Shannon KeoughThe lady Cavs lacrosse team has high hopes for the upcoming 2010 season after winning the Colonial States Athletic Conference in 2009. The team’s last CSAC victory was in 2005, and their 2009 victory made it their ninth CSAC win in 12 years.
Under head coach Jackie Neary, the Cabrini College women’s lacrosse team hopes to repeat their previous triumph from last year. Neary is entering into her 15th season as the head coach, and while she has been with the lady Cavs they have won a total of nine CSAC championship titles and have appeared in seven National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments.
“Our hopes are to go undefeated in our conference, to win the CSAC and to make it as far as we can in the NCAA tournament,” Kellie Levy, senior political science and religious studies major, said.
The lady Cavs lost seven key senior players last year; however, they have many strong returning players on their roster for this upcoming season.
Key players returning for the lady Cavs will be seniors Erin Nollen, Amanda Alexandrowicz and Kate Schmidt; juniors Courtney Davis and Kristen Vernon and sophomore Jacky McDermott.
“I will miss those senior girls but I think we are capable of anything that gets handed to us,” Courtney Davis, junior special education major, said. “We will find girls that will fulfill those missing spots, and they will make sure to rock it!”
“After losing last year’s seniors, we need people to step up and take leadership on the field,” Levy said. “I think that until this year’s team gets comfortable working with each other, the seniors will be missed. It’s just a certain comfort level that we have to work towards as a team.”
Nollen led the lady Cavs in the 2009 season in both points and assists. She collected a total of 80 points and 27 assists. Alexandrowicz led the lady Cavs in goals, with a total of 55 and draw controls with 41. Schmidt collected a team high of 185 saves while Davis held the season record for groundballs with a total of 50.
With seven graduating seniors no longer on the team, the returning players hope that the incoming freshmen can step up to the plate and play on a very competitive level.
“The freshmen seem great so far and will help contribute a lot,” Erin Nollen, senior communicaton major, said. “Anything they do is a plus.”
“As far as I have seen, the freshmen seem pretty decent,” Kristen Vernon, junior communication major, said. “It’s still early in the season and a lot will change once we hit the turf. They have big shoes to fill and they are going to have to bring it.”
Following a very successful 2009 season, the Cabrini College lady Cavs lacrosse team is going to have to start out very strong this season. It is very clear though that all of the returning players have high expectations and hopes for the upcoming season.
“After winning the CSAC last year, I definitely have high hopes for this season,” Vernon said. “I think we’re going to rock it as long as everyone comes out strong and stays focused.”
“It’s my senior year so I want to finish strong and make it to the NCAA tournament,” Nollen said.
With the hard work of this team, the dedication and experience of the returning players and the new fresh talent from the class of 2013, the lady Cavs are sure to be strong this year in the Colonial States Athletic Conference.
“My hopes are to succeed even better than the past years,” Davis said. “We have a great group of girls who give 100 percent always.”
