After back-to-back 9-6 seasons, the Wittenberg women's lacrosse team opens a new era under first-year Head Coach Beth Hemminger. She welcomes 15 letterwinners back to the line-up, a core group that is focused on not just winning games but competing for titles in 2012.
The strength of this year's team appears to be on the offensive end, where eight players return after scoring at least six goals and finishing with at least nine total points a year ago. However, the Tigers did lose their top two scorers, meaning new opportunities for senior attacker Jennifer Close (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest), who has scored 60 goals the last two years, junior midfielder Erin Guiliano (Loveland, Ohio/Kings), who has scored 47 goals the last two years, and junior midfielder Kellen Morrissey (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill), who has scored 43 goals the last two years.
All three players have earned All-North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) honors during their collegiate careers, including a first-team designation for Morrissey in 2011. In addition to her 21 goals, Morrissey led the Tigers in assists (17), ground balls (44), draw controls (45) and caused turnovers (23) a year ago.
Kellen Morrissey
The goal-scoring options also include senior attacker Lindsey Hanners (New Albany, Ohio/Columbus School for Girls), who has scored 40 goals the last two years, and sophomore midfielder Francine Murzynski (Mentor, Ohio/Lake Catholic), who contributed 17 goals and nine assists in her inaugural college campaign. Also returning are sophomore attackers Nicolette Lyons (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and sophomore attacker Caroline Eldridge (Amelia, Ohio/McNicholas) and senior attacker Krissy Battles (Kingwood, Texas/Kingwood), who has dished out 23 assists the last two seasons.
On defense, plenty of talent and experience returns as well, led by junior Katie Warner (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy), who ranked among the team leaders in ground balls and caused turnovers each of the last two years, and senior Katie Frey (Chagrin Falls, Ohio/Kenston), who added 15 ground balls and six caused turnovers in 2011, are back after starting all 15 games a year ago. Also back are sophomores Mallory Skrobot (Dublin, Ohio/Columbus Watterson) and Alex Dressman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline), who combined for 16 starting assignments in 2011, junior Elyssa Silva (Golden, Colo./Golden) and senior Sarah Metze (Wooster, Ohio/Wooster).
In goal, junior Katie Bondy (Westerville, Ohio/South) gets the first crack at replacing 2011 first-team All-NCAC netminder Jenny Schaafsma. Bondy has played well in 12 appearances over the last two seasons, making 46 saves in nearly 330 minutes between the pipes. Sophomore Jessica Jensen (Hartland, Wisc./Arrowhead) is also contending for playing time.
Bolstering the roster is an outstanding recruiting class, including several potential standouts who Hemminger expects to contribute almost immediately.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photos By: Erin Pence