Coming off one of the finest seasons in program history, including an unprecedented 6-0 record in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) and a 12-5 overall mark, the Wittenberg women's lacrosse team welcomes 19 letterwinners back to the fold in hopes of an encore in 2013.
Seven of the nine players who reached double figures in goals a year ago are slated to return, as are five of the six players who started games on defense in 2012. In addition, the goalkeeping tandem that allowed less than 10 goals per game last year returns intact.
The Tigers have broken the school record for points in a season three straight years. If they are to make it four in a row – surpassing last year's 222 goals – Wittenberg will again need significant contributions from a wide range of players, led by 2012 NCAC Newcomer of the Year Ali Marousek (Ballston Lake, NY/Portsmouth (NH)). Also a first-team All-West Region honoree, Marousek piled up team-leading totals of 38 goals and 27 assists for 65 total points, all of which ranked in the top 12 in the NCAC, in her first year in the Red & White.
Marousek will again be surrounded by talented offensive players, including senior midfielders Erin Guiliano (Loveland, Ohio/Kings) and Kellen Morrissey (Aurora, Colo./Smoky Hill), who rank 23rd and 24th in program history for career goals, respectively. Both players have multiple All-NCAC awards already to their credit, and both have ranked among the team leaders in ground balls, draw controls and caused turnovers each of the last three years.
Junior midfielder Francine Murzynski (Mentor, Ohio/Lake Catholic) enjoyed a breakout 2012 season that culminated with first-team All-NCAC honors after she ranked third on the team with 40 points and 14 assists and tied for second with 26 goals. Just as importantly, Murzynski set a school record for draw controls in a season with 80 – the previous record was just 44.
Plenty of support is sure to come from sophomore midfielder Logan Warye (Maineville, Ohio/Kings), who contributed 20 goals and four assists a year ago, and junior attacker Nicolette Lyons (Lake Forest, Ill./Lake Forest) and sophomore Kim Loofbourrow (Prospect, Ky./Ballard), who both reached double figures in goals a year ago. In addition, sophomores Megan Loofbourrow (Prospect, Ky./Ballard), Lindsey Gaterman (St. Louis, Mo./Webster Groves) and Beth Hubbard (West Hartford, Conn./Notre Dame de Sion (Mo.)) and junior Caroline Eldridge (Amelia, Ohio/McNicholas) will also see action.
On defense, Wittenberg will be led by a pair of All-NCAC performers in senior Katie Warner (Delaware, Ohio/Olentangy) and junior Mallory Skrobot (Dublin, Ohio/Columbus Watterson). Both ranked among the best on the team in ground balls and caused turnovers in 2012.
In addition, junior Alex Dressman (Cincinnati, Ohio/Ursuline) and senior Elyssa Silva (Golden, Colo./Golden) return to the starting line-up, and sophomore Mary Ann White (Indianapolis, Ind./Cathedral) is back after making five starts and 13 total appearances. Freshman Sarah Ellis (Grosse Pointe Farms, Mich./Grosse Pointe South) and sophomore Jessica Brickner (Lake Forest, Ill./Hotchkiss School) are also in the mix on defense for the Tigers in 2013.
Rounding things out, senior Katie Bondy (Westerville, Ohio/South) and junior Jessica Jensen (Hartland, Wisc./Arrowhead) are back between the pipes in 2012. Bondy started 14 games as she posted a 9.12 goals against average while saving 51.6 percent of their shots, while Jensen appeared in eight games, including three starting assignments. Freshman Katie Reuter (Cleveland, Ohio/Hathaway Brown) is also vying for playing time between the pipes.