WILLIAMSTOWN, MA -- Last season Chris Mason’s Williams women’s lacrosse team took a while to get going in games and during the season, but once the Ephs got it together they played at a very high level.
The Ephs went 6-4 over their first 10 games last spring and in each game the Ephs did not help themselves with the slow start. Maybe it was working in so many new players or maybe the team just needed time to jell, but whatever it was Chris Mason does not want it to show up again this year.
“We had four losses in the first half of the season, and even though they were extremely close games against very strong teams, I felt that we could have played better,” said Mason. “It seemed to take our team a bit of time last year to believe they were a great team. We had finished in last place in the very strong NESCAC conference the previous year and we needed to gain confidence, which did come. I felt we got stronger and played with more fire as the season heated up.”
Mason would like her team to start off the 2010 season at the level they were at over their final 10 contests last season when they won seven and lost three. All three of those losses came at the hands of nationally ranked teams. The penultimate loss last spring came in the NESCAC Championship game by two goals and the last loss of the year came in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by one goal.
Mason lost two of her top seven scorers from last year to graduation in Britt Spackman (44g, 33a) and Julia Nawrocki (29g, 23a), but she does return a significant amount of firepower around which to construct an attack. Spackman was an All-NESCAC and All-American honoree.
Sophomore attack Margie Fulton burst on the scene a year ago and earned Second Team All-NESCAC honors and was named the conference Rookie of the Year for netting a team-high 46 goals to go with 26 assists. Fulton gradually evolved into a go-to scorer for the Ephs as the season progressed.
“Margie was a great addition to the team last year,” stated Mason. “With her soft spoken and kind demeanor, it is surprising to see her get on the field and show her incredible competitive instinct! She is a very talented scorer, and skillful player who works hard and puts the team's best interest first.”
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| Whitney Thayer '10 |
Senior attacks Whitney Thayer and Tina Nawrocki will team with Fulton up front to give the Ephs a strong focus of attack. Thayer scored 39 goals last spring and registered 9 assists, while Nawrocki tallied 27 goals and assisted on 16 goals.
Mason will also have another emerging sophomore attack to call on in Taylor Fleishacker who recorded 17 goals and assisted on 11 in her debut season.
“While we graduated two strong senior
attack weapons, we have returners who are ready to step into
starting roles as well as some very talented first year players who
will get a good deal of playing time,” noted
Mason. “One returner we are thrilled to have back
is senior attack player Whitney Kelly, who was injured for most of
last season.”
Senior Tracey Ferriter, who also letters in ice hockey, returns to lend stability and experience to the Eph midfield. Ferriter made her presence known last season by scoring 15 goals and recording 5 assists.
“In addition to Tracey, we have senior
Alice Nelson, juniors Ann Marie Burke and Allie Page, as well
as sophomores Meera Sivalingam and Katie Ellis that will
all be tough, hardworking midfielders for us,” commented
Mason. “We also see great promise from a couple of first
years.”
The Eph defense will need to overcome the loss to graduation of All-NESCAC and All-American performer Lizzie Burns in its attempt to make this season an improvement over last season.
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| Alice Nelson '10 |
“We graduated two very tough defenders in Toni Clark and Lizzie Burns,” said Mason. “The very talented co-captain Quinn Brueggemann, a senior, will anchor the defense with classmate Amy Siedlecki who is back from a season ending injury last year. At times Sivalingam, Burke and Nelson will be in the D. First year Grace Horwitz as well as a few other first years and sophomores will be considered for starting spots in the defense.”
Complementing the offensive strength the Ephs have returning is the return of junior netminder Julia Schreiber who earned First Team All-NESCAC honors last year.
The fearless Schreiber played 1,161 minutes last season and made 182 saves, posting a save percentage of 51%. Schreiber allowed 172 goals, for a goals against average of 8.89. “Schreibes” is a coaches dream when it comes to goalkeepers,” stated Mason. “She is not only very talented and hardworking, but a well-liked and respected leader of the team.”
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| Julia Schreiber '11 |
Last season the Ephs out scored the opposition 253 (12.65/game) to 183 (9.15 a game) and this season Mason would like the Eph defense to keep the number of goals down.
“We're excited to get the season started to try to do even better than last year's successful season,” said Mason. “We have a tough schedule with all of our NESCAC opponents as well as many strong teams out of conference. We are looking forward to the challenge!”
Six teams on the 2010 schedule are nationally ranked including the first opponent, NESCAC foe Colby (7th) on the road on March 13th. Mason’s Ephs were ranked 12th in the IWLA national preseason poll. The 2009 season began with a one-goal loss to Colby in the season opener and Colby defeated the Ephs for the NESCAC title by two goals, so motivation will not be an issue on the trip to Maine.
If the Ephs have successfully left slow starts behind them and the team gets off to a good start, 2010 could be even better than 2009.
