Jordan Beauchamp '11
Coming off its best season in six years, in which the Wittenberg women's lacrosse team posted a 7-7 record and earned a North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) Tournament semifinal appearance in 2009, the Tigers look to continue the momentum under first-year Head Coach Nichole Johnson.
The offense suffered significant graduation losses, but juniorsJordan Beauchamp (Noblesville, Ind./Hamilton Southeastern) and Maggie Amorello (Sutton, Mass./Worcester Academy) are sure to keep the Tiger attack humming. Beauchamp was a second-team All-NCAC honoree following a 2009 season in which she contributed team-highs of 34 goals, 14 assists and 48 points. Amorello, the NCAC Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Year in 2009, also earned second-team All-NCAC a year ago after finishing with 16 goals (third on team) and 10 assists (second on team) while starting every game.
Sophomores Lindsey Hanners (New Albany, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls)and Jenn Close (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) are among the returning letterwinners who will be asked to step into the void after three of the team's top seven scorers from 2009 graduated. Last year, Close battled through injuries to finish with six goals on the season and Hanners made eight starts, contributing five goals and an assist to the attack.
In the midfield, senior Joelle Ghanem (Dublin, Ohio/Coffman) is one of the top returners after finishing with nine goals in 2009, while the defensive unit features just one returning starter in senior Andrea Berry (East Amherst, NY/Williamsville North), who ranked among the team leaders with 17 ground balls and nine caused turnovers in 2009.
That doesn't mean the cupboard is bare, however. Numerous returning letterwinners who saw limited action a year ago combine with a solid recruiting class to give Johnson depth.
Nowhere is the team deeper than in goal, where sophomore Jenny Schaafsma (Grand Rapids, Mich./East Grand Rapids), also an all-conference field hockey goalkeeper, played the most minutes in 2009, starting nine games and finishing with a .394 save percentage. Senior Bonnie Kenney (Lutherville, Md./Park School) made the other five starts a year ago, making 45 saves for a .417 save percentage.
Written By: Tom Fisher '11
Photo By: Erin Pence