Six-time defending Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) champion Endicott College has been tabbed as the favorite to win the 2012 CCC women’s lacrosse championship, it was announced today by Commissioner Gregg M. Kaye. Voting for the preseason poll was conducted among the league’s head women’s lacrosse coaches.
Endicott (14-7, 10-1) received five of a possible eight first-place votes in the 2012 CCC preseason poll. Western New England University was selected as the runner-up and received two first-place votes. Roger Williams University was slotted third, while Curry College and Gordon College were selected to finish fourth and fifth, respectively. Curry received the remaining first-place vote.
The reigning 2011 CCC Champions are looking to capture another title this spring after triumphing 10-4 over the #1 league tournament seed, Western New England. Endicott welcomes back senior attacker Morgan DeShaw, who led the team with 66 goals and 19 assists last season. DeShaw earned All-CCC First-Team accolades, as well as a spot on the IWLCA All-Pilgrim Region First Team for her performance. Junior midfielder Holly Davis was second in goals as she netted 63 and contributed 13 assists, last season. Davis also earned Second Team recognition as an All-CCC player, and was selected for the IWLCA All-Pilgrim Region team, as well. Other key players to keep an eye out for include senior starting goalkeeper Leah Neff who made 154 saves in 21 contests and was slated an All-CCC Second Team selection, while sophomore defender Kelsey Barnes was an All-CCC Honorable Mention recipient for her efforts on the field (32 ground balls, 19 caused turnovers).
Western New England (15-5, 10-1) hopes to make another run at the CCC title this season, despite the loss of eight starters from the 2011 squad that earned the top seed in last year’s league tournament. Coach Aimee Klepacki will be looking to five seniors to help lead the way, including midfielders Katie Toomy and Liz McRoberts, defenders Veronica Miano and Taylor Checchia, and midfielder Megan Doyle. Toomy ranked third in scoring on the team last season, netting 85 points off 49 goals and a team-high 36 assists. In addition, she ranked fourth among CCC players in assists per game, dishing out 1.71 per contest for a total of 36. Miano racked up 46 ground balls and tallied 22 caused turnovers, while Checchia ranked third on the team in caused turnovers with 24. McRoberts was among the most improved players on last year’s team, and contributed 29 points (17 goals, 12 assists). Doyle returns after missing last year due to an injury. As a freshman she was an All-CCC Honorable Mention recipient compiling 64 points (54 goals, 10 assists).
Roger Williams (11-7, 8-3) graduated five All-CCC team members last year, but looks to contend at a high level with a solid squad. Senior attacker Danica Delia broke the school record for points in a season last year tallying 95, while scoring 52 goals and having a stick in 43 others. Juniors Justine Sullivan (goalkeeper) and Jen Petty (defender) look to shut down their opponents’ offensive opportunities. Last season, Sullivan tallied 132 saves, and recorded eight wins for the Hawks, while Perry collected 13 caused turnovers, and scooped up 18 ground balls. Danielle Neagle looks to move up the ranks in scoring, as last year she drilled the ball past her opponents 32 times, which was good enough to rank her fourth on the team as a rookie.
Curry (16-4, 9-2) welcomes back six key starters for the upcoming season, including starting goalkeeper Maria Lynch, who posted a goals against average of 11.00, to go along with 182 saves (.462 save percentage). The Colonels’ backline was anchored last season by defenders Mel Brickery and Ana Bottary. In 2011, Brickery ranked second on the team in ground balls (49), won 39 draw controls, and tallied 47 caused turnovers, Bottary, a Second Team All-CCC selection, finished the season with 69 points (55 goals, 14 assists). Rounding out key returners for Curry includes senior defenders Heather Breton (21 ground balls, 16 draw controls, 13 caused turnovers) and Michaela Powers (27 ground balls, 15 draw controls, 33 caused turnovers), and sophomore center Kaitlin Cloutier, who finished out her rookie season tallying 15 points (13 goals, 2 assists), collecting 16 ground balls, and winning 10 draw controls.
Gordon (11-7, 8-3) welcomes back a diverse squad of experienced veterans and young returners, including seniors Jordan Alexander, Jocie Knaus, and Krystie Leach, and sophomores Stephanie Fitzgerald, Anna Blomberg, and Kari Christensen. Alexander, a standout attacker for the Fighting Scots, compiled 73 points last season off 53 goals and 20 assists, which earned her a spot on the 2011 All-CCC Second Team. Her efforts on the field last year also earned her USA College Lacrosse Third Team All-America accolades. Leach (defender) tallied 26 points, (17 goals, and nine assists) and 58 draw controls, which earned her a spot on the All-CCC Second Team. Fitzgerald (midfielder), an Honorable Mention All-CCC winner last year, won 86 draw controls, while picking up 36 points (27 goals, 9 assists). Knaus (attacker) picked up 47 points (39 points 8 assists), while teammate Blomberg, a midfielder, racked up 40 points (31 goals, 9 assists), and won 62 draw controls. Christensen, an attacker, netted 36 points on 31 goals and five assists.
University of New England (4-13, 3-8) will look to senior captains Jesalyn Dvorak (midfielder) and Jenna Barton (attacker) for leadership on the pitch this season. In CCC contests last year, Dvorak ranked third on the team in goals (20), first in ground balls (42) and draw controls (30), and second in caused turnovers (16), while Barton was fifth on the team in scoring, racking up 17 points. Sophomore attacker Hannah Tavella was first on team in scoring in 2011 (30 goals, 39 points) and earned an Honorable Mention All-CCC recognition. Junior midfielder Cara Cole (18 points, 23 ground balls, 26 draw controls) and sophomore defender Johanna Currier (19 caused turnovers, 23 ground balls) are also coined as key returners this season.
Welcoming back three key starters, Salve Regina (7-10, 5-6) will look to junior midfielder Kelly Burke, who racked up 83 points last season (64 goals, 19 assists), and ranked third in the league in goals, as she averaged 3.76 per contest. Senior attacker Sarah Livingston (52 goals, 13 assists) and junior defender Danielle Malconian (51 ground balls) will help the Seahawks contend for a strong season. Senior midfielder Mara-Lise Owen started all 17 games for the Seahawks in 2011, serving as one of the anchors of the team’s defensive unit. She finished third on the club in caused turnovers last season and the Seahawks will once again be counting on her defensive presence in 2012.
Nichols College (4-12, 3-8) hopes to rebuild with the return of a solid squad of seasoned players. Seniors Krista-Jean Forand (attacker), Emily Yourie (center), and Chelsea Shaughnessy (attacker) look to lead the front line in the quest for another CCC tournament berth. Forand started all 16 games for the Bison last season, and led the team in all offensive categories (46 goals 20 assists, 66 points), and ranked second in draw controls (36). Bison defenders Darcy Russell and Julie Monroe are tabbed to anchor the backline this season. To date, Russell has averaged just over one ground ball per game, while Monroe collected a team-best 40 ground balls in her rookie season. Monroe also tallied 23 ground balls and caused 20 turnovers in league contests.
2012 CCC PRESEASON WOMEN’S LACROSSE POLL
Teams received eight points for every first place vote received, seven points for second place votes, six points for third place votes, down to one point for a last place vote. First place votes are shown in parentheses.
TEAM POINTS (1st Place votes)
Endicott 61 (5)
Western New England 54 (2)
Roger Williams 44
Curry 40 (1)
Gordon 37
U. of New England 23
Salve Regina 18
Nichols 11
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