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WOMEN'S LAX READY FOR ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SEASON
2011 WOMEN'S LACROSSE GNAC PRE-SEASON POLL
"Commitment, teamwork, and the desire to get better," are specific keys to success second year women's lacrosse head coach Peri Steere will be zeroing in on this 2011 season.
The Mustangs will be looking to improve off their 8-6 overall record in 2010 during their first year as a member of the Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC). Mount Ida finished league standings with a 4-4 slate good for a berth into the GNAC post-season tournament. The Mustangs would fall in the opening round to eventual GNAC champion Emerson College by a score of 12-2.
Coach Steere and Mount Ida ranked second in the conference last season in goals per game averaging 13.93 and second in points per game tied with Emerson College at 18.43 each contest.
The Mustangs will have no time to waste as they start off the year with three big games.
"This season we have strengthened our schedule and added Massachusetts power houses Fitchburg State University, Curry College, and Husson University. These three games are vital and will show us where we are as a program right out of the gate," Steere said.
These three tough non-conference games will prepare the Mustangs for a grueling conference schedule with some very talented teams including Norwich University, Emerson College, and St. Joseph's College (ME).
"Our main goal is to win the conference but if we can get better everyday and improve as time goes on we should have a very successful year. We return three All-Conference first team members in seniors Danielle Chuba (Midfield, Wrightstown, NJ/Northern Burlington Regional), Jen Thompson (Attack, Easton, MD/Easton), and Becky Tisbert (Midfield, Cambridge, VT/Lamoille Union)," said Steere.
Thompson was the teams leading scorer last year notching 82 goals, good for first overall in the conference statistics. She ranked second in points per game for the conference good for a seventh ranking nationally. Thompson was also ranked third in the country in goals scored (82), seventh in points per game (6.21), and third in goals per game (5.86).
Chuba also showcased an impressive first year notching 60 goals and 13 assists good for 73 points for the season as the second leading scorer on the team behind Thompson. She ranked fourth in the conference for goals per game (4.29) and assists per game (.93). One of the more impressive stats from Chuba last season was her conference leading game winning goals scoring five out of 14 contests last year. Chuba is the glue that will hold the offense together and keep their attack firing on all cylinders.
Tisbert is a ground ball machine with the ability to anticipate any ball that comes loose which will really help trigger the offensive attack and fast breaks. Tisbert led the Mustangs for the season in pick-ups with 58 good for a top 10 ranking in the conference statistics. Tisbert was also the third highest scorer for the Mustangs last year and will provide more spark offensively in her second year playing the sport as a very athletic competitor.
Newcomers Ebony Mills (Harrison, ME/Oxford Hills) and Molly Sheppard (Brookhaven, NY/Bellport) will help balance out the attack. Mills is a strong, skilled player who will provide a highly competitive attitude as a very vocal player who wants to win every battle on the field, big or small. Shepard is very skilled with the stick and will be great off the draw for the Mustangs with a knack for getting to the ball. Also joining Mount Ida this season is freshman Mariah Callahan (Franklin, MA/Mount Saint Charles Academy). Callahan is a tireless worker who will bring speed to the Mustangs. An attack player at heart, coach Steere feels Callahan would be best suited for the defense this year and has learned this system quickly already.
In the midfield along with Chuba and Tisbert, look for senior's Kira Feeter (Keene, NH/Keene), Alexandra Sarno (East Patchogue, NY/Bellport), junior Jeileen Rivera (Springfield, MA/Springfield Central) and sophomore Alex Milot (Tiverton, RI/Tiverton) to play keys roles for the Mustangs.
Feeter is another athletic player who just finished her final season as the women's volleyball teams starting setter and captain. This will be her third year playing lacrosse and her second as a varsity player. She tallied 11 goals and nine assists good for 20 points last season.
Feeter will be paired with Sarno who also will be a creator for scoring opportunities and groundballs to hold possession. Sarno has walked the same path as Feeter coming into her second season playing the sport. She tallied nine goals and 12 assists last year good for 21 points.
Rivera, like Feeter and Sarno, comes into her second varsity season after turning in a solid first year in 2010. Rivera is a relentless defensive midfielder who wears out opponents with her stamina and unrelenting effort. Rivera is more of a defensive threat for the Mustangs and will create many turnovers for more Mustang possessions. Milot is much like Rivera as a speedy defender with a tireless work ethic. She is always pressuring opponents and will be more a part of the defense and defensive midfield. Milot also got in on the scoring last year notching one goal on a coast-to-coast play against Emerson College.
"We will look for this group to help us out with groundballs and to create scoring chances. This group will be our speed group and we will need to out work everyone to get those easy fast break goals," said Steere. "These players have another year under their belts and will look to build off their chemistry from last season to create for the offense."
The defense is going too built around first year goaltender Katherine Chousa (Norwood, MA/Norwood) transferring from Anna Maria College. "She will be a key component to this year's team depending on how quickly she grows in the position seeing that this is her first year between the pipes," said Steere. "She has worked extremely hard and has a great attitude to go with it. She is a resilient team player who we will watch get better throughout the year."
In front of Chousa, senior Brittany Strout (Yarmouth, ME/Yarmouth), sophomore Lindsey Pitts (Brockton, MA/West Bridgewater), and freshman Sara Smith (Trumbull, CT/Trumbull) will look to solidify a rock solid defense for the Mustangs. Strout will be an integral part for the Mustangs defensively as she did all last season. Pitts, a beginner to the sport, has picked up the game very quickly due to her incredible athletic ability. Pitts will be a crease defender bringing tons of stamina she gained from the cross country paths during the fall season. Smith, who has some hockey experience from past years, is a tough, hardworking defender who will be expected to step in immediately and contribute.
"The key goal is to keep getting better every day, it's going to be key to the success of this season," said Steere.
The Mustangs kick off the 2011 season at non-conference Curry College Tuesday, March 3rd with game time slated for 4:00 p.m.
