The Eagles boast the nation's longest active winning streak at 56 straight wins.
West Genesee (N.Y.) moves up slightly following Tuesday's win over Christian Brother's Academy (N.Y.) and Century enters the rankings for the first time this season after beating South River (Md.) and Notre Dame Prep (Md.) last week.
1. McDonogh (Md.)
2. Garden City (N.Y.)
3. St. Anthony's (N.Y.)
4. Bryn Mawr (Md.)
5. Marriotts Ridge (Md.)
6. West Genesee (N.Y.)
7. Vero Beach (Fla.)
8. Ridgewood (N.J.)
9. Garnet Valley (Pa.)
10. St. Stephen's & St. Agnes (Va.)
11. Northport (N.Y.)
12. Chatham (N.J.)
13. Farmingdale (N.Y.)
14. Mendham (N.J.)
15. Loyola Academy (Ill.)
16. Christian Brother's Academy (N.Y.)
17. Moorestown (N.J.)
18. Georgetown Visitation (D.C.)
19. Darien (CT)
20. Century (Md.)
Others to Consider: Summit (N.J.), Hauppauge (N.Y.), Westminster (Md.), Milton (Ga.), St. John's (Texas), Episcopal (Dallas), Andover (Mass.), Medina (Ohio), Coronado (Calif.), Conestoga (Pa.), Pittsford (N.Y.), Lincoln Sudbury (Mass.), Mt. Sinai (N.Y.), Notre Dame Prep (Md.), Westwood (Mass.), Severna Park (Md.), Good Counsel (Md.), Carondelet (Calif.)
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
High School Scout: Mendham (N.J.) 8, Good Counsel (Md.) 7
Mendham (N.J.), ranked No. 12 in the latest edition of the ILWomen.com High School Rankings, traveled down to Olney, Md. to take on Good Counsel, who currently sits at No. 16.
Mendham was 2-0 entering the game with a win over Columbia and a close 13-12 victory over Mountain Lakes. Good Counsel entered the game following a 12-8 win over Bishop Ireton.
What Happened
Aly Messinger put Mendham on the board first as she took a pass from Maggie Sinzer and made a nice inside roll move for the goal, putting the ball past goalie Meagh just under the crossbar. Good Counsel's Caroline Peters and Mendham's Paige Russell would battle on the draw for the majority of the game.While Mendham controlled possession for much of the game's opening minutes, Good Counsel would score three quick goals early to take a 3-1 lead. Jennifer Morrissey put Good Counsel on the board when she took a pass from Paige Russell and scored. Shea Cassidy dodged from the top of the eight meter minutes later and scored to give the Falcons a 2-1 lead and Peters scored on a free position shot to give Good Counsel a 3-1 advantage.
Paige Russell dodged from the top of the eight, where she worked for most of the day on the offensive end, beating Sarah Staines to make it 3-2. Russell came back to the draw circle to take the next draw, but was sent off the field. Apparently, it was because she was bleeding, but a "It's not her blood" comment coming from the Mendham sideline would indicate that she wasn't.
Peters scored midway through the half to give Good Counsel a 4-2 lead. She took an excellent pass from Haley Giraldi in traffic for the goal. Peters was the go-to player for the Falcons all day, as teammates were constantly looking for her cutting through the eight for a feed.
Both teams played great defense and neither would score for the rest of the half. Mendham's Carly Horan had a great trail check on Ally Flechsig that led to a turnover and a fastbreak for Mendham.
"We talked to them yesterday about making adjustments on their own defensively and not waiting until halftime," said coach Jessica Shoulberg. "They really did that. They stepped up and made adjustments on their own."
The Minutemen came out firing in the second half as Messinger hit Paige Russell and Sinzer for two quick goals in the first five minutes. Good Counsel wasn't going anywhere though as Staines found Camaryn Kerns for a score to take the lead again. Goals by Cassidy and Peters made it 7-4 and gave the Falcons their biggest lead of the day. It would also be the last of the scoring for Good Counsel.
Russell hustled on a ground ball off a rebound and buried it to make it 7-5 and Gia Padavano scored on a free position to bring Mendham within a goal. Messinger took over from there, finding Sinzer twice on similar plays to give Mendham an 8-7 lead, their first since they led 1-0 at the beginning of the game. From there, the Minutewomen were able to play strong defense and eventuall spread out on the offensive end and run out the clock to preserve the win.
What it Means
For Mendham, the win marks the team's first over an out-of-state opponent, making it a pretty significant win for the history of the program. For the second time in as many games, the Minutemen found themselves trailing by three goals and rallied to win and while Shoulberg noted that not digging themselves a hole early will be key going forward, the ability to battle back shows the resiliency of her team.The win also means a 3-0 start to the season heading into a tough week with games against New Jersey powers Ridgewood and Chatham. A boost of confidence with a win over Good Counsel surely can't hurt heading into that stretch.
For Good Counsel, it means the third loss in the last week. The Falcons lost to Georgetown Visitation last Thursday and fell to Garnet Valley (Pa.) on Monday.
Quotable
"Everyone was a little worried about our bus legs, but I was happy with the way we came out. We just weren't finishing, and we needed to tighten up on our defense. Once we started doing that, things started going in our favor."—Mendham coach Jessica Shoulberg
Stats
Mendham: Aly Messinger (1G, 4A), Maggie Sinzer (3G, 1A), Paige Russell (3G), Gia Padavano (1G)Good Counsel: Caroline Peters (3G, 1A), Jennifer Morrissey (2G, 1A), Shea Cassidy (1G, 1A), Haley Giraldi (1A), Sarah Staines (1G), Camaryn Kerns (1A)
Who Stood Out
Aly Messinger, Senior, Attack, MendhamA speedy left-handed attacker, Messinger was constantly looking to feed, which she did often, finishing with four assists on the day. She has great field vision and directed traffic on the offensive end. Her passes were fantastic — extremely quick and right on target to her teammates. She also worked hard on the ride, using her speed to pressure Good Counsel on the clear.
Meagh Graham, Junior, Goalie, Good Counsel
A very active goalie who came out of the net on clears and on a few occasions to pick off passes in front of the crease, Graham was a game-changer on Thursday. In addition to being key on clears for the Falcons, she also made some tremendous saves in various situations — on free positions, in the fastbreak and in a settled offense.
Paige Russell, Junior, Midfield, Mendham
One of the most athletic players on the field Thursday, Russell was key to Mendham's transition, using her speed to blow by defenders between the 30s. She has a quick first step accompanied with her blazing quickness, which she often used dodging from the top of the eight.
Caroline Peters, Junior, Midfield, Good Counsel
Peters was an asset both on the draw and on the offensive end of the ball where she was clearly the go-to player for the Falcons. A strong stick-handler, Peters was able to get her stick on the ball in many situations off the draw. She was also the catalyst for the offense, able to dodge and look for teammates or catch and finish in tight spots.
Baltimore Sun: Brittany Mallory Joins Notre Dame Lacrosse
Brittany Mallory’s decision to focus on basketball at Notre Dame gave her the chance to play in two NCAA championship games, but back at McDonogh, Mallory was also known as one of the area’s top high school lacrosse players.
Her final athletic turn in college will come on the lacrosse field. The Fighting Irish announced Monday that Mallory has joined their No. 7 women’s lacrosse team.
A two-time All-Metro midfielder at McDonogh, Mallory played three years of lacrosse and led the Eagles to the IAAM A Conference final in 2006. She led them in scoring her sophomore and junior year and was critical in winning draws.
“I’m really excited to be able to join the women’s lacrosse team for the rest of the season,” Mallory, a Notre Dame graduate student, said in a news release. “I played in middle school and high school and I love the sport. I’m friends with many of the girls on the team and have missed playing while I have been here at Notre Dame. I just want to come in and help the team in whatever way I can.”
Mallory, a three-time All-Metro basketball player at McDonogh, started all 39 games for the No. 4 Irish basketball team that reached last week’s national championship game but fell to No. 1 Baylor, 80-61. Mallory averaged 5.8 points per game but was known for her leadership and defense. She hit a pair of 3-pointers in overtime of the national semifinal to help lift the Irish over Connecticut, 83-75. Seven of her 11 points came in overtime.
