February 1, 2008
WOMEN'S LACROSSE SEASON PREVIEW
|
| Delia Glover '09 and the Bulldogs open the 2008 season Feb. 21 at Louisville. http://www.dspics.com/ |
The 2008 Bryant University women's lacrosse season will have plenty of new faces both on the field and on the sidelines as the Bulldogs prepare for the season opener February 22 at the University of Louisville. First year coach Jessica Davos will have to replace six seniors lost to graduation from last year's squad that posted a 9-6 overall record and 7-3 mark in the Northeast-10 Conference. Three of Bryant's top four scorers are gone after accounting for 97 goals combined.
However, this year's squad figures to once again be a factor in the conference race as Davos will have nine experienced veterans back this spring looking to make another push towards the postseason in the school's final season competing in the conference.
Last fall, the university announced that it has been accepted into the Northeast Conference and will begin its transition to Division I beginning in the fall of 2008. With that in mind, the Bulldogs are focused on the future, starting this spring.
Davos, who takes over for Karen Rife who left Bryant last summer for the head coaching position at Wagner University (a member of the Northeast Conference), comes to Smithfield, RI from Bentley College. A four-year standout at Syracuse University, Davos will have look to the return of four starters back this year to carry the way in '08.
Here's a breakdown of the Bulldogs:
ATTACK
Junior Lauren Albert (South Windsor, CT) and freshman Tamara Bender (Mount Vernon, NH) lead the Bulldog attack up front. Albert saw action in 13 games starting in four last season, registering nine goals and seven assists. Her quickness will be key in sustaining the Bryant offense. Bender is a talented newcomer with good stick skills around the net that should compliment Albert's quickness.
MIDFIELD
Setting the table offensively this year will be senior midfielder Caitlin Hansen (Spring Lake, NJ) and junior Delia Glover (Marston Mills, MA). The pair combined for 68 goals last season with Hansen enjoying her best year to date with a team-best 39 goals and eight assists. She finished second on the team with 47 points and was named Second Team All-Northeast-10 and also earned all-conference academic honors for her work in the classroom as well.
Glover, a starter on Bryant's conference champion volleyball team, is the type of player that can make things happen whenever she steps onto the field. A tremendous athlete, Glover won a team-best 52 draw controls and added 16 ground balls. Her stick skills in the midfield helped set the tone offensively and watch for her enjoy another standout season.
|
| Senior Lindsey Cann '08 returns to lead the Bulldog defense this spring. http://www.dspics.com/ |
Sophomores Allison Faiola (Billerica, MA), Eliza Demarseilles (Branford, CT) and Nikole Such (Wrightstown, NJ) are back with a year of experience under their belts. Failoa had five goals and assists in 15 games as a freshman while Demarseilles contributed a pair of goals and five assists in her first year. Watch for newcomers Andrea Tyler (Rowayton, CT), Christine Sutherland (Brewster, NY), Luisa Franson (Cape Elizabeth, ME), Kaitlyn McCabe (Bourne, MA), and Meaghan Delaney (Centerville, MA) to contribute right away.
DEFENSE
Perhaps the strongest and most experienced
position, the Bulldogs will look to senior Lindsey Cann
(Danvers, MA) and junior Victoria Russell
(Southborough, MA) to backbone the defense this
season. Both started all 15 games last season with Russell
leading the team with 39 ground balls and adding 14 caused
turnovers.
Cann, who had 22 goals and nine assists, showed her versatility with 26 ground balls, 17 draw controls and 11 caused turnovers.
Sophomores Jessica Simpson (Wrentham, MA) and Victoria Kuhns (South Windsor, CT) round out the defensive unit. The Bulldogs will look to sophomore goalie Jessica Bolton (Belgrade Lakes, Maine) to handling the goalkeeping duties this season.
