Outlook

2004 Women's Lacrosse Outlook

After claiming the Northeast Conference championship title in five of the last six years, the UMBC women’s lacrosse team is ready to move on to bigger things.

With a bigger team, they just might find the perfect fit in the more competitive America East.

"We are very excited to be in this conference," said Head Coach Monica Yeakel. "This is definitely a more challenging league, and from the day that I told the team that we would move into the America East, their whole mentality changed."

The Retrievers, who last season, made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year, dominated the NEC. In a six-year span, UMBC went 34-2, with both losses coming against former league rival Monmouth.

"We got to a point in the Northeast Conference where it was just hurting our play because our non-conference schedule was so difficult, and we went from playing the number one team in the country to the team with the least experience," said Yeakel. "It was way too inconsistent. With the America East, even though there are some newer programs or programs that have just gone Division I, each team has made a commitment to the sport to continue making the lacrosse program better."

This season, the Retrievers will create new rivalries against the likes of Boston University, who has been nationally ranked consistently for the past few years, and New Hampshire – a team with the capability to break into the Top 20.

To help UMBC establish itself in the new conference, Yeakel looks to her veterans and a large group of incoming freshmen. The Retrievers only lost three players to graduation in 2003, but all were an essential part of the team, including goalie Courtney Stringer. This season, a pair of freshmen, Jena Goldstein and Kristina Raab, will be between the pipes for UMBC.

"Having two freshmen will probably be our biggest challenge," said Yeakel. "But we have a veteran defense in front of them, so hopefully, it will balance out."

The Retriever defense will be anchored by senior Emily Sawyer, junior Tracie McClintic, and sophomores Julie Libertini and Erin Lynn. Sawyer, a scrappy player, started all 19 games last year, as did McClintic, and the two combined for nine goals on 21 shots. Libertini, an aggressive player with plenty of speed, also saw action in every game, while Lynn had a great rookie season, picking up 20 ground balls, while causing 13 turnovers.

Junior Kelly Reese will battle for a starting position in the back, as might newcomer Megan Mullins. A dual-sport athlete, Mullins was essential in helping the UMBC women’s soccer team advance to the conference tournament in 2003. Other freshmen who will fight for time include Sam Sankovich and Brittany Strasdauskas. Junior transfer Deborah Catterton, who was recruited to help out the defense, will red-shirt for the season due to an ankle injury.

The midfield will be led by 2002 NEC Rookie of the Year Stephanie Crouch. This season, she will be taking center draws along with newcomer Kelly Fahey, who Yeakel believes has a great game sense and great speed. Juniors Annie Davis and Anna Jacobs, who are both battling to fully recover from injuries, should also see some playing time, alongside sophomore Ashley Wilson. Unfortunately, the Retrievers will be unable to receive help from freshman Erin Waller and junior transfer Ede Carpenter, who both suffered injuries in preseason play.

On attack, 2003 NEC Player of the Year Jen Dragoni will return for her final season to quarterback the offense. Last year, Dragoni scored 37 goals, while posting 24 assists and picking up 31 ground balls. She will again be assisted by junior Lauren Hess, who contributed 33 goals and 8 assists, and by 2003 NEC Rookie of the Year Kelly Fiorani, who tallied 37 goals and 10 assists as a freshman.

Also returning for the Retriever attack will be sophomores Jenny Kasper and Kate Worthington, who combined for 49 points during their rookie season. Kasper netted three goals in the conference title game, while Worthington, who established herself as a starter by mid-season, finished the year with 17 goals.

UMBC should also receive contributions from freshman Jocena Venditti, who red-shirted the past two years due to torn anterior cruciate ligaments on both knees, and the speedy newcomer Heather Licht.

"We have a bigger squad, which is definitely good," said Yeakel. "We have some kids that have been out with injuries for two years and that adds to our firepower on attack. We also have a bench this year. At one point last season, we only had two subs, and games can’t be won that way. I know it sounds simple, but just the size of the team will be huge for us."

In 2004, a bigger UMBC team will take on some even bigger names as they open the season against #4 Duke, #11 North Carolina, #5 Loyola, and #19 Old Dominion. Down the road in late March, the Retrievers will also face #3 Virginia.

"The non-conference play should definitely prepare us for tougher play in the America East," said Yeakel. "There really isn’t much drop-off between games and there are no ‘easy wins.’ Every game is a big game and a tough game, and we’ve got to be ready for each one whether it’s in the conference or not."