She finished her basketball career as Notre Dame’s career leader in games played with 151 and ranked fifth in steals with 272 and sixth in 3-pointers with 153.
Mallory first lacrosse game will come on a familiar campus as the Irish travel to Connecticut Saturday.
"We are excited to add Brittany Mallory to the roster now that her basketball season/career has come to a close," Irish lacrosse coach Christine Halfpenny said in a news release. "I am excited about the unique contributions that Brittany can add to our already strong and balanced team for the remainder of the season. Without a doubt her championship character will be a natural fit with the goals this team has set for the program."
Her final athletic turn in college will come on the lacrosse field. The Fighting Irish announced Monday that Mallory has joined their No. 7 women’s lacrosse team.
A two-time All-Metro midfielder at McDonogh, Mallory played three years of lacrosse and led the Eagles to the IAAM A Conference final in 2006. She led them in scoring her sophomore and junior year and was critical in winning draws.
“I’m really excited to be able to join the women’s lacrosse team for the rest of the season,” Mallory, a Notre Dame graduate student, said in a news release. “I played in middle school and high school and I love the sport. I’m friends with many of the girls on the team and have missed playing while I have been here at Notre Dame. I just want to come in and help the team in whatever way I can.”
Mallory, a three-time All-Metro basketball player at McDonogh, started all 39 games for the No. 4 Irish basketball team that reached last week’s national championship game but fell to No. 1 Baylor, 80-61. Mallory averaged 5.8 points per game but was known for her leadership and defense. She hit a pair of 3-pointers in overtime of the national semifinal to help lift the Irish over Connecticut, 83-75. Seven of her 11 points came in overtime.
She finished her basketball career as Notre Dame’s career leader in games played with 151 and ranked fifth in steals with 272 and sixth in 3-pointers with 153.
Mallory first lacrosse game will come on a familiar campus as the Irish travel to Connecticut Saturday.
"We are excited to add Brittany Mallory to the roster now that her basketball season/career has come to a close," Irish lacrosse coach Christine Halfpenny said in a news release. "I am excited about the unique contributions that Brittany can add to our already strong and balanced team for the remainder of the season. Without a doubt her championship character will be a natural fit with the goals this team has set for the program."
Thursday, April 5, 2012
Midseason Report: Player of the Year Watch
We are just past the midway point in the women’s lacrosse world and the future field of 16 looks almost impossible to predict. With conference tournaments coming up, we will know some of the teams that will play in the NCAA Tournament in a few weeks. We will also know who will one step closer to the Tewaaraton Trophy when the nominees are released. Let’s take a look at who may be in contention now:
1. Shannon Smith, Senior, Attack, Northwestern
If not for Smith, the Wildcats may have had their first loss and subsequently lost their #1 ranking over the weekend. After her teammate Erin Fitzgerald hit a free position with 19 seconds left to force overtime against Ohio State, Smith scored two goals in the first overtime period to lead the Wildcats to victory at Gillette Stadium. This comes a couple weeks after she torched UMass for six goals in a double-digit victory at home. Currently she leads the #1 team in the nation with 35 goals, adding 11 assists and is still the favorite to win the Tewaaraton again.2/3. Kitty Cullen/Ashley Bruns, Junior, Attack, Florida
You could choose a number of players from Florida for this list. The Florida offense has been extremely impressive, including 20 goals up on Dartmouth and Penn State, two of the strongest defensive teams in the country. Cullen has not played the last two games for the Gators, but she has 29 goals and 20 assists on the season. Her best game came against Dartmouth, putting up five goals and three assists against Kristen Giovanniello. Bruns has a good chance too, contributing 36 goals, 18 assists and 17 ground balls, including four goals against Dartmouth and Penn State. If Florida’s offense keeps this up, someone on the team will be on the final five.4. Karri Ellen Johnson, Senior, Attack, Maryland
Put a ranked team in front of the Terrapins, it will not matter to Johnson. In the last couple of weeks, Maryland has faced Boston College, Stony Brook, James Madison, Towson and Penn, and Johnson put up at least four points in all those games, including five goals and an assist vs. Towson. She has had impact on offense with 37 goals and 13 assists and the draw, controlling 38 of them, plus has 11 caused turnovers.5. Taylor Thornton, Junior, Defense, Northwestern
Thornton continues to be a threat everywhere on the field, on defense, offense and at center circle. In the close win over Ohio State, Thornton had a career-high nine draws plus a free position goal, a week after she had a hat trick and two caused turnovers against Vanderbilt. She stands in the top-50 in Division in draw controls, ground balls and caused turnovers per game, currently having 41 draws, 24 ground balls, 15 caused turnovers and 14 goals.6. Becky Lynch, Senior, Attack, North Carolina
It was tough to choose between Lynch and Laura Zimmermann for this list, but the edge goes to Lynch for now. As of Tuesday, Lynch has 28 goals, 17 assists, 22 ground balls and 25 draw controls for the #2 team in the nation. She had a hat trick in the loss to Georgetown plus had two points, a goal and assist, in North Carolina’s 4-2 win over Duke. She has been a big factor on offense and the draw in all of UNC’s games against ranked opponents. But UNC’s placement at #2 will be tested, as Maryland, Northwestern and the ACC Tournament await the Tar Heels.7. Michelle Tumolo, Junior, Attack, Syracuse
The Orange will be playing nine games in the month of April, and has only played eight games to this point. But Tumolo, who has 17 goals and 15 assists this season, has shown to be Syracuse’s most reliable player in the big games. Already having big performances against Maryland and Northwestern earlier, against Towson she scored five goals with three assists at home. She will need more performances like that to help Syracuse will its upcoming blitz.8. Maggie Tamasitis, Senior, Attack, Notre Dame
Currently ranked third in the country in assists per game, the all-time assists leader at Notre Dame currently has 35 assists with 13 goals. Her play saved the Fighting Irish against Rutgers with two assists in the final minute of overtime to push Notre Dame to a 13-12 victory on the road. She has been important in the team’s biggest games, getting four assists in a win over Cornell and six points in the defeat to Loyola, the team’s first loss of the year.9. Jessi Steinberg, Senior, Attack, Cornell
Cornell has been one of the biggest surprises of the year and is looking like a threat in the Ivy League, and Steinberg is a big reason why they are ranked. She is leading the team with 31 goals and 13 assists, and she has been contributing in every big game: four goals and two assists against Notre Dame, five goals versus Penn, and four goals in the win over Princeton. If Cornell can survive against the upcoming stretch of Dartmouth, Loyola and Syracuse, don’t be surprised if its name comes up in May.10. Josie Owen, Senior, Attack, Virginia
After a loss to Princeton on March 17th, it looked as if Virginia was not going to the NCAA Tournament at 4-4. Four days later, Owen scored six goals with five draw controls and four ground balls in a win over James Madison, and since UVA has won four straight with wins over Duke, Old Dominion and Boston College. Against Duke she had five points with a pair of ground ball and a trio of draw. Owen has compiled 22 goals, 29 assists and 28 draw controls, and helped put the Cavaliers back in the discussion for the postseason.Sarah Allen And Kyra Ochwat Garner NEC Weekly Awards
Quinnipiac women's lacrosse junior Sarah Allen (Glastonbury, Conn.) and freshman Kyra Ochwat (Farmingdale, N.Y.) have been named Northeast Conference Co-Player and Rookie of the Week, respectively, as announced by the league on Monday, April 2. This marks Allen's second-consecutive Co-Player of the Week selection and is Ochwat's third career Rookie of the Week honors.
Junior Sarah Allen (Glastonbury, Conn.) followed up her first Player of the Week performance with another impressive weekend, leading the Bobcats with 11 total points in games against Mount St. Mary's and Monmouth. On Friday, March 30 against Mount St. Mary's, Allen surpassed the 100 career point total with a game-high five assists, helping the team to a 12-10 win. She then followed up the outing with a game-high six assists on Sunday, April 1 against Monmouth during the team's 13-8 victory. Allen currently leads the NEC (as well as all of the NCAA) with 41 assists and 44 points and remains the nation's leader with 4.56 assists per game.
