Women's Lacrosse Picked 7th in CC Preseason Poll

Women's Lacrosse Picked 7th in CC Preseason Poll

CC Season Preview

LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College women's lacrosse team was picked seventh in the Centennial Conference preseason poll, released Thursday morning by the league office.

Franklin & Marshall collected seven first-place votes and led the poll with 79 points, while defending champion Gettysburg got the other three first-place votes and landed in second with 75 points. Those two programs have faced off in the CC title game in 13 of the last 14 years, with the Bullets winning four of the last five.

Washington College was third with 59 points, followed closely by Dickinson (57). Haverford (47) was fifth and was succeeded by Muhlenberg (46), Ursinus (35), McDaniel (22), Swarthmore (21), and Bryn Mawr (9).

The Bears finished 8-8 overall and 4-5 in conference play a year ago, just a game out of a playoff spot. Though there are some key positions to replace, Ursinus returns the vast majority of its starting lineup and expects to be in contention for its first postseason berth since 2012.

Ten of the Bears' top 11 point-scorers from last year's squad are back, and the three most prolific were all freshmen a year ago. That group is led by midfielder Kaci McNeave, who provided a team-high 25 goals, and includes attack Abby Goldstein (16 goals, 5 assists) and midfielder Bridget Sherry (13 goals, 8 assists). Sherry was a second-team all-conference and all-region performer as a freshman, leading Ursinus in draw controls (45), ground balls (33), and caused turnovers (21) on the way to collecting CC Rookie of the Year honors.

The midfield should be a position of strength for the Bears. In addition to McNeave – who will join the team at the conclusion of basketball season – and Sherry, Ursinus brings back juniors Franny Liberatoscioli and Lindsey Grabell. Liberatoscioli scored 16 goals in the final seven games of the season after moving to attack, while Grabell (6 goals, 8 assists) gave the team valuable offensive production.  

Senior Amy Kohout (10 goals, 7 assists) and junior Jules Krasutsky (3 goals, 5 assists) are likely starters on attack alongside sophomore Emily DiGiorgio, who netted 10 goals as a rookie. Head coach Katie Hagan also expects to see immediate impact from freshman Haley O'Malley, a product of Upper Merion High School, and Goldstein will provide a significant lift on attack and on the draw when she returns shortly from an injury.

Senior Lisa Grous anchors the defensive unit after a first team all-conference and second team all-region season that saw her finish second on the team in draw controls (43), ground balls (29), and caused turnovers (16). Grous will be supported by junior Alycia Hildebrand (15 games, 10 starts in 2016), sophomore Emily Blaszkow (13 games, 6 starts), and junior Amy Lee (9 games, 5 starts). Freshman Julia Gilpin has also carved out a sizeable role on defense with an impressive preseason.   

In goal, junior Meaghan Corbin and sophomore Kaitlyn France step between the pipes in place of four-year starter Margaret Philbin. Corbin appeared in five games with two starts a year ago, going 2-0 with 18 saves and a 48.6 save percentage, while France saw action in three games. Both terrific ball-stoppers and solid outside of the cage, Corbin and France offer a variety of different strengths and give Hagan a versatile 1-2 punch in net.  

The Bears had to Lebanon Valley for a scrimmage on Saturday before officially opening the 2017 campaign at home against Cabrini on Wednesday, February 22. 

2017 Centennial Conference Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll

Team

2016 Record

Points

1-Franklin & Marshall

 21-3 (9-0 CC)

79 (7 first place)

2-Gettysburg

 18-3 (8-1)

75 (3)

3-Washington College

 11-7 (6-3)

59

4-Dickinson

 10-8 (5-4)

57

5-Haverford

 10-7 (6-3)

47

6-Muhlenberg

 13-5 (4-5)

46

7-Ursinus

 8-8 (4-5)

35

8-McDaniel

 5-11 (2-7)

22

9-Swarthmore

 5-11 (1-8)

21

10-Bryn Mawr

 6-10 (0-9)

9