Boston College Athletics
New Faces and Fresh Perspective Highlight 2007 Women's Lacrosse
December 19, 2006 | Lacrosse
Dec. 19, 2006
With the 2006 fall season complete, second year head coach Bowen Holden can already detect a change of dynamics in her Boston College women's lacrosse squad.
"This is a unified, cohesive group that was much more focused this fall on the task at hand. The team is learning how to compete with one another while also remaining close friends, and this competition has helped the group grow as a whole," Holden says.
This group, which returns the majority of its starters, finished the 2006 season with an 8-9 overall record under its new head coach.
"The experience we have from a year ago will pay off immensely and the team has a different mentality this year that is going to help in the long-run. There is no question that we are still going to have major battles and some ups and downs, but it will be how we respond to all of it that will determine our success on and off the field," Holden explains. "This season is going to be about building on what we began a year ago."
One of those major battles Holden speaks of includes a second year in the highly competitive Atlantic Coast Conference which the Eagles had difficulty keeping up with last season, going 1-4 in conference play. In addition to tough ACC competition, Boston College also faces top local teams such as Boston University, Dartmouth, and Yale. Off-season staff changes and focused training during the fall season are the first steps toward battling those key opponents.
One off-season change was the addition of assistant coach Joanne Connelly, a former standout at Penn State in the mid-90s and three-time U.S. World Cup Team member. Since her All-American days as a Nittany Lion, she has coached at Stanford University from 2002-04 and at her alma mater from 2004-06. Considered one of the best lacrosse players in the world, Connelly will bring experience and solid skills to the Heights.
"Joanne is defensive minded so she will spend most of her time working with and running our defense this spring. She has played at the highest level and knows how to break down the game and teach it very well. We are blessed to have her and she has already made a huge impact on this team--in all facets of the program," Holden praises her assistant.
The Eagles also brought in eight freshmen with impressive resumes, including midfielder Sarah Sedgwick, a native of Fayetteville, N.Y., who was an All-American as a senior at Christian Brothers Academy and named one of Inside Lacrosse's Top 18 "Young Guns" in 2005.
The rookies will complement the four co-captains--graduate student Elizabeth Kadison, and seniors Meghan Davis, Brennan Joyce and Katherine Wagoner. Kadison, the oldest member of the team, has played in 51 games in her career with the Eagles and recorded team-highs in goals (57), assists (21) and total points (78). Davis and Joyce will anchor a relatively experienced defense this year, while Wagoner will drive the midfield. All four veterans will lead the Eagles in all aspects of the program and their leadership will be instrumental to the success of the 2007 season.
Including Kadison, the attack returns every player from last year which should improve communication on the field and movement of the ball. Sophomore Jenna McCabe was the second highest scoring attacker last year, notching 16 goals and 27 points as a freshman. Classmate Maura Mahoney trailed right behind McCabe with 23 points and led the team with 25 draw controls.
Juniors Shauna Cuhane and Caitlin Swift each saw minutes last year and will work themselves into the game plan as well this year. Rookie Lauren Costello performed well during the fall season, proving she will be a strength on the attack. Fellow classmates Suzanne Cannon and Peyton Killeen also improved immensely and will compete for time on the field.
Speed and experience highlight the Boston College midfield. Wagoner started all 17 games last season, but second team Northeast Regional All-American Margot Spatola stole the show last year as a freshman. In her debut season as a walk-on, Spatola was second on the team with 37 points and led the team with 31 goals and two game-winners. Two other sophomores, Emily Hannigan and Lauren Fitzpatrick earned starting roles in their first year with the Eagles, and they will be looked upon as leaders this spring. Fellow classmate Rachel Tinquist, who moves from attack to midfield this year, will join Sedgwick in rounding out the midfield unit.
The defense will be the youngest facet of the Eagles' lineup this season as half the defenders will be rookies. Sophomore Katie DeBlois and junior Catharine Saylor will help Davis and Joyce integrate the freshmen--Kelley Brennan and Elizabeth Maddock--into the backfield. Fellow rookies Caitlin Burr and Blair Clancy will spend much of the spring season recovering from injuries, but will likely be strong contributors during their sophomore campaigns in 2008.
After graduating senior Tara McKennett last year, the Eagles are left with two goalkeepers vying for the starting role in net. Junior Courtney Zwirko and sophomore Katie Monaghan both earned starts last year with Monaghan playing a portion of all but one game and recording a 6-6 record. Both goalkeepers are more experienced a year later and will step up to the challenge this season.
"Both goalies have different strengths and we are fortunate in that we will have to make a touch decision. Either Courtney or Katie will have to demonstrate she can handle the pressure, remain mentally strong, and make the saves we need," Holden says.
The 2007 schedule will be a challenging one that will test the Eagles' new mentality and fresh look. Six teams ranked in the final 2006 IWLCA poll, including four ACC teams, are slated for the spring season. The Eagles kick off their schedule with a league tilt at Maryland on February 24. The team will visit Virginia Tech on March 17 in a must-win game against the only ACC team it defeated last season. A match against cross-town rival Boston University will take place at Nickerson Field on March 28 before the Eagles return to ACC action against a tough North Carolina team. Perennial powerhouses Duke and Virginia visit Chestnut Hill on consecutive Saturdays in April leading up to the ACC Championship April 26-29 on the North Carolina campus. The Dartmouth Big Green, who ranked eighth in the final poll and competed in the NCAA Championship game, hosts Boston College on May 2.
Games against non-ranked local foes--Fairfield, Harvard, Yale, Holy Cross, Vermont, UMass, UConn, and Brown, along with Marist College--will be competitive games as well for Boston College.
"All the games against top New England teams will be crucial for post-season hopes. We cannot and will not take anyone lightly. We play one of the toughest schedules in the country and we have to take each game one at a time," Holden says.