"Sarah had another big weekend for us, and we're very pleased that her efforts are being recognized," said head coach Danie Caro. "She worked really hard during the pre-season to become more consistent with the timing of her feeds and it's really paying off for her. She has developed really good connections with all of the attackers and as a result, our offense looks very good."
Freshman Kyra Ochwat (Farmingdale, N.Y.) enjoyed the most productive weekend of her career, scoring nine goals combined in the two games against Mount St. Mary's and Monmouth. Ochwat netted a career-high six goals on Sunday, April 1 against Monmouth, leading Quinnipiac to its fourth-straight NEC win of the season with a 13-8 victory. On Friday, March 30 against the Mount, Ochwat matched fellow teammate Marissa Caroleo (North Babylon, N.Y.) with a team-high three goal performance, leading Quinnipiac to a 12-10 win. On the season, Ochwat leads all Quinnipiac freshmen with 26 points on 21 goals and five assists. Ochwat's 2.33 goals per game mark is good for eighth overall among NEC players.
"Kyra continues to improve with every game she plays," said Caro. "She is one of our best shooters and has really put a lot of effort into becoming more deceptive with her shots. She did a great job cutting off ball this past weekend, and has become more a much more complete player as the season has progressed. We will continue to have high expectations for her."
Allen, Ochwat and the Bobcats look to continue their undefeated run to begin NEC play (4-0 NEC, 5-4 overall) as they return to action on Thursday, April 5 when they travel to face Saint Francis (Pa.) at 1 p.m.
Women's Lacrosse Falls, 18-5, to #5 Limestone Sunday
The Mercyhurst women's lacrosse team lost, 18-5, to #5 Limestone Sunday morning at Tullio Field. The Saints jumped out to a 10-2 lead at halftime on their way to a non-league win.
The visitors got on the board early, as Racquel Prager scored twice in the first 2:33 of the match. Limestone went ahead 5-0 before the Lakers got on the board with 18:32 to go. Ally Keirn found Rebecca Himes for a goal to cut the deficit to four. The Saints quickly answered with four scores to take command of the contest. Hannah Corton scored with 4:09 remaining in the first half to give Hurst its second goal.
In the second frame, Limestone (10-1) scored the first three goals to stretch its lead. Alisha Catalino scored with 24:32 left and then Himes added her second goal of the day with 10:19 showing on the clock. Catalino closed the scoring with a goal in the final two minutes.
Catalino and Himes each had two goals. Rebecca Muscella and Jenny Perkins each made three saves in a half of action. Prager led the Saints with four goals and two assists.
Hurst (4-3) hosts Kutztown in a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) match on Friday, March 30. The game is set for a 3 p.m. start at Tullio Field.
For a box score of the Limestone-Mercyhurst game, please click here.
Monday, January 30, 2012
NCAA Women's Lacrosse 2012 Preview
No. 18 James Madison
With the team’s confidence and swagger, coach Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe believes she will be able to rely on her team’s leaders to not only take charge this season, but make important decisions that will propel the Dukes to another CAA title.The Dukes carry a balanced senior group onto the field this season with three attackers, three middies and three defenders.
“Our senior class is a huge part of this program," Klaes-Bawcombe says. "They were Inside Lacrosse’s number two recruiting class of the year back in 2008."
Best Bet:
Redshirt Junior Casey Ancarrow was an All-American as a sophomore and will lead the Dukes offense this year.“She is just really fun to watch and play with on the field. She makes things look so easy,” Klaes-Bawcombe says.
Sleeper Pick:
Two-time regional All-American senior Cally Chakrian has been in the conference and is looked at by Klaes-Bawcombe as one of the best defenders in the country.“She is someone who can take that next step and become that national All-American, but she is by far the person we rely on behind the scenes day in and day out that doesn’t necessarily get the hype,” Klaes-Bawcombe says.
Game to Watch:
The Dukes will take on Harvard in March in Cambridge, pitting JMU against a talented and experienced team that made an impressive run toward the end of last season.“I think that they are similar to JMU in that they are pretty much returning their entire roster and they are coming off a really good season,” Klaes-Bawcombe says.
Q&A withCal Lacrosse Megan Takacs
CalBears.com: How's practice going? It's going well. This is our second week of school, and it's going really well. Everyone came back in good shape. We had the run test right off the bat and that went super well. We just started lifting today, and we got sticks in our hands late last week. Everyone's getting the hang of it. We're already looking really clean. Everyone's super excited to get back out there on the field, so it's a good atmosphere at practice.
Megan Takacs:
CalBears.com: What's it like working with a brand new coaching staff? We loved our coaching staff last year, and this year we have three brand new coaches from different places. They stepped in and really right off the bat and have done an amazing job. With everything that happened last year, it was a really tough job to come into. It really has been an adjustment period for them. They've done an unbelievable job and provide great balance. Allison is more of the attacking coach, Emma's more the midfield coach and Ginger the defensive coach. They bring real positive energy every day in practice and they make us want to work hard for them as players.
MT:
CalBears.com: What can you say about Ginger Miles' coaching style? Ginger is positive, uplifting and motivated. She's so motivated for us to do well this season. It just makes me want to work hard every day in practice. I think that's the most important thing for a coach. She's done a fantastic job, and she's only going to excel from here. She's going to do a great job.
MT:
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CalBears.com: What do you think of the new facilities, including the team's very own locker room, at the Simpson Center for Student-Athlete High Performance?
MT:
The locker room is cool. We're starting to bring things in, like today there's a mirror in there. We're making it more colorful. It's cool. We kind of feel like a professional team using that locker room and the new equipment in there. It's cool. It's a good feeling.
CalBears.com: Do you enjoy playing at Witter Rugby Field, as the team will do for a second straight season this spring? And how do you feel about playing in a renovated Memorial Stadium next season? We were talking about that the other day. My freshman year we played at Memorial Stadium, which I loved because I had never set foot on a big football field like that before, and it was a great experience. Sophomore year came around, and we played at Witter. I loved the intimate feeling of being closed in and having green all around us, and the fans were right with us. I get a brand new field next year as well. I get three fields to play on in the course of four years, and it's going to be back on the big field. It's going to be brand new, so it'll be a brand new experience. When I'm out there playing, it's all the same; it's great. But overall I do like that feeling at Witter, that smaller feeling. I can't complain either way.
MT:
CalBears.com: Despite a lot of changes off the field, you lost only two starters - Allie Shropshire and Chapin Jackson - to graduation from last year's team, which produced Cal's first winning season (9-8) since 2005. What do you expect from your team in 2012? Despite everything that happened last year with our program getting cut and losing some recruits, the freshmen this year are unbelievable. They've been working so hard, whether or not they were recruited here initially or not. We lost two key players, two awesome girls. We lost Shrop, but we have Megan McGinnis and Kelly McCarthy, who are going to be fighting for the starting position as goalie. And we lost Chapin, a midfielder. But we have a ton of fresh legs among the freshmen who are stepping up big; Michaela Bird, Gaby Christman, they are just two of the freshmen who are going to help us out in midfield. I think this is going to be a big year for us. I can't tell you how excited I am. I think we're going to be a great team.
MT:
CalBears.com: The MPSF Preseason Coaches' Poll ranked Cal fourth. Any reaction? I think that will pump us up even more. Fourth? It doesn't matter if we're No. 1 or the last seed in our conference. We just need to have a mentality that we have to stay focused and not even look at numbers or the rankings. Obviously conference play is a huge part of our season, and we've focused a lot on keeping that goal in mind to win our conference. It might light us up a little bit, knowing we are No. 4, but I think that will just make us stronger. We may surprise some teams.
MT:
CalBears.com: What kind of career do you want to pursue? I'm majoring in American studies, and my concentration is business and marketing. I know it's broad to say marketing and business, but more specifically I'd like to work in the sports industry, maybe in sports marketing at the professional level.
