As the 2013 George Mason lacrosse season is just around the corner, fifth year head coach Lauren Hay took a few moments to preview the season. The Patriots open the season with an exhibition game against the Scottish National Team on February 17 before officially kicking off the season at Longwood on Feb. 20.

1. The team opens the season with an exhibition match against the Scottish National Team on February 17. What are you looking to get out of the exhibition and what experience will the team gain out of playing an international squad?

Hay: The exhibition game against the Scottish National Team is a great opportunity for us to continue working on the elements of our game that we found success in from the fall season and help us to make any changes needed before starting up our non-conference schedule. Playing against the Scottish National Team is also a great opportunity for our players to experience international play as well as showcase the growth of our sport around the world. We are honored to host the Scottish National Team and hope to continue the relationship with international teams in the future.

2. The team has a challenging non-conference schedule which includes home games against Brown and Bucknell. How will that help the team prepare for the ever-challenging conference schedule?

Hay: We are excited to play these competitive out-of-conference teams which will prepare us for our always challenging conference games. With a strong core of veterans returning, the bar has been set very high and our newcomers have quickly followed suit. We are looking forward to showcasing our level of play in both the exhibition and non-conference games.

3. The team lost five seniors last season including All-CAA honorees Emily Ellisen and Kiersten Jauschnegg. How will you fill the void left by the senior class last season which includes the loss of two of the team's top scorers in Ellisen and Mary Schwartz?

Hay: Our fall season provided us the time needed to remold our team and we have had players step up and seamlessly fill in positions.

In regards to our offense, we revamped our attacking unit this season and from the results of our fall ball tournaments, we are looking to continue that success and have a very balanced attack this spring season.

4. There are six new additions to the squad freshman wise. How have they transitioned into collegiate lacrosse and how will they be utilized this season?

Hay: Our freshmen class transitioned smoothly into our program. They are a strong class and we will look to them for depth this spring season.

5. In addition to six new student-athletes, the team added two new assistant coaches this season. What do you think that will bring to the team?

Hay: The team dynamic coupled with the new coaching staff has brought new energy into the program. Adam [Norton] and Nancy [Baker] have a tremendous amount of knowledge for the game and have done a great job preparing the team for the spring season.