The Toll Gate Lady Titans basketball team is set to kick off the 2018-19 season. Toll Gate returns three starters from last year.

Last season, the Lady Titans finished with an 8-10 record in Division III before they were knocked out of the preliminary round of the playoffs by Blackstone Valley. Graduate Christina Barry had a team-high 11 points and fellow grad Quinn Freeman was second in scoring with nine. With those players now gone, the team is looking for new leaders.

“Everybody needs to step up,” Toll Gate head coach Owen Paquet said. “The girls that were on JV last year and playing varsity this year have to meld themselves into a way that I can use them with rebounds and finding a role for each girl.”

Starting this season for the Lady Titans will be junior guard Samantha Arnold, sophomore guard Meghan Merrow, forwards Natalie Aloisio and Emily May, and playing center will be senior Isabel Donnelly.

“Isabel Donnelly is going to be a big help to us in the center position with blocks and defense and she’s a good little ball handler,” Paquet said. “So, it’s going to help in the long run.”

“She averaged 10 to 15 blocks a game last year, so I’m expecting the same thing out of her this year,” Paquet continued. “Her timing’s unbelievable. She’s a great kid, and on offense if we can get her to score a couple of points for us on top of those blocks, things will go well.”

May missed much of last season with a concussion and this year she is returning to form.

“It’s her senior year this year and she’s looking good for us,” Paquet said. “Her quickness, and her speed are going to help.”

Arnold, is a returning starter, who is known for her defensive prowess and shooting touch.

“She’s got a great shot,” Paquet said. “And, she’s looking good for defense too.”

Coming off the bench for Toll Gate will be Laci Vieira, Kaleigh Harris, Jazmai Thompson, Ella Grace Allen, Honor Meunier and Samantha Bertrand.

As the season comes upon them, the coach has set some goals for his squad.

“We’re looking to progress in the short term, in the next week or two with the games we set up,” Paquet said. “And, in the long run, if we can just keep our motivation high and our adrenaline, we should be good to go.”

Toll Gate faced off against West Warwick in an injury fund contest on Tuesday night and Vieira, a senior, struck fire from behind the arc in the second half.

“She buried three 3’s for us,” Paquet said. “Nice little shot on the wing. She’s going to be a crucial girl coming off the bench for us to get our starters breaks. And, if she keeps those 3’s coming, it’s going to go quite nicely for us.”

Toll Gate opens the regular season next Tuesday night, December 11, against Exeter-West Greenwich at home.