Commonwealth Games: Heather McEwan eyes Scotland debut - and medal 'upset'
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Sarah Robertson will captain Scotland at the Commonwealth Games
Heather McEwan is not only looking to make her Scotland debut at the Commonwealth Games but thinks a surprise medal is a possibility.
Half the 18-strong squad named for the summer event in Birmingham will be making their Games debuts from 29 July to 8 August.
Clydesdale Western 21-year-old Bronwyn Shields and University of Edinburgh's Eve Pearson are also uncapped.
"We're not just going to compete," 22-year-old forward McEwan said.
"We're going to try and get a medal. I really think, with this squad, we can do that."
McEwan, who plays in Belgium with Royal Victory, is in line to earn what she describes as an "amazing" debut against the country of her birth, South Africa, while 20-year-old Pearson is "absolutely buzzing" at the thought of her first cap.
Pool B opponents Australia (third), New Zealand (ninth) and South Africa (16th) are all ranked above the Scots, who are rated 18th in the world, with Kenya down in 37th.
Olympic bronze medallist Sarah Robertson had earlier been named as captain of the rebuilt squad and the 28-year-old Hampstead & Westminster forward says "the group is in a really good place" after two recent test wins over 24th-ranked Wales, while they also recently won two of the three matches in a series against 12th-ranked Ireland in Belfast.
"We haven't really seen much of some of the other countries - for example, Australia and New Zealand have only really been playing each other - so we've not had many matches against those countries," she said. "So it's a bit of an unknown, but we're in a really good group and I think we can cause an upset.
"I think the squad is a really good blend of people who have been there and done it - and then some of the players going for the first time still have 50 or 60 caps."
Head coach Chris Duncan, meanwhile, describes it is "an extremely exciting squad".
Joining Robertson in the squad are four fellow Great Britain caps - Loughborough University forward Charlotte Watson, University of Edinburgh defender Amy Costello, and Wimbledon forwards Jenny Eadie and Fiona Burnet - while Watsonians' Ellie Wilson is in line for her only her second Scotland appearance.
Scotland squad
Amy Costello (University of Edinburgh), Amy Gibson (Der Club An Der Alster), Becky Ward (Western Wildcats), Bronwyn Shields (Clydesdale Western), Charlotte Watson (Loughborough University), Ellie Wilson (Watsonians), Eve Pearson (University of Edinburgh), Fiona Burnet (Wimbledon), Heather McEwan (Royal Victory), Jennifer Eadie (Wimbledon), Jessica Ross (University of Edinburgh), Katie Robertson (University of Edinburgh), Louise Campbell (University of Edinburgh), Millie Steiger (Clydesdale Western), Nicola Cochrane (Wimbledon), Robyn Collins (Surbiton), Sarah Jamieson (Watsonians), Sarah Robertson (Hampstead and Westminster).
Reserves: Bex Condie (University of Birmingham), Emily Dark (Watsonians), Fiona Semple (Clydesdale Western), Jess Buchanan (Athletic Terrassa), Laura Swanson (Der Club An Der Alster).