MT:
CalBears.com: Why did your family move from Ohio to the Bay Area? My mom still lives in Ohio. My dad is out here in Woodside, so right near the Stanford-Palo Alto area. He and my step-mom moved out here for work. In the recruiting process I was considering a few schools in the Midwest, one southern school and Cal. I weighed my options and in the end I chose Cal because of, obviously, academics and athletics. I loved the whole atmosphere of being a Cal Bear; it's a great family-oriented school. And knowing that my dad would be across the bay was really comforting, too.
MT:
CalBears.com: What's the most-played song on your iPod? Probably "White Blank Page" by Mumford & Sons. I was at their concert at the Oracle Arena during dead week, and I've been obsessing over that band ever since.
MT:
CalBears.com: What was the last movie you saw? "Fight Club." There's something about that movie. I could just watch it over and over.
MT:
CalBears.com: Do you have a favorite TV show? I'm a sucker for "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelorette.
MT:
CalBears.com: You and several teammates went to the NFC Championship Game between the San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants on Jan. 22 in San Francisco. Did you enjoy the game? That was an amazing, amazing experience being at that game and being in a crowd of Niners' fans with my blue Giants' gear on. I was fortunate to go on the field after the game and go in the locker room, and I actually hugged Eli Manning and coach Coughlin. I got to give them high fives and hugs. That was a really, really memorable experience for me. My dad's best friend is Frank Mara, one of the owners of the Giants. He was able to get us down there.
MT: That's a breath-taking experience. The other day I went in there - I was showing my dad around - and he put things in perspective. He said, "Meg, every day you walk in here you have to take a deep breath, step back and take this experience in," because I'm a junior and I only have a year and a half left here. Today when we were lifting, I was thinking, This is really an amazing facility. Not many athletes in the U.S. can say they train in a High Performance Center like ours.
deBeer Women's Media Poll
Northwestern opens the season as a unanimous choice for the No. 1 spot in the preseason deBeer Media Poll.
Rounding out the top five are 2011 runner up Maryland, 2011 quarterfinalist Florida and perennial contenders Duke and North Carolina.
Rounding out the top five are 2011 runner up Maryland, 2011 quarterfinalist Florida and perennial contenders Duke and North Carolina.
NCAA Women's Lacrosse 2012 Preview
No. 12 GEORGETOWN
After Syracuse’s slip last season, the Hoyas are poised for a Big East run. Solid from top to bottom, Georgetown’s weakness comes at the goalie position. Last season, the Hoyas finished the season averaging just 4.76 saves per game, good for the worst in the conference. Despite this, the Hoyas posted a 6-1 record in Big East play in the regular season.The Hoyas return three of their top four scorers and The Big East Midfielder of the Year from 2011, Sophia Thomas. Thomas stands alone in her abilities to score collect groundballs (42) and cause turnover (33). This one of a kind player is all over the field with her speed and can do it all.
Although five starters leave to graduation, the Hoyas offensive attack is balanced and does not rely on one player to carry all of the weight. Kelsi Bozel and Dina Jackson both contributed 20 plus goals last season and will continue to produce against tough opponents.
Best Bet
Sophia Thomas creates problems for the opposition on every level. If she’s not causing turnovers, she’s heading down the other way on a fast break. It’s scary to think that she is only halfway through her career and already this skilled. A dangerous weapon for the Hoyas, Thomas will become crucial for conference success.Sleeper Pick
Erin Lovett may not be a traditional sleeper, however her absence from play after her season ending injury warrants the tag. After a fast start in the first two games of 2011, it will be interesting to see if Lovett is the explosive same player in 2012.Game to Watch
April 14, 2012 Georgetown vs. SyracuseInquiring minds want to know if the Hoyas are conference top dog challengers. When Syracuse takes on the Hoyas, both could undefeated and vying for the title. This matchup will be circled on both team’s calendars and whichever comes out on top will likely make the tournament.
Women's Lacrosse Picked Eighth in BIG EAST Preseason Poll
Senior midfield Justine Donodeo is a preseason All-BIG EAST selection after being selected to the All-BIG EAST second team in 2011. Donodeo was the top scorer for the Wildcats last season with 39 goals and 12 assists.
Georgetown was picked as the favorite in the league with 60 points, while Syracuse finished in second by a slim margin with 59 points. Loyola was third with 51 points and Notre Dame was picked fourth with 44 points. Rutgers (34), Connecticut (27) and Louisiville (26) were picked fifth, sixth and seventh, respectively. Villanova received 12 points for eighth and Cincinnati was picked ninth with 11 points.
The new era of Villanova women's lacrosse under first year head coach Julie Young will begin on Feb. 18 as the Wildcats travel to Wagner for a 1:00 p.m. start.
NCAA Women's Lacrosse 2012 Preview
No. 11 LOYOLA
After a 17-3 season, running the table at the Big East Tournament and making its first NCAA tournament appearance since 2004, the Greyhounds were a surprise team last season. Entering her fourth season as head coach, Jen Adams looks to continue the progress.Big East teams must prepare to face a tenacious trio. Primer senior defenders Ana Heneberry, Kellye Gallagher and goalkeeper Kerry Stoothoff all return for a swan song. Gallagher caused 43 while gobbling up 59 groundballs, leading the Grey Hounds in both categories. The backbone of the defense intact, wins against Loyola won’t come easily.
The Grey Hounds relentless defense forces opponents into bad decisions which, last season, catapulted Loyola to victories and always kept them in the game. All three of its losses were by three goals or less. The tight defense resulted in a squad ranked first nationally in caused turnovers per game with an average of 11.75.
Best Bet
Senior Ana Heneberry led a crushing defense that devastated offenses in the Big East and across the country. It comes as no surprise that Heneberry was named the 2012 Big East Preseason Defensive Player of the Year and will again be a key to Loyola’s success.Sleeper Pick
After a quick start as a freshman, Ashley Moulton’s stats dropped off slightly in her second season. Flying under the radar, look for Moulton to join in on the causing turnover party with her teammates. A rebound in 2012 would only make the team’s already stellar defensive stats that much better.Game to Watch
Friday, April 27, 2012 Loyola at Syracuse 7 p.m.Last season, Syracuse knocked off Loyola on the road only to be bested by the hounds a week later in the Big East Tournament. Both matches were single goal affairs with the opposition making a late push. This year, the drama will go down in the Dome in a night game.
'Dores prepping for Feb. 12 opener
The Vanderbilt lacrosse team opened spring practice last Thursday, Jan. 19, in preparation for the 2012 regular season. The Commodores will open at home against Duke on Sunday, Feb. 12 (1 p.m. CT).
The 'Dores were picked 16th in the Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll, on newsstands now. In that January issue, senior All-American Ally Carey was featured in the publication's "Your Edge" segment and also was revealed as the fans' pick as Preseason Player of the Year, based on a fall poll from laxmagazine.com.
Head Coach Cathy Swezey's Vanderbilt squad has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five seasons. Stay tuned to our site for more preseason information over the next three weeks.
The 'Dores were picked 16th in the Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll, on newsstands now. In that January issue, senior All-American Ally Carey was featured in the publication's "Your Edge" segment and also was revealed as the fans' pick as Preseason Player of the Year, based on a fall poll from laxmagazine.com.
Head Coach Cathy Swezey's Vanderbilt squad has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in four of the last five seasons. Stay tuned to our site for more preseason information over the next three weeks.
Greyhound Great Friday Night lights
Great Friday night lights practice, Looking forward to our green & white scrimmage tomorrow morning.
Buckeyes in the Inside Lacrosse preview for a sneak peak at the 2012 season
No. 16 Ohio State
With a new schedule comes new positions to fill for the Buckeyes this season. The team welcomed 10 freshmen and two transfers and coach Alexis Venechanos is trying to incorporate them into the mix.“It’s been great. We are having a lot of competition all over the field and we have a lot more opportunities in the midfield, which is exciting,” Venechanos said.
Last year the Buckeyes were limited in their midfielders but limitation is obviously not an issue this year since they are well supplied with a good amount of middies. Venechanos is excited to play a lot more players than they have in the years past because the team is larger.
