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.
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