2008 Woodie Awards
Women's Lacrosse Placed Second in Preseason Poll
Erika Rohrsen
Issue date: 3/2/05 Section: Sports
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According to GoJaspers.com, the Lady Jaspers were ranked to finish second in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference this season. The first place team, LeMoyne, only beat Manhattan in the poll by six points.
Along with this great accomplishment, senior Victoria Carman was nominated to the All-MAAC team for her participation in the sport. Last year Carman played in all 19 games of the Lady Jaspers' season and scored 41 points.
Other members of the team that were named to the All-MAAC team are junior Molly Pheterson and sophomore Jenny Carman. Being named to this team supplements Jenny's two MAAC rookie of the week titles that she received last year for her outstanding work on the team.
While the girls are pleased to be number two in the preseason polls, sophomore Jenny Carman said, "It's cool, but considering we won the MAAC last year, we should have been ranked number one." Carman also commented on her achievement of being named to the All-MAAC team. She said, " I was kind of shocked because I got hurt last year, but it's awesome that I was chosen. It's pretty exciting."
The girls, who have all become really good friends, think they have an excellent shot at winning the MAAC again this year. Carmen said, "We only lost one senior and gained seven talented freshmen."
One of those freshmen, Vicki Latino, commented on her experiences so far on the team. She said, "I love it; it's so much fun. All the girls were very welcoming. We have such a great time on and off the field."
The girls on the team not only have a strong relationship with one another, but they also have a strong relationship with their coaches, Jim Drivas and Jon Follick. "They have been friends for a really long time," said sophomore Katie Williams. "They coach really well together and they know how to communicate well with each other. This is inspirational to all of us, and it motivates us to play our best and practice hard." Latino agreed, saying, "Our coaches are awesome. They work really hard and they help us improve our game everyday. The season should be really exciting."
While the Lady Jaspers have been working hard to prepare for their upcoming season, the weather has compromised some of their practices. "It's hard, because one day we are out in the fields, and the next day we have to be in the gym because of the snow on the ground. We're used to playing in the cold and the rain, but there is just no way you can practice in the snow. Playing in the cold weather sucks because it's really hard on our bodies, but we get through it and we always try to play our best," said Latino.
While the ladies' first game is on March 1, they will also be attending a tournament in Disney World over spring break. "Last time we got to play against teams like Yale. It's a lot of fun, and it is really just a friendly competition. It's a really good way to get ready for our games that do count towards our record," said Carman.
The Lady Jaspers are optimistic about their upcoming season. Under the leadership of their three senior captains, Vicki Carman, Jaime Carter, and Mary Dudek, they hope to top last year's record and win more games and the MAAC again.