There's more youth on the field, which Venechanos says is exciting for the Buckeyes because the girls will be getting more experience.
“I think there is a strong chemistry on and off the field with the team, and we are meshing really well with most of our team being brand new,” she says.
Best Bet:
Senior Alayna Markwordt was one of the better attackers in the country last year and has the potential to be one of the best this year.As an ALC rookie of the year her freshman year and second team All-American last year, Venechanos believes Markwordt has all of the qualities that make her special.
“She is hard to stop when she has the ball and when she doesn’t have the ball she is a threat as a feeder or dodger, especially on the crease, she’s really quick,” Venechanos says.
Sleeper Pick:
With a new emphasis on midfield play and talent at the position, the midfield as a whole could surprise some teams this season.“I can't in particular name one person," says Venechanos. "But I think there are many opportunities for a lot of our midfielders to score more goals, where in years past attackers scored majority of the goals."
Game to Watch:
On March 31, the Buckeyes are looking forward to playing against Northwestern in the home of the New England Patriots.Caline McHenry Joins Women's Lacrosse Staff
A native of Reisterstown, Md., McHenry Olmsted enjoyed a sensational collegiate career in Durham, culminating with first team All-America and Tewaaraton Trophy semifinalist honors her senior campaign. A four-year letterwinner, the Roland Park Country School product led the Blue Devils to the 2005 ACC Championship as well as the 2005 NCAA semifinals, the first of four consecutive trips for the Blue Devils.
A two-time All-ACC selection, she was also involved with the United States national team as a member of the U.S. Developmental Team from 2005-06 and the U.S. Elite Team from 2006-07.
McHenry Olmsted rejoins the Blue Devils after spending four seasons as the head coach at Bucknell University. During her tenure, the Bison posted a 20-45 overall record, including a 9-9 mark during the 2009 season. Prior to her time at Bucknell, she served as a graduate assistant coach at Ohio University and as an assistant coach at Davidson.
McHenry Olmsted and her husband Matthew Olmsted, a member of the Duke swimming and diving team from 2000-04, married in June of 2011.
"We so excited to welcome back one of our program's best in Caline," said Kimel. "We feel fortunate that Caline & Matthew's life has brought them back to the Durham area allowing her to be involved with our program. Her experience as head coach at Bucknell will bring great perspective to our coaching staff and our players. We look forward to having her work closely with our defenders and enhancing our defensive game."
Duke opens the 2012 season Saturday, Feb. 4 against Bucknell. Game time is slated for 1 p.m., from Koskinen Stadium.
Interview with senior Catherine Carr
Senior Catherine Carr spoke with vucommodores.com before Friday's practice about closing out the first week of training and the team's camaraderie.
Absent from Friday's session were senior Ally Carey and assistant coach Amber Falcone. Both have traveled down to Florida to join Team USA for the Champion Challenge, which will air on Sunday, Jan. 29, beginning at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Absent from Friday's session were senior Ally Carey and assistant coach Amber Falcone. Both have traveled down to Florida to join Team USA for the Champion Challenge, which will air on Sunday, Jan. 29, beginning at 9 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
Syracuse Women's Lacrosse Alumnae Game
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COURTNEY MARTINEZ CONNOR INDUCTED INTO HALL OF FAME
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Sunday, January 29, 2012
ESPN Announces College Lacrosse Schedule for 2012
ESPN announces its extensive 2012 college lacrosse coverage across ESPN, ESPNU and ESPN3 with a schedule featuring nationally-ranked programs, top-caliber games and the addition of the ACC Men’s and Women’s and BIG EAST Men’s Lacrosse Championships. The schedule includes 49 total games – featuring 39 regular-season matchups, 37 men’s and two women’s games – plus the crowing of six conference champions on ESPNU and ESPN3. Coverage begins with No. 4 Johns Hopkins hosting Towson on Friday, Feb. 17, at noon on ESPNU.
Schedule highlights:
· At least one appearance from each team in the top 10 of Inside Lacrosse Division Preseason Rankings and 14 of the 16 teams that qualified for the 2011 NCAA Championship, including seven appearances from the defending champion Virginia
· ESPN will air two top-10 games – No. 7 Syracuse at No. 1 Virginia on Sunday, March 4, at 4:30 p.m. and the Cavaliers at No. 6 North Carolina on Sunday, April 7, at noon
· A rematch of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship game between No. 8 Maryland and top-ranked Virginia on Saturday, March 31, at noon on ESPNU
· ESPN3 will offer eight exclusive games including three appearances by second-ranked Duke – at No. 9 Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 18, at No. 8 Maryland on Saturday, March 3 and at Georgetown on Saturday, March 24
· Games from four in-season tournaments – Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic (Baltimore) on Saturday, March 10, Konica Minolta Big City Classic (East Rutherford, N.J.) on Sunday, April 1, ESPNU Warrior Classic (Charlotte, N.C.) on Saturday, April 14 and Mile High Classic (Denver) on Friday, April 27
· ESPNU will carry two regular-season women’s games plus the ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championship title match as part of ACC Monday on Monday, April 23, at 3 p.m.
· Five men’s conference champions will be crowned on ESPNU or ESPN3
· The entire ACC Championship will air live on ESPNU beginning with the semifinals on Friday, April 20 at 5 and 7:30 p.m. and the title game on Sunday, April 22, at 3 p.m.
· ESPNU will carry the final game of the BIG EAST Championship on Saturday, May 5, at noon along with the first semifinal on Thursday, May 3, at 4:30 p.m.; in addition, the second semifinal tilt will be at 7 p.m. on ESPN3
· ESPN3 will be the home to the Ivy League Championship semifinals on Friday, May 4, at 5 and 8 p.m., while ESPNU will offer the title game that Sunday at noon
· The America East and ECAC champions will be crowned on ESPN3.
This season, the network’s telecasts will include a deep roster of experienced and knowledgeable lacrosse analysts: Ryan Boyle (Four-time All-American at Princeton), Paul Carcaterra (All-American at Syracuse and a member of 1995 National Championship team), Mark Dixon (former Johns Hopkins midfielder), Ryan Flanagan (All-American defenseman at UNC), Quint Kessenich (Four-time All-American at Johns Hopkins), Jamie Munro (All-American at Brown and former Denver head coach) and Matt Ward (former Virginia attackman and 2006 Tewaaraton winner). Play-by-play announcers include: ESPNU’s Anish Shroff, Joe Beninati (Bowdoin College goalie), Mike Corey, Ben Holden and Eamon McAnaney (Notre Dame defenseman). Newcomer Courtney Martinez Connor (Four-time NCAA Championship at Maryland) will handle analysis of the women’s games.
ESPN Network’s 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Regular-Season Schedule (Schedule subject to change; all times are Eastern)
Schedule highlights:
· At least one appearance from each team in the top 10 of Inside Lacrosse Division Preseason Rankings and 14 of the 16 teams that qualified for the 2011 NCAA Championship, including seven appearances from the defending champion Virginia
· ESPN will air two top-10 games – No. 7 Syracuse at No. 1 Virginia on Sunday, March 4, at 4:30 p.m. and the Cavaliers at No. 6 North Carolina on Sunday, April 7, at noon
· A rematch of the 2011 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship game between No. 8 Maryland and top-ranked Virginia on Saturday, March 31, at noon on ESPNU
· ESPN3 will offer eight exclusive games including three appearances by second-ranked Duke – at No. 9 Notre Dame on Saturday, Feb. 18, at No. 8 Maryland on Saturday, March 3 and at Georgetown on Saturday, March 24
· Games from four in-season tournaments – Konica Minolta Face-Off Classic (Baltimore) on Saturday, March 10, Konica Minolta Big City Classic (East Rutherford, N.J.) on Sunday, April 1, ESPNU Warrior Classic (Charlotte, N.C.) on Saturday, April 14 and Mile High Classic (Denver) on Friday, April 27
· ESPNU will carry two regular-season women’s games plus the ACC Women’s Lacrosse Championship title match as part of ACC Monday on Monday, April 23, at 3 p.m.
