Bailey Brewer (left) gives Bella Collamore a big hug after Collamore scored to tie the game 3-3 against Morse on September 2. (Mic LeBel photo)
The Lincoln Academy field hockey team has not recorded a winning season since 1996, but after years of rebuilding the program from the ground up, the Eagles appear poised to break through this season.
Lincoln Academy, which went 4-10 and missed the playoffs in 2024, now has an experienced roster and a new assistant coach that could make a difference this season.
“Our goals for the team this season are to win at least half of our games, and to get our goal differential (total goals scored compared to goals against) as close to even as we can,” said Eagles head coach Lindsey Herring. One factor that may help the team to a winning record is the addition of an assistant coach with a lot of experience.
“I’m lucky to have the part-time help of my uncle, Thom McGill, who recently retired from his role as assistant coach of the Dover-Sherborn Raiders in Massachusetts,” said Herring. “Not only is he a wealth of field hockey knowledge, his passion for the game is infectious, inspiring … players, parents, and coaches.”
The team has been putting in more work in the offseason and during the preseason than in past years.
“This preseason I put a stronger emphasis on conditioning including a one hour session of conditioning and a separate two hour session for skills and drills each day,” said Herring. “I’ve already seen a big difference in the girls’ speed and stamina in our scrimmages. We also had a large group of girls play club field hockey in the offseason, which has elevated their skills and grown their field hockey knowledge.”
The Eagles have four experienced seniors that will lead the way this season. Francis McGonigle-Dow, Lexie Houghton, Amelia Starbird, and Bailey Brewer are all returning starters from last season. Starbird is a two-time captain of the team who is the core of the defensive backfield. Brewer joins Starbird as the other team captain this season. The speedy, skilled forward led the Eagles in scoring last season with 10 goals and six assists. Houghton is a veteran forward who tallied four goals and one assist in 2024. McGonigle-Dow is the leader of the Eagles midfield. She controls the ball for the Eagles, and can also contribute to the offense, scoring one goal and two assists last year.
The Eagles lost a pair of strong defenders to graduation last season, but Herring has been encouraged by the play of three sophomores that have stepped up to fill those two starting roles. Zea Arbuckle, Miriam Gordon, and Isabel Oyer-Bathe have risen from last year’s junior varsity team to fill the vacancies in the back end.
“I have been impressed with how quickly those players have stepped up to the challenge, especially after playing strictly JV last season,” said Herring. “Another sophomore who has really impressed me during the preseason is sophomore Elise Lupien, who has earned a starting position at the midfield.”
Another player highlighted by Herring to emerge as a key difference-maker is sophomore goalie James Neptune-Benner.
“James is the epitome of small but mighty,” said Herring. “In a recent Play Day tournament they made 27 saves in four games while only giving up three goals.”
Lincoln Academy will play its season opener at Winslow on Thursday, Sept. 4.
