In its first step to erase memories of last season’s lackluster 6-23 record, the Stony Brook University women’s basketball team hosts the Princeton Tigers on Friday in its season opener. The months of preseason practices have all led up to this, and Head Coach Michele Cherry used only one word to describe the feeling of going into the first game: ‘finally.’

‘We finally get to put what we’ve been working on on display,’ said Cherry. ‘We want to get as many people to come as we can. We’re encouraging everybody to come out.’

The Seawolves will need the home crowd’s support, as they take on a Princeton team that routed them last season in New Jersey. The Tigers put Stony Brook on the wrong end of an 88-41 final score, and added another tough loss to the Seawolves’ record. This year, Princeton returns 3 starters and 8 letterwinners in its visit to Pritchard Gymnasium, the first game of its season as well.

However, last year’s loss will have no influence on this year’s outcome, according to Cherry. ‘Last year had nothing to do with this year,’ she said, ‘To me, a loss is a loss. Take them as they come.’

They came at a steady pace last year, as the Seawolves struggled early on, getting their first victory 8 games into the season. But the youth and potential on the Seawolves roster can be catalysts to a successful season. The team returns four starters and seven players in total from last year’s team. With the core intact, Stony Brook is expecting contributions from each of the five new faces on the team, the freshmen going into their first official collegiate game.

The Seawolves will try to use their quickness to their advantage, in hopes of avenging last year’s loss. ‘We want to play an up-tempo style,’ said Cherry, ‘For that, we have to play pressure defense. We have to mix things up and score quickly.’

If the Seawolves execute the game plan, they could already be better than last year’s team by coming out with a win in the season opener. Tip off is slated for 7:00 p.m. on Friday.