The seniors on the Northwestern Lehigh softball team are on a mission.

Their first three varsity seasons saw the team reach the PIAA semifinals each year only to fall short of reaching the finals. For those six seniors, this is the year they want to reach the state final and bring home gold.

“A lot of us started working very early for this season,” said senior Molly Schlofer. “Some of us were getting together back in December and January just to do what we can to get in any extra swings and reps that we could. It’s helped us to focus on the team aspect and working together and trying to fit those puzzle pieces together that can make us the best version of what this team can be.”

Head coach Kate Farber, in her third season, is ready to put this streak of semifinal losses behind her and the team.

The Tigers finished 26-3 overall last year and 16-0 league games.

Last year’s team broke a streak of five straight appearances in the District 11 finals without getting gold medals. Northwestern downed North Schuylkill 11-1 in last year’s final.

There were only two seniors on last year’s team. The team returns seniors Emma Freeman and Abby Dunstan, who has caught her best friend since the pair first started playing softball.

Dunstan, a Georgia Tech recruit, led Northwestern in home runs (11), RBI (47) and average (.511) last year.

Freeman continued her run as one of the best pitchers in the area and also hit .430 at the plate.

In addition to the senior leaders, freshman Natalie Conner put together an impressive rookie year with three home runs, 36 RBI, and a .478 average. The combination of a team batting average of .362 with 258 runs scored and a staff ERA of just 1.07 makes Northwestern tough to beat.

“We have a core group of six seniors who have been playing together for a really long time,” said Farber. “They’re great leaders, very confident, very poised and also very hungry to win. With that combination and then juniors and sophomores that have already gained experience and some freshmen that we have, it’s a good mix.”

“It’s been great so far,” said Schlofer. “We have so much great strength coming back and so much potential coming up that we are set up to do great things not just this season, but beyond.”