Sept. 10, 2009

Molly Clay is left all alone at UMass-Lowell. No former Rockport teammate to look to.

Clay lost her teammate confidante, Michelle Harrington, who finished a brilliant career as Clay's teammate on the UMass Lowell field hockey team when she graduated last season. Harrington won the Northeast-10 Player of the Year award last fall.

Clay, a senior, is left to carry on the tradition of stellar Rockport players on the Division 2 NCAA collegiate team.

According to her coach, the tradition of Rockport excellence lives on through Clay.

"Molly is arguably the best left midfielder in the conference," UMass Lowell coach Shannon Hlebichuk said. "She has solid fundamentals and is a huge factor in our success."

Hlebichick once called Clay "the most consistent left midfielder we have ever had."

UMass-Lowell, ranked No. 2 nationally, was coming off an 8-5 victory over No. 9 Mansfield, Pa., heading into non-conference game against Southern Connecticut State Tuesday night. Clay already has an assist for the River Hawks (4-0 overall, 0-0 Northeast-10).

Last year, Clay was named to the NFHCA Division 2 National Academic Squad and was honored as Northeast-10 Second Team All-Star. She played in 25 games, tallying nine points on two goals and five assists and was named 2008 NE-10 Second Team All-Conference. She had two multiple-goal scoring games.

The team has made back-to-back appearances in the national championship game, but lost each time.

Clay has done her part to help. She has started in virtually every game since her sophomore season, when she had six goals and two assists.

Academics has been a mainstay as well; selections to the all-academic squad have come each year.

It's much of the same story from Clay's high school career in Rockport, where she played for coach Mary Ryan.

The plastics engineering major said the ultimate goal is the national championship. But first things first - the Northeast-10 conference crown, a feat they captured six straight years.

"It has really been a great four years with our (senior) class, and I believe in this group of girls," Clay said. "We've made it so close to that ultimate goal for our team, a national championship, and that's something we'd all really like to accomplish this year before we leave UMass Lowell."