Returning players look to take the lacrosse team to new heights
After a disappointing end to the 2015 season when the women’s lacrosse team missed out on the Big East Tournament for the second straight year, the team is coming out hungry this year.
The Owls are aiming to improve over the 2015 season, where they finished sixth out of eight teams in the conference. One strength the team has is a core group of upperclassmen returning to the team. The team had six double-digit goal scorers in 2015, and they all returned for the new season.
“While every year is a new year and every team is a new team, there is no denying that returning all but four players, including thirteen seniors, makes it feel as if this team has been forming for years,” said Bonnie Rosen, head coach and National Lacrosse Hall of Fame member.
Despite having as much offensive prowess as the team possessed last year, Rosen hopes the team will improve at creating assisted scoring opportunities instead of mainly scoring through one-on-one opportunities. When the team looked back at the footage of the season, they realized over half the team’s goals were unassisted. Rosen is looking for a more versatile and fluid offense so that scoring can come from all around.
“As we head into the start of our season, we are looking to evolve our offense so we can use both sets of attacking skills, not necessarily in a balanced way, but in a flexible way,” Rosen said.
Defensively, the team is lead by veterans. Many team members learn from fifth year goalkeeper Jaqi Kakalecik.
“While Jaqi has been a strong goalie to this point, she has really begun to learn how to improve small aspects of her game, which are leading to an even greater ability for her to make saves,” Rosen said.
The Owls began the season with ten out-of-conference games until playing six in-conference games to end the season right before the Big East tournament.
“The real key to our season will be how well we continue to learn, grow and adapt,” Rosen said.
As long as they improve and hone their skills, the team will be in good shape.
Hopes are high on North Broad that they can make a push to get to the Big East tournament. Rosen expects the team to continually improve this season and hopes to ultimately attain a Big East title.
“Our goals are to get ourselves to the tournament, but conference play is still a long way off,” Rosen said.
written by jon gilbert
photographed by lida lech
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