2008 Woodie Awards
Women's lacrosse reigns over the monarchs 17-4
Meghan Spivey
Issue date: 4/4/08 Section: Sports
Smiling broadly and laughing, the women's lacrosse team plays a relaxed game of catch. Carefree and at ease, it's like they're warming up before any practice. In reality, they're up 11-0 at halftime, while their opponents sit in a heap across the field, trying to catch their breath after chasing the Quakers around the field.
The 17-4 win against Methodist on March 26 seemed effortless after winning the previous three games and making a bit of history.
The season didn't always seem this promising. The team got off to a rocky start, losing their first three games. But with things looking dismal, they stepped up and turned their game around, beating their next three opponents in Marymount, Lynchburg, and Greensboro Colleges.
The reason for such a turn around?
"We went back to the basics on defense," said Coach Matthew Grosso. "It was a matter of doing what we practiced. Most of the time, if the team is paying attention and following what we practice it works … If we could go back to the first games and played like we are right now, we could have won."
The win against Lynchburg College was the first in sixteen years for the women's lacrosse program, and provided a much needed boost in moral just in time for the rivalry game against Greensboro College. The team defeated cross-town rival Greensboro for the fourth year in a row. The seniors on the team have never lost to Greensboro, a feat that only one other senior class has accomplished. The final score was 18-6.
"Sometimes your best defense is your offense holding onto the ball" said Brian Jones, announcer for the event during the post-game show.
Recently the team's games have been characterized by dominance in the offensive zone and long possessions of the ball. The Quakers hardly gave Greensboro an opportunity to score, recording 31 total shots, with 24 in the first half alone, over Greensboro's 13.
"As I consider previous seasons, there were usually only two, three, or four students scoring," said Dave Walters, sports information director and assistant director of athletics. "As I look down this roster, I see about seven students who scored nine or more goals in the team's first six games."
The 17-4 win against Methodist on March 26 seemed effortless after winning the previous three games and making a bit of history.
The season didn't always seem this promising. The team got off to a rocky start, losing their first three games. But with things looking dismal, they stepped up and turned their game around, beating their next three opponents in Marymount, Lynchburg, and Greensboro Colleges.
The reason for such a turn around?
"We went back to the basics on defense," said Coach Matthew Grosso. "It was a matter of doing what we practiced. Most of the time, if the team is paying attention and following what we practice it works … If we could go back to the first games and played like we are right now, we could have won."
The win against Lynchburg College was the first in sixteen years for the women's lacrosse program, and provided a much needed boost in moral just in time for the rivalry game against Greensboro College. The team defeated cross-town rival Greensboro for the fourth year in a row. The seniors on the team have never lost to Greensboro, a feat that only one other senior class has accomplished. The final score was 18-6.
"Sometimes your best defense is your offense holding onto the ball" said Brian Jones, announcer for the event during the post-game show.
Recently the team's games have been characterized by dominance in the offensive zone and long possessions of the ball. The Quakers hardly gave Greensboro an opportunity to score, recording 31 total shots, with 24 in the first half alone, over Greensboro's 13.
"As I consider previous seasons, there were usually only two, three, or four students scoring," said Dave Walters, sports information director and assistant director of athletics. "As I look down this roster, I see about seven students who scored nine or more goals in the team's first six games."
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