In the Crease and on Turf, Mosca's Always the Leader

Emily Mosca answers the question of her favorite sport to play with poise and honesty - and the way a coach would want.

"Obviously it is the one I'm playing at the time," she says. "It's hard to chose because they are so different."

The senior is revving up for a Bay State title run as the backstopper for the varsity girl's hockey team - a task she learned from her sister, and learned well.

Mosca, a 4-year varsity player, posted a 1.36 goals against average in the 2010-11 season, and through four games has a GAA of 1.75, allowing seven goals and earning four wins.

"She's just been the backbone of the team. She keeps us in every game," her hockey coach Joe Huff says. "She is a huge leader in the locker room."

When Mosca is on, she carries the team on her back - on and off the ice.

Huff reflected on a game last season against Norwood, one of the state's top teams last year.

Down 1-0 to the undefeated Mustangs going into an intermission, Huff, standing outside the locker room, heard Mosca yelling, but couldn't make out what she was saying.

Huff and his coaching staff knocked on the door, went into the locker room and sat back to listen to Mosca's inspiring and motivating speech.

"We just let her go," Huff says. "And then we walked right out."

The Marauders answered Mosca's call to tie the game the very next period.

"She just took control. That's the type of person she is," Huff says. "She's always positive."

While the responsibility of stopping goals falls directly on her in the winter, in the fall she played left mid and served as a 2011 captain on the field hockey team, her third season on varsity.

"It's good to get all types of postions, because you don't want to get stuck doing the same thing year-round," Mosca says.

"Emily is a tough player she pushes herself every day to not only make herself a better player but everyone around her," field hockey coach Erin MacDonald says.

Her goal-stopping ability on the ice transforms into goal-creating on the turf.

"She motivates our team with her leadership skills and she never gives up on a play," MacDonald says.

Mosca wants to play collegiate field hockey - if she finds the right fit. She plans to study education at a state school.

"Hopefully I'll be playing field hockey - it depends on the division," Mosca says.

For such a vocal leader - by all accounts - what better softball postion for Mosca to play than shortstop.

A 2-year varsity softball player - with hopes of making the 2012 squad - Mosca hit lead-off last year for the team and still finished second on the team with 11 RBI, and batted .440.

"[She's] such a competitor, which unfortunately we don't see enough of at the high school level," softball coach Erika Eisenhunt says.

A natural left-handed hitter, Mosca displays power not often seen in softball lead-off hitters that sets the tone, Eisenhunt says. 

"[She] sends a message to her teammates that we all need to hit the ball hard into play," Eisenhunt says, "and to the opposing pitcher, the message that we will be getting our bats on the ball."

But it isn't just about the on-field accolades and statistics for Mosca.

"All my closest friends are from the sports I play," she says. "I've gotten so much more out of the varsity experience, and I'll never forget it."