

Last year's Penn field hockey team came across many difficult in-game situations. Almost every time, they would turn to all-Ivy League defensive leader, Monique Horshaw.

Horshaw is now gone.

This years team will instead be looking to its new senior member, Brandi Alexander.

Alexander is coming off a junior campaign in which she started all 17 games and was named the Most Improved Player on the Quakers.

However, Alexander is not looking to do it all. The entire defensive unit is experienced.

"Our defense has worked together a lot over the past year," Alexander said. "We played with each other last year and have really looked good this preseason."

Unlike last year, when Horshaw was the undeniable leader of the defense, Alexander sees this year's Quakers as having much more balance.

"I don't think that I'm the leader of the defense," Alexander said. "We all talk to each other and help each other out. There's no real leader because we all work so well together."

Despite having a freshman goalkeeper -- Amanda Jacobs -- between the pipes, the senior defensive star is very confident.

"The freshmen have all looked really good in the preseason," Alexander said. "We don't feel any extra pressure, having her behind us. She's looked great."

Head coach Val Cloud seemed very happy with the way that the defensive unit has looked as well.

"The freshman keeper is not something I'm too worried about," Cloud said. "She has been doing great and we are very solid in front of her. They are senior anchored and have had the best preseason we have had since I've been here."

After evenly progressing through her freshman year, Alexander played in only two games as a sophomore.

As a junior, however, she started all 17 matches.

Although it may seem logical to demand playing time as a senior, Alexander comes into this season with no real expectations.

"I just want to take the season one game at a time," Alexander said. "I don't want to have to worry about reaching one specific goal."

There are several areas in which the defense as a whole is looking to improve, however.

"We haven't set any statistical goals, we just want to do a lot of the little things better," Alexander said. "We feel that our team is a lot more balanced this year. We don't have so much pressure on us this year, so we just want to concentrate on little things that will help us as a team."

One of the things that Alexander will be looking to improve upon this year will be her offense. After scoring her first college goal last year, she will look to remain a part of the offensive plans this season.

"I'm going to be involved in the corners and other set plays like that again this year," Alexander said. "I won't be looking to score goals, but I should get some opportunities during the season."

The Red and Blue have five senior starters, returning from last year's 6-11 squad that went 4-3 in the Ivy League. They have much more balance and depth than they did last year.

And Alexander is expecting high things this season from herself and her teammates.

"We are looking to come out strong this year after we finished so well last year," said the senior leader. "We looked really good in the Alumni Game this past weekend and we are going to be looking to carry that over into the season."

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