· Five men’s conference champions will be crowned on ESPNU or ESPN3
· The entire ACC Championship will air live on ESPNU beginning with the semifinals on Friday, April 20 at 5 and 7:30 p.m. and the title game on Sunday, April 22, at 3 p.m.
· ESPNU will carry the final game of the BIG EAST Championship on Saturday, May 5, at noon along with the first semifinal on Thursday, May 3, at 4:30 p.m.; in addition, the second semifinal tilt will be at 7 p.m. on ESPN3
· ESPN3 will be the home to the Ivy League Championship semifinals on Friday, May 4, at 5 and 8 p.m., while ESPNU will offer the title game that Sunday at noon
· The America East and ECAC champions will be crowned on ESPN3.
This season, the network’s telecasts will include a deep roster of experienced and knowledgeable lacrosse analysts: Ryan Boyle (Four-time All-American at Princeton), Paul Carcaterra (All-American at Syracuse and a member of 1995 National Championship team), Mark Dixon (former Johns Hopkins midfielder), Ryan Flanagan (All-American defenseman at UNC), Quint Kessenich (Four-time All-American at Johns Hopkins), Jamie Munro (All-American at Brown and former Denver head coach) and Matt Ward (former Virginia attackman and 2006 Tewaaraton winner). Play-by-play announcers include: ESPNU’s Anish Shroff, Joe Beninati (Bowdoin College goalie), Mike Corey, Ben Holden and Eamon McAnaney (Notre Dame defenseman). Newcomer Courtney Martinez Connor (Four-time NCAA Championship at Maryland) will handle analysis of the women’s games.
ESPN Network’s 2012 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Regular-Season Schedule (Schedule subject to change; all times are Eastern)
Dowd a Coach by Day, Player by Night
For Dowd, an assistant coach at Syracuse and a Team USA World Cup hopeful, a day that started with coaching in the Orange's exhibition match against the English women's national team ended with a seven-goal performance against Maryland in the nightcap of Team USA's double-header against the Terrapins. Dowd's highlight-filled dandy put an exclamation point on the U.S. national team's sweep of Maryland, 18-3 and 23-7, on Saturday night at Champion Challenge, a US Lacrosse event at the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Florida.
Dowd roamed the sidelines for Syracuse's 11:30 a.m. contest against Team England, and left midway through the second half to help — get this — coach at Team USA's youth clinic, from 1-3 p.m. Shortly thereafter, she warmed up with the women's national team, then played in the second of Team USA's split-squad night matches against Maryland.
"It has been a lot of fun," Dowd said. "I knew coming down here that I would have a hectic schedule, especially today. This whole week I made sure Syracuse was well taken care of, they knew their itinerary, so it could be seamless when I wasn't around. But it was great today. Gary [Gait] is such a great coach, and he's played at the national level for Team Canada. He told me, 'Hey, your focus is Team USA. We're OK at Syracuse. We'll take care of it.' That was pretty nice of him to say. That made it easy for me to go back and forth, and just really worry about Team USA."
Many players on Team USA's 38-member roster — which needs to be trimmed to 24 after this weekend in preparation a summer competition tour in Oshawa, Canada, host of the 2013 (FIL) World Cup — are college coaches.
Take a deep breath, then soak in this list: Sarah Albrecht (UMass assistant), Amy Altig (Penn State assistant), Kelly Berger (UMBC head coach), Sarah Bullard (Boston University volunteer assistant), Jillian Byers (Yale assistant), Kirsten Carr (Delaware assistant), Corey Donohoe (Navy volunteer assistant), Amber Falcone (Vanderbilt assistant), Katie Hertsch (Boston University assistant), Erica LaGrow (Florida assistant), Caitlyn McFadden (Florida assistant), Lindsey Munday (Southern California head coach), Gina Oliver (Duquesne assistant), Brittany Poist (McKendree head coach), Katie Rowan (Albany assistant), Jen Russell (Harvard volunteer assistant), Lauren Schwarzmann (San Diego State assistant), Danielle Spencer (Stanford assistant), Acacia Walker (Boston College associate head coach), Devon Wills (Southern California assistant).
But it's rare to both coach and play in the same weekend event.
"Katrina loves to compete. She loves to play, and now she loves to coach," said U.S. coach Ricky Fried, who estimated he's known Dowd for eight years, since he recruited her as a high-schooler in New York. "She's a little bit of what you would call a lax rat. She always has her stick in her hand. She likes to develop new tricks. The nice thing about Katrina is she's willing to share that ability with kids. I watch her at camps, at clinics, and she just has a great time with them showing what she can do, trying to develop them as players."
Dowd has certainly excited the Orange. During Friday night's exhibition between Team USA and England's national team, Syracuse — after finishing up practice on an adjacent field at the Wide World of Sports complex — cheered on its coach and went wild when Dowd scored 35 seconds into the game. They even made signs to support her.
"Oh, I love (Dowd)," sophomore attacker Alyssa Murray said. "When she was on the field playing, I was joking around saying things like, 'She's my idol!" But really, she's awesome. She's added so much to our team. She's a blast to work with. She definitely adds a little spice into our mix."
A volunteer assistant at Denver University last year, Dowd called Gait last summer about her interest in potentially joining Syracuse's staff. It was wait-and-see mode for a couple months, as Gait hinted there might be an opening on his staff. But in late July, Gait called Dowd and offered an interview. She was quickly hired.
"She's a great addition to our staff," Gait said. "She just lives and breathes lacrosse, and she brings an energy and enthusiasm to our program, with a lot of knowledge. She's a champion, and that's where we're looking to go, and she brings that same philosophy to the program. But she's got a great coaching career ahead of her."
Dowd primarily has worked with the attackers at Syracuse, though she was more hands-on with the defense during halftime of the Orange's 9-9 tie with Team England, pointing out tendencies and ways to approach the English offense.
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| Dowd shares a smile on the sideline with Syracuse head coach Gary Gait during practice Friday. The former Northwestern star is in her first season as an assistant coach with the Orange. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com |
"I'm a big dodger myself, and I want to instill that ability in my players," Dowd said. "All players can be great dodgers, so that's something I really make a focus. But as an attacker, I do play a lot at Syracuse during practice drills and 1-v-1's, and I kind of know them better than they know themselves, because I know what to manipulate, I know what they're trying to take away."
There hasn't been much taking away or slowing down of Dowd thus far this weekend. Through two games, she leads Team USA with nine combined goals. And though Fried said the national team wouldn't be "stat-based," Dowd is making an impression that she deserves a spot on the final. Back in 2009, Dowd was called in the final days before the World Cup to fly to Prague in case one of the Team USA players was unable to play due to injury concerns. She didn't get to play that year, but she made a case to be a fixture on the Team USA roster for the foreseeable future.
Fried sees, and has seen, all the pieces to Dowd's puzzle: the raw talents of an athlete, the development of a lacrosse player and the birth of a coaching career.
"She has great hands, and that gets overlooked because you notice the feet, you notice the quick first step," Fried said. "She's developed a good outside shot, which makes her a multiple threat. Her vision has improved tremendously. But without a doubt, her quickness goes without saying. You watch it, and even we're wowed at times. It's hard not to be. She just to learn when to use that, and when it's appropriate.
"She's always had the physical tools, that's obvious just watching her play. Sometimes she has to make sure that she doesn't rely just on her physical tools, rely on her mental capacity, because it has grown the last couple years. And the ability to communicate to her teammates — that's one of the pieces that people take for granted, at times — but she's starting to get in that position, where we're looking for her to be a vocal leader, not just a lead-by-example-type of person.
"She's going to have to continue to work on not being able to show people what to do, but being able to explain to people what to do. Most people aren't going to be able to do what she can do physically, so teaching them the game as opposed to that skill set, that's the area where she'll have to work. That's why you hear stories about excellent players who don't become good coaches, because they get frustrated with people who can't do what they can do. For her, she has a lot of patience. She is becoming more of a student of the game, and those attributes will take her a lot further along. She's being more comfortable with herself, frankly, and being able to communicate and not just showing it on the field."
