SEASON OUTLOOK: Tigers Re-Load Under New Leadership

A new era opens for the Wittenberg women's lacrosse team, as new head coach Nicholle St. Pierre takes the reins in 2015. She inherits a team loaded with talent, experience and high expectations after three straight undefeated North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) regular seasons. 

The Tigers welcome 12 letterwinners back to the roster in 2015, including nine players who started at least nine games a year ago. Six of those players finished the 2014 campaign with at least 24 total points as the Tigers led the nation in scoring at more than 18 goals per game. 

Leading the Wittenberg offense again in 2015 will be senior Logan Warye (Maineville, Ohio/Kings), who broke school records with 67 goals and 96 total points in 2014. She is now zeroing in on the career records in both categories. 

Warye figures to have plenty of help on offense again in 2015, starting with junior Olivia Lash (Cleveland Heights, Ohio/Cleveland Heights), who was second on the team with 47 goals in her first season in the Red & White. Also returning are senior Beth Hubbard (West Hartford, Conn./Notre Dame de Sion (Mo.)), who finished with 30 goals and 44 points last year, sophomore Becca Joseph (Toledo, Ohio/St. Ursula), who contributed 22 goals and 37 total points in her first collegiate season, senior Megan Loofbourrow (Prospect, Ky./Ballard), who added 25 goals and 31 total points, and junior Carrie Kubasta (Medina, Ohio/Medina), who chipped in with 24 total points in her first season at Edwards-Maurer Field. 

Warye led the Tigers in ground balls with 64 and caused turnovers with 35 in 2014, as she earned first-team All-NCAC and first-team All-West Region honors. Kubasta was third on the team with 44 ground balls and second in draw controls a year ago. 

Freshman Victoria Zysik (Perrysburg, Ohio/Perrysburg) and sophomores Kelsey Mack (Marysville, Ohio/Marysville) and Haley Schroeder (Granville, Ohio/Granville) are also in the mix for the Tigers offensively, while freshman Sarah Farnsworth (Louisville, Ky./Louisville Collegiate) will provide depth in the midfield. 

With plenty of firepower up front, St. Pierre's focus will be developing a relatively young defense, which returns two starters in senior Mary Ann White (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) and junior Sara Ellis (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Grosse Pointe South). They will be joined sophomore Rachael Yoho (New Albany, Ohio/New Albany), who played her inaugural collegiate season at Alma, and junior Bri Murphy (Reading, Conn./Joel Barlow), who made nine appearances, including two starting assignments, in 2014. 

Bolstering the defense are freshmen Caroline Giardina (Pickerington, Ohio/North) and Haley Dannemiller (Cleves, Ohio/Mother of Mercy), who was excelled in the post for the Tiger women's basketball team. 

Junior Katie Reuter (Cleveland, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) is the incumbent in goal after starting all 17 games a year ago. She finished with 120 saves and a goals against average of 11.75. She will be backed up by freshman Faith Mahnke (Worthington, Ohio/Thomas Worthington).

Written By: Ryan Maurer