But last year's asset becomes this season's uncertainty.,”Julie Thompson, Lindsay Michuda and Sarah Uyenishi, who started a combined eight seasons during their time at Marquette, balanced offensive creativity with defensive tenacity in 2005 and played a large role in the team's NCAA tournament run.

But last year's asset becomes this season's uncertainty.

The likely candidates to replace the graduated trio are senior Lauren Weber and sophomores Aubrey Trembly and Shaina Mango, but head coach Markus Roeders said a consistent rotation will not be decided upon in the near future.

"Have we settled into a starting lineup yet? No," Roeders said. "Is there a flow to the game out of the midfield, does the midfield link the backline and frontline yet and is it a smooth transition? It's not. We just haven't had enough time for that. It's not going to be a finished product for a while."

At the start, Weber likely will play the central midfield role, with Trembly and Mango on either side.

"At times last spring they looked very good and had better possession skills than the midfield last fall," Roeders said. "Trembly and Mango are true possession players, and maybe they're not as creative with the ball as Thompson or Michuda, but they're more efficient with the ball."

Efficiency is fine, but the team may need an attacking playmaker to link the midfield to the team's deep and talented frontline.

Roeders said he might try junior forward Allison Mallams, who sat out last season after transferring, in this role. But playing Mallams behind the forwards may decrease her scoring chances.

Weber started at forward in 2005, scoring six goals, but previously had played in central midfield. She said that although the coaches still were experimenting with new formations during the preseason, she was confident the midfield would click after a few games.

"Getting chemistry will come naturally as the season goes along," Weber said.

Roeders is counting on Weber, as a senior and returning starter, to lead the chemistry-building process.

Coaches said Mango, who played in 14 of the team's 24 games in 2005, was one of the most impressive players during the offseason.

The 5-foot-1-inch Trembly, a regular substitute off the bench last season, seems like a fitting successor to the 5-0 Michuda or the 5-2 Thompson based on size. The sophomore gained valuable experience watching how her undersized teammates held their own.

"They were just so composed. Being small like me, it was important for them to use their body well against bigger players," Trembly said. "We definitely have huge shoes to fill."

The quicker the midfield fills those shoes, the easier it will be for the team to match last year's success.

“