StarzLacrosse
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| LaxDawgs Elite Champions at Del Norte High School! |
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| LA Express High School Girls Champs |
Northwestern's Past Greats Help Beat the Present
Half of Team USA's goals were scored by former Northwestern players, including four by Katrina Dowd, who earned Most Outstanding Player honors for her effort. Former Wildcats Lindsey Munday (three goals, three assists) and Danielle Spencer (one goal, one assist) also tickled the twine against their alma mater.
"It's really fun to play with former teammates like Sarah Albrecht, as well as Katrina and Spence," said Munday, who was an assistant at Northwestern after her playing career and coached Dowd and Spencer. "We tend to know what one another wants to do on the field, and we can have that communication without even talking, so it's always nice to have that chemistry where you can work together and work well off each other."
The U.S. win kicked off Sunday's nationally televised matinee of action at the seventh annual US Lacrosse event, held at the ESPN Wide World of Sports complex. Following Sunday's main game, and while Denver faced the men's national team, Team USA played Northwestern a second time and won 18-1, sweeping the Wildcats to cap a 5-0 weekend.
"I was really pleased with the discipline we showed throughout the [first] game," U.S. coach Ricky Fried said. "Our defense played particularly well, holding position, not going for checks for most of the game, and staying poised against a very quality team that's seasoned, plays fast, is very aggressive. We made sure that we stayed composed and disciplined the entire time."
Intense and physical play defined Sunday, as Team USA was called for 33 fouls and Northwestern for 18 in the first meeting. Defender Taylor Thornton, a national team hopeful playing for Northwestern in Sunday's opener, called the environment "a battlefield out there."
"You come to this level, you're playing a national-championship-caliber team, they're not going to back down for you, and we're clearly not going to back down for them. That's what you expect, and that's why you play the game," Fried said. "Those are the games you enjoy. Games when you come out, you compete, you're pressed to do things under duress, and it's great for the coaching staff because we get to see who reacts appropriately to that style of play."
The U.S. increased its defensive intensity Sunday, pressuring away from the cage and forcing the Wildcats' hand, especially in the first half when Northwestern turned the ball over 13 times.
With attacking, high-energy play came a bevy of yellow cards for both sides. Seven of the game's 22 goals were scored in player-up situations, including four of Team USA's first seven scores, which put the Wildcats in an early 7-0 hole.
"We talked about the pressure they were going to bring, but sometimes you don't realize it until you feel that pressure," Northwestern coach Kelly Amonte Hiller said. "They have great kids top to bottom that have great fundamentals and they're always good at those little things. They're battling and they're battling together. They did a great job putting pressure on us and swarming us. We couldn't handle it in the beginning."
When asked what her team needs to work on during a post-game television interview, Amonte Hiller said, "ground balls." Just ground balls? "Pretty much." As they struggled to pick up loose balls and committed several costly turnovers, the Wildcats didn't sustain many extended possessions in the opening period.
But Northwestern settled in after intermission, playing to a 9-5 score in the second half and showing what makes them Lacrosse Magazine's preseason top-ranked team. Junior midfielders Amanda Macaluso and Erin Fitzgerald scored two goals apiece, and sophomore Kelly Rich tacked on one.
Thornton and Shannon Smith, both training with Team USA this weekend, played for Northwestern in Sunday's opener, then suited up for the red, white and blue and faced their current teammates in the second matchup. Thornton joked after the game, "I feel like I'm about on 'E' with the tank."
Thornton, though, was everywhere on the field — marking All-World attacker Munday, pushing the ball in transition, getting involved on the offensive end.
"She's just tenacious," Munday said. "You see her out there, she's always excited. She loves lacrosse, and she really goes out every single play at 100 percent. If you can do that, with her athleticism, it's a really good combination."
Munday's three assists Sunday gave her six helpers this weekend, four of which went through Dowd, who ended up scoring 13 combined goals in three games.
"Katrina is so quick and she's so athletic, and it's really hard to stop her," Munday said. "If you stop her one way, she's going to beat you another way. It's not like she has one thing in her arsenal, and she can really beat you a number of different ways. She's a really fun player to watch, and a really fun player to play with."
Players without ties to Northwestern contributed, too. Katie Rowan and Sarah Bullard added four and two goals, respectively for Team USA, which will see its 38-member roster trimmed to 24 shortly in preparation for the summer's tour in Canada. Fried said the coaching staff would hold a conference call within the next two days, and they'll inform the team of their decisions by the end of the week.
"It's going to be some really, really difficult decisions to make, and that's great problem to have as a coach. Difficult to do, but a great problem to have," Fried said. "We're going to be looking for the best dynamic. One of the biggest things we're going to focus on is decision-making. Not skills, necessarily, because they all have skills. Not athleticism. But who's making the right decision within the context of how we want to play, and that's going to be the biggest factor for us."
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Holy Cross Women's Lacrosse Names 2012 Team Captains
Furman has played in 49 career games and has been a major leader on defense for the Crusaders. For her career she has 53 ground balls, 28 caused turnovers and 34 draw controls, while she also has four goals and one assist for five points. Last season as a junior, Furman earned first team All-Patriot League honors. She played in 16 games with 16 starts as she tied for fifth on the team with 17 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers. Furman also recorded 12 draw controls.
Sutton earned second team All-Patriot League accolades as a sophomore and junior. She has played in all 50 games and has 91 goals and 19 assists for 110 points. Sutton led the team last season with 35 goals and a career-best 44 points, while she was second with a career-best nine assists. She tied for the team-lead with 27 draw controls and was tied for third with a career-best 21 ground balls. Her 79 career draw controls are sixth all-time at the school. As a sophomore, she netted a career-best 36 goals. As a junior, Sutton earned Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week once, while as a freshman she was named the Rookie of the Week twice. Sutton was a member of the 2011 Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Carrellas has played in all 34 games with 31 goals and seven assists for 38 career points. She also has 27 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers and 32 draw controls. Last season she tied for second on the team with a career-best 21 goals and was fourth with a career-best 23 points. As a freshman, Carrellas earned Patriot League Rookie of the Week honors once and was named to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
Woods Announces Deep Recruiting Class For 2013 Season
"We are very excited for the 2012 class. They're a strong group of nine student-athletes who believe in UConn and our program," said head coach Katie Woods.
"They have the leadership skills and competitive mentality that will help us accomplish our goals as a program. We're looking forward to their arrival in the fall of 2012 and I think they will provide a strong future for UConn lacrosse," added Woods.
Palmucci joins UConn as an attacker, Bonnes, Crofts, Fazio, Finkelston, Perettine, and Pimental come in as midfielders, while Thompson plays both attack and midfield positions. Nee will join the Huskies as the lone goalie in the 2013 class.
As a junior at Walter Panas High School, Bonnes recorded 58 goals and 14 assists. She was an All-Section honoree and helped lead her team to their fifth straight Section 1 Class A Crown and the state final four.
Alexandra Crofts attends Staples High School in Westport, Conn. Crofts led Staples to a runner-up finish at the 2011 Division II Championship as a junior. She was named to the Norwalk Hour All-Area team as a sophomore and a junior while picking up All-FCIAC Honorable Mention both years as well.
Fazio attends Andover High and has also been a three-year starter for the basketball team, earning two State Championships. She was named an honorable mention selection to the ESPN Boston 2011 MIAA All-State Team in lacrosse as a junior and tallied 27 goals as a sophomore for Andover. Fazio was also named to the Under Armour Underclassmen All-American game. She will enter her senior season with 93 goals and 72 assists.
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At Leonardtown High School, Finkelston recorded 48 goals and 49 assists her junior year. She was tabbed as an All-America Honorable Mention selection, Academic All-American and rewarded the Outstanding Player award at Leonardtown High School. In both 2010 and 2011, she was First Team All-SMAC and First Team All-County.
Shannon Nee was All-Lancaster League and All-Section after her freshman, sophomore and junior years (2009-2011). She was named L-L League MVP Goalie for 2011 and made the WDNT Central PA team during her sophomore and junior years (2010-2011). Nee was named an Honorable Mention All-American for 2011 and made the 2011 Philly Under Armour team.
