The women’s soccer team plays their first game at MIT Friday, and Coach Denise Dallamora is optimistic about the team’s prospects this year.

The team has 12 new first-years, Dallamora said, who are part of the “awesome group of players in both talent and as people.”

When asked about the impact of the new recruits, Dallamora said that “it really depends on the talent, and of course it’s easier to have senior players, but we will start [as many as] five first-years.”

About the now-graduated seniors, Dallamora said it would be tough without them simply because they are such great players.

Captains this year will be Francine Kofinas ’13, Kelly Peterson ’14, Mary Shimko ’14 and Zoe Siegel ’13.

The team will use a different formation this year, the coach said. “Tactically, we’ll have three front runners this year, so we’re hoping to get a boost of scoring power by using a different [formation].”

Last year, the team went 6-11-2 overall, and in the conference the team went winless, losing six games and tying one.

One returning player, Alec Spivack ’15, predicted a more successful season, starting with tomorrow’s match at MIT. “I think we’re going to do really well,” she said, especially as compared to last fall.

Spivack, who plays defensive center-mid, said, “Last year was upsetting, but the new first-years are going to make a big impact this year,” adding that “at least two and maybe more are starting, which is huge.”

She attributed her optimism as well to greater team morale.

“The team as a whole, we’re trying to make sure everyone keeps their head up, that everyone stays positive,” she said. “We’re doing a lot more team bonding—we were really missing that type of chemistry last year.”

The seniors will be missed, Spivack said, especially since “all six of our graduating seniors started, so we have at least six new positions.” But at the same time, the team is hopeful, she added, due to the new talent that happens to be scheduled for those six spots.