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THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (March 7, 2014) – The Maritime women's lacrosse team will open the 2014 campaign tomorrow, Saturday, March 8, with home contest against Rutgers University-Camden. Opening draw is set for 4 p.m. at Reinhart Field.
2014 MARITIME WOMEN'S LACROSSE SEASON PREVIEW
The Maritime women's lacrosse team opens the 2014 season this weekend and the Privateers are hoping to turn some heads and improve on their 3-11 record from last year. This season, Maritime will still be competing in the Skyline Conference, but the conference has lost some members from 2013 – in particular, all three New Jersey institutions – so the Privateers are looking forward to the tough competition from the other seven Skyline teams with hopes of finishing in the top four and qualifying for the conference tournament for the first time in program history.
The Privateers are returning six players from last year's squad and will welcome in seven newcomers and one player who is rejoining the squad after not participating in 2013. Maritime lost two of their top five scorers from last year, but brings back over half of its point production from a season ago in three players that were in the top five from 2013.
In the Skyline Conference preseason coaches' poll, the Privateers were picked to finish in sixth place with 21 points, just one point behind Sage (22) and eight behind Mount St. Vincent (29), who was picked to claim the last playoff spot in fourth place.
Attack
The Privateers have one returning player at attack, sophomore
Caroline Reynolds (Oswego, N.Y./Oswego). She finished the 2013 season ranked fifth on the team with eight points (5G, 3A). Four freshmen will also be in the mix up front for Maritime:
Hannah Pell (Southampton, N.Y./Westhampton Beach) ,
Jillian Raimo (Islip, N.Y./Islip),
Chelsea Mesa and
Savannah Hardwick (Pawling, N.Y./Pawling).
Midfield
At midfield is where the Privateers are returning two players that have been stars for the squad since stepping on the field. Last year, then-freshman
Leanne Lavelle (New Windsor, N.Y./Washingtonville) led the team with 35 points (33G, 2A), 43 groundballs, 33 draw controls and 34 caused turnovers and was named to the All-Skyline Second Team. She'll be back and looking for another sensational season as a sophomore in 2014.
Junior captain
Charlotte Acklin (Lewes, Del./West Broward (Fla.)) is back for her third season with the Privateers. In 2013, she finished third on the team with 16 points (14G, 2A), while also picking up 24 draw controls and 23 groundballs and causing 16 turnovers. She'll look to lead the team both on and off the field this season.
The two newcomers at the midfield position for the Privateers are freshmen
Tina Kang (Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream South) and
Jane Quinn (Oakdale, N.Y./Connetquot).
Defense
Senior
Theresa D'Amore (Blooming Grove, N.Y./Washingtonville) is back on defense for Maritime this 2014 season. D'Amore had 13 groundballs and eight caused turnovers last year. Also returning to the squad after a year off is junior
Gabrielle Fox (Strasburg, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg). In 2012, Fox played in nine games and recorded five groundballs. Freshmen
Hannah Mutum (Franklin Square, N.Y./Carey) and
Kristen Hoar (Buffalo, N.Y./Kenmore East) will also join the backfield for the Privateers in 2014.
Goaltender
Sophomore
Meghin Paczkowski (Oceanside, N.Y./Oceanside) returns for her second season between the pipes for Maritime. In 2013, Paczkowski had a 3-11 record and made 127 saves in almost 830 minutes. She ranked third in the Skyline with 9.38 saves per game. She worked hard over the offseason to prepare for the 2014 season.
INSIDE THE SERIES
The Privateers have met Rutgers-Camden just twice before and the Raptors have won both matchups. Last year, the squads played on March 2 down in Camden, N.J., and RC came out with an 18-7 victory.
In that game, Lavelle matched the game-high with five goals in her first career contest. In net, Paczkowski made nine saves in the losing effort. Rutgers-Camden had four players record hat tricks, led by senior Annalise Strojan, who scored five. Freshman goalie Morgan-Rae Hampton made seven saves between the pipes for the victory.
SCOUTING THE RAPTORS
Under second-year head coach Allie Frengs, Rutgers-Camden comes into Saturday's action with an 0-1 record after suffering a 19-11 season-opening loss at home to Immaculata back on Feb.27. The Raptors were supposed to play two more home games this past week, but both contests were postponed.
RC is returning seven members of 2013's squad that finished the season with a 6-9 overall record, including a 0-5 mark in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Raptors' top returner is sophomore Holly Cusick, who finished last year ranked fourth on the team with 29 points (20G, 9A). Cusick had a team-high three goals in the loss to Immaculata. The goalie responsibilities this year will be on sophomore Michelle Boyd, who made three saves in the loss to Immaculata.
A CLOSER LOOK AT THE MATCHUP