As a junior at Oakton High School in Virginia, Palmucci recorded 82 goals and 72 assists. She received ESPN Rise and US Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-America honors while also being named Washington Post All-Metropolitan, All-Region and All-District honors in 2011. She enters her senior year with 137 goals and 113 assists for her career.
At Farmingdale High School, Perettine was All-County Honorable Mention, All-League and a member of the National School Girls Metro LI Team in 2010 and 2011. She was an AP Scholar with Distinction and part of the National Honor Society as well.
Madalyn Pimental attended the Elite 120 Event in Randolph, N.J. in January of 2011 and attends Massapequa High in Massapequa, N.Y. Pimental has led her squad to three Nassau County Championship games while earning the Nassau County Unsung Hero Award. The team captain as a junior, she was named All-County. Also a member of the Massapequa soccer team, she led the team two NY State Championships. Pimental also earned High Honors at Massapequa and was a member of the National Honor Society.
Victoria Thompson attends Marriotts Ridge High School in Ellicott City, Md. Thompson attended the Elite 120 Event in Randolph, N.J. in January of 2011. She was named to the 2011 U.S. Lacrosse All-Academic Team as a junior.
The Huskies open the 2012 regular season at home against Iona on Saturday, February 12 at 1 p.m. in Storrs. UConn finished the 2011 campaign with a 9-7 record including a 3-5 mark in BIG EAST play.
Neary Inducted into Temple Athletics Hall of Fame
Cabrini College head field hockey and lacrosse coach Jackie Neary added another honor to her resume on Saturday. Along with other members of Temple University's 1984 women's lacrosse team, Neary was inducted into the Temple University Athletics' Hall of Fame. The induction ceremony took place at Temple's Homecoming football game at Lincoln Financial Field on October 15.
During Neary's years with the Owls, Temple went 60-8-3 and reached the national semifinals all four years. Neary was named to the Brine/IWLCA All-America First Team following her senior season in 1986.
After falling to New Hampshire in the 1983 NCAA national semifinals, the Owls reached the NCAA final game in 1984 and toppled Maryland 6-4 to win the school's first NCAA Women's Lacrosse title.
Neary was also an assistant coach for her alma mater's women's lacrosse team from 1991-94.
Neary started the Cabrini lacrosse program in 1997 and immediately led the program to success, going 15-0 in the program's second year. Since then, Neary has amassed 195 victories and 10 Colonial States Athletic Conference crowns. She has also been named CSAC Coach of the Year five times, last earning the honor in 2010.
During Neary's years with the Owls, Temple went 60-8-3 and reached the national semifinals all four years. Neary was named to the Brine/IWLCA All-America First Team following her senior season in 1986.
After falling to New Hampshire in the 1983 NCAA national semifinals, the Owls reached the NCAA final game in 1984 and toppled Maryland 6-4 to win the school's first NCAA Women's Lacrosse title.
Neary was also an assistant coach for her alma mater's women's lacrosse team from 1991-94.
Neary started the Cabrini lacrosse program in 1997 and immediately led the program to success, going 15-0 in the program's second year. Since then, Neary has amassed 195 victories and 10 Colonial States Athletic Conference crowns. She has also been named CSAC Coach of the Year five times, last earning the honor in 2010.
Former Lacrosse Standout Passafiume Named Assistant Coach at High Point
"We're very excited to have Staci join our staff – she's young, enthusiastic and ready to get started on her collegiate coaching career," said Boswell. "I got a very good recommendation from her former coach Megan McNamara, who is a good friend and colleague. Staci has a winning background, a positive attitude and will be a great asset on the field, especially working with our goalies."
In her senior season at C.W. Post in 2010, Passafiume was a first-team All-American and led the team with 42 assists and 71 points. She also scored 29 goals and picked up 44 ground balls. The attacker also collected All-East Coast Conference and ECAC All-Star accolades.
In addition to C.W. Post's 2007 NCAA title, the Pioneers made it to the Final Four in each of the four seasons Passafiume was on the roster and the team went 66-7 in that time. She helped the Pioneers to a perfect 17-0 record en route to the program's second national title in 2007. She played in all 17 games that season, scoring 14 goals and collecting 15 ground balls.
Passafiume was a three-time All-Conference honoree while also earning second-team All-America honors as a junior. She was also a three-time All-East Coast Conference All-Academic selection. Passafiume graduated from C.W. Post in May 2010 with a degree in Early Childhood Education.
Originally from Port Jefferson, N.Y., Passafiume collected All-League and All-County accolades while at Comsewogue High School.
Passafiume has previously coached at the club level and high school level. For the 2011 season, she was an assistant coach for the Comsewogue girls' varsity team. She spent the summer of 2006 working for the Long Island Yellow Jackets. She taught fundamental lacrosse skills to 12- and 13-year-old girls while scheduling and organizing practices.
Passafiume joins Boswell and assistant coach Whitney Michele for High Point University's second season of women's lacrosse. In their inaugural season in 2011, the Panthers went 15-4 and set a record for wins by a first-year NCAA Div. I program. High Point beat Jacksonville in the National Lacrosse Conference title game and featured the NLC Player of the Year, Grace Gaeng, as well as four other All-Conference selections.
Lax Her Essentials: Lacrosse Player New Year's Resolutions
Becky Lynch, North Carolina
My New Year’s resolution this year is to do something everyday for the pure benefit of someone else. I am a huge advocate of paying it forward so my thought is that if I do something kind or helpful to someone each day, they might continue the cycle and ultimately there would be more pure acts of kindness in the world. It’s a big dream to have but I’ve always believed that it’s the little things that matter most, and end up having the biggest impact on people.
Jasmine DePompeo, Navy
Every year I make a resolution to go to bed earlier or to get more sleep, but I usually am back to my old ways within a few weeks.Marlee Paton, Loyola
I'm really bad at keeping New Years resolutions so there's no real point in making one!Danielle Vivonetto, Navy
I don't usually make New Years resolutions. This year, however, I've put a bit more thought into my resolution. In 2012, I will make a conscious effort to ensure that I do not have any regrets when my lacrosse career comes to an end this May. I will make the most of every moment and make the best with what I have.Taylor Hurwitz, New Hampshire
This year my New Year's resolution is to study hard and practice harder in preparation for the upcoming season! Before long you will be reporting all about UNH, as we plan on winning an American East Championship!!!Denise Lenihan, William & Mary
My New Year's resolution this year is to travel more, at any possible opportunity. After briefly studying abroad in Italy, I have been yearning to go anywhere and everywhere, and there’s no time like the present. This is one resolution I will certainly be sure to stick with.Kathy Young, Navy
This year I want to sleep more and drink less coffee. School has called for many late nights, but I know it would be better for me (and my wallet) to cut back on the coffee. Also, I know the coaches would be happier if I got more sleep!Ana Heneberry, Loyola
My New Year's resolution is to go after everything I want this year. As a senior, there are so many opportunities for me when I graduate and so many things that I want to do. I want to push myself to reach my goals and keep pursuing new ones. Unfortunately, my resolutions to eat better and spend less money have not held up in the past, so hopefully I can pull through on this one!Dominique Wright, Navy
My New Year's resolution is to take my play to another level. I will do whatever it takes to be a big defensive impact for my team. Whether it's doing extra ground balls, footwork, wallball or sprints after practice. Coming up on my third and probably final year of playing lacrosse, I can now say that I am completely comfortable out there and I am ready to show my opponents that I am not a track star on a lacrosse field, but that I am a laxer like everyone else.Maggie Anderson, William & Mary
I don't normally make New Year's Resolutions, but if I did, I would say I would be pretty good at sticking to them. But this year, I'd say mine is to work as hard as I possibly can in my last four months as a college athlete in order to help my team win our conference championship. This is my last shot, so I'm going to do everything in my power to make it happen this year.Beth Young, Navy
My New Year's revolution is to give up coffee. I am addicted! My entire paycheck goes to the coffee mess at school. Luckily, I am pretty good at sticking to resolutions once I set my mind to it, and I am confident that this one will stick, until exams roll around!
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