Taking care of business

Before returning to the College of the Holy Cross for preseason soccer camp in mid-August, Ali Peters had some business to take care of this summer.

The former Nashoba Regional and Hudson High two-sport star recently returned from Disney World, where she was part of an internship development program with PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Peters, who worked most of the summer for that firm's Boston office, has been offered a position after graduation and hopes for a career in public accounting.

"I got home on a Thursday night from Florida and was in my car and heading to Holy Cross the next morning," said the Bolton resident, who feels her work experience this summer will carry over to the soccer field.

"I learned even more about leadership and teamwork off the field, so the transition to soccer practice has me in a good mindset. I'm ready to go."

Peters and her Holy Cross teammates were scheduled to open their season today against the University at Albany.

Peters learned in mid-June from her coach, Deb Flaherty, that she had been elected a cocaptain. The team vote was taken after a trip to Europe that capped off the unofficial spring season.

"We played two Czech teams and a German team," said Peters, "and we had a wonderful experience. It was my first trip to Europe. We spent a lot of time in Prague, and it definitely brought our team together."

Holy Cross has missed out on the Patriot League tournament during Peters's career, and her mission is to help the Crusaders break that streak.

Peters, a forward who has registered six goals and two assists in 53 college games, played four years of soccer and basketball in high school, the first two years at Nashoba Regional in Bolton and her junior and senior years at Hudson High.

As a junior, she helped lead the Hawks to the Division 2 Central soccer championship and the state semifinals.

"I feel because of the Europe trip and all the e-mails we've exchanged this summer that this team will be even closer than last year's," said Peters, whose personal goal is to improve her scoring totals.

"I have the talent to score. It was there in high school and it's still there. So the challenge will be to focus mentally in every game and every practice. Being a captain and leading by example should help."

On the soccer pitch, Peters was an All-State pick, Mid-Wach C All-Star, and league MVP her junior year at Hudson High.

As a senior, she repeated her league and all-state honors and was chosen to the All-New England team.

Peters, who also set Hudson High's career girls' basketball scoring record, was voted to Mid-Wach B and C league all-star teams twice each for basketball.