University of Richmond Athletics
Women's Lacrosse Gearing Up For 2001 Campaign
01/30/2001 | Women's Lacrosse
Jan. 30, 2001
University of Richmond, Va. - The 2001Richmond Spiders lacrosse team is living proof that older does not always mean wiser. The team will field only four seniors this campaign, but will return 11 starters. Among those returning are a dozen or so "wise-beyond-their-years" sophomores, many of whom started last season, and a host of freshmen who will be given the opportunity to earn playing time right away.
"It doesn't matter whether you are a returning player or a freshman," says Spiders head coach Kim Chorosiewski. "If you've earned the right, you will play."
The Spiders will be led on the field by four co-captains: Lacy Pica (Cockeysville, Md./Notre Dame Prep), Lauren Weschler (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth), second team All-CAA honorees Jessica Popham (Arnold, Md./Severn School), and Alexis Brandolini (West Chester, Pa./Notre Dame Academy). Coach Chorosiewski is optimistic in their abilities to take charge. "It's a very leadership-oriented group of seniors," she adds.
The numbers the 2000 squad put on the board are made even more impressive after a quick glance at last year's "tough-as-nails" schedule. The Spiders played one of the most competitive schedules in the country, facing six top-20 teams including Virginia (#2), George Mason (#3), Delaware (#14) and Old Dominion (#19). Although last year's schedule was unforgiving, Richmond managed to improve on a 2-12 1999 campaign and finish the 2000 campaign with a 5-10 mark. That the 2001 team will approach each game prepared to play the role of "underdog" couldn't be further from the truth. "Contender" would be a more appropriate word, as Chorosiewski sees the tough in-conference schedule as a "barometer of how good the team-- is." "If you want to be one of the big dogs, you have to play the big dogs," she says."You can't play a weak schedule and be satisfied with moderate success." There is no shortage of "big dogs" on the 2001 schedule. The Spiders open the season with two of the top-20 opponents they faced last year, Delaware and Virginia. These initial games will be a good gauge of how prepared the team is for their competitive CAA conference schedule.
Richmond returns 100 percent of its scoring from a year ago. Popham tallied 19 goals, second best on the team, and nine assists last season and was tied for first on the team in total points (28). Senior Alexis Brandolini was the team's third leading scorer, registering 18 goals. Among the other returning starters are junior attacker, Carrie Aitken (Paxton, Mass./St. Mark's School) and sophomore attacker Katie Dolan (Towson, Md./Towson). Aitken is already among the top 15 scorers on Richmond's all-time list in career goals scored and should easily break the top five before the books close on her. Last season, Aitken led the team in goals scored (26) and in total points (28). Dolan, in only her first year, amassed 26 points including netting 17 goals.
On the offensive end, Richmond fielded four starters last spring who accounted for over 20 total points each, but Chorosiewski would like to see the offense mix it up with a more diversified scoring attack. Sophomore attack/midfielder Brooke Garnett (Mount Kisco, N.Y./Horace Greeley) will be expected to beef up her scoring numbers in 2000 to complement perennial scorers Popham, Aitken, Brandolini, and Dolan. Also expected to compete in 2001 is junior Krissy Brandolini (West Chester, Pa./Notre Dame Academy).
With a 26-player roster, Richmond's 2001 squad is deep, and no position on the field is as deep and versatile as the midfield. The Spiders' midfield roster is 11 players strong and is bolstered by a handful of utility players such as Katie Chasney (Baltimore, Md./Notre Dame Prep), Kristy Gallagher (Chatsworth, N.J./Cherry Hill East) and Tracy Ransome (Marlton, N.J./Moorestown Friends) who add balance to this depth by specializing in more than one area. Last season, Chasney scored nine goals while Gallagher, in her first year, totaled 10 goals. This year's freshmen crop has the potential to help the team out immediately just by showing up.
Senior defender/midfielder Lacy Pica led the team in ground balls and caused turnovers last year and is complementd in 2001 by junior Beth DiCalogero (Setauket, N.Y,/Ward Melville). Christa Chamberlain (Berwyn, Pa./Conestoga) and Hillary Comb (Port Washington, N.Y./Choate Rosemary Hall), both of whom saw limited action last year, will most likely challenge for the position vacated by 2000 graduate Jenni Walkwitz. DiCalogero is an aggressive defender who has shown tremendous ability in transition on the attack and will be looked upon, along with Pica, to anchor the defense.
Richmond boasts experience at the goalkeeper position. Sophomore Kelly Johnson (Crownsville, Md./Old Mill) started every game last season. Johnson posted 194 saves, fourth of Richmond's all-time list for saves in a season.
Likewise, one of the things Richmond hopes to improve is controlling the tempo of a game and developing an offensive style that marries fast break potential with the ability to freeze the ball when necessary.
"We don't have to react to every team we play," Chorosiewski says. "We need to have a better ability to have other teams react to us."
Chorosiewski also hopes that team and individual defense will be better utilized this season to create scoring opportunities that either did not exist or were not recognized last year. Improved communication, as well as an understanding of a teammates abilities should aid returning starters in the creation and recognition of scoring opportunities.
"What we were lacking last year sometimes was not knowing each other well enough because we had so many young players," says Chorosiewski. "This year we should be able to run our normal offense, add some new offenses, and then be organized enough to be a pressuring defensive team."
Tough opposition and the opportunity to start as a freshman and sophomore can force a mentally young team to grow up fast. The 11 freshman of last spring should come into this season battle-tested and ready for the opposition. Those who have spent two or three years in conference play-the seniors and juniors-have proven themselves in the past, and this year should be no different. The 2001 squad is one of the deepest and most athletic teams to play for the school in recent years In addition, they are one of the most experienced.
Smart, tough and ready.
Here comes Spider Lacrosse 2001.