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Fresh faces to lead Herons in 2005
March 9, 2005
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Senior Kate Bickford and the Herons |
GENEVA, N.Y.—It’s just a fact of life that every year the William Smith College lacrosse team is faced with questions of who is going to replace the All-America caliber talent and leadership that departed with the senior class.
In a testament to the program and Head Coach Pat Genovese, the Herons have entered each of the past four seasons without one of its top two scorers who also were All-America selections. At the other end of the field, William Smith is no slouch as every starting goalie for the Herons since 1991 has graduated with All-America recognition.
Genovese does not let this distract her or her team. In fact, she and the Herons embrace the challenge and the longtime coach always finds a way to instill the confidence in her returning players so they can emerge from the shadows cast by those before them and leave their own mark.
This year is no different, as William Smith returns five starters and only 38 percent of its scoring from the 2004 Liberty League Championship team. In addition to losing their top three scorers to graduation (Gretchen Lasda, Brighde Dougherty, and Nikki Traino) the Herons also must replace four-year starter and IWLCA/US Lacrosse Goalie of the Year, Becca Splain, as well as All-Region selection Meghan Fitzgerald and second-team All-Liberty League honoree Michelle Steigerwald on defense.
The hardest hit by graduation is the attack with the departure of Lasda, Traino, and Lindsey Teague. Pat Genovese is looking for seniors Kate Bickford (Lincoln School/Providence, R.I.) and Tracy Genovese (Geneva/Geneva, N.Y.), and sophomore Katie Maloney (St. Anthony’s School/Kings Park, N.Y.) to step up and lead the attack.
Finishing fourth in scoring last year (32-5-37), Bickford is not afraid to take the ball to the cage and is poised for a breakout season, while Tracy Genovese returns for her final season after earning a starting role at the end of the year. She tallied nine goals in the Heron’s final three games, including three in the heart-stopping Liberty League semifinal win. Arguably the best player on the team with the ball in her stick, Maloney has the ability to take her defender to the left or right and has the potential to be a major player in the Herons’ low attack.
Junior Louise Greenwood (Springside School/Wyndmoor, Pa.) and first-years Jesse McKenna (Middlesex School/Wenham, Mass.) and Danielle Patterson (Rutgers Prep/Metuchen, N.J.) will add some good depth to the Heron attack, while sophomore Jane Erickson (Douglas County/Castle Rock, Colo.) has the ability to play both as an attacker and midfielder.
Sophomore Sarah Dillon (Blair Academy/Oldwick, N.J.) and first-year Louise Finnell (Princeton/Princeton, N.J.) also will both see quality minutes as attackers. A powerful athlete, Dillon is armed with one of the strongest shots on the team, while Finnell’s ability to read the field and her confidence with the ball make her a threat on offense.
In the midfield, the Herons will feature a bevy of talent in sophomore Jessica Scott (Waynflete School/Portland, Maine), junior Jessica Tanner (Guilderland/Schenectady, N.Y.), senior Ali Herter (Brooks School/Topsfield, Mass.), and first-year Rachel Stahl (Charles W. Baker/Baldwinsville, N.Y.).
Already establishing herself as a defensive presence in the midfield, the coaching staff is looking for Scott to be more of an offensive threat this year after scoring 13 points in her rookie season. Tanner and Herter will split time between the midfield and defense. Named to Lacrosse Magazine’s preseason All-America first-team, Tanner led the team in ground balls and was second in caused turnovers last year. A physical and stifling defender, Tanner also has the ability to take the ball to the cage, while Herter’s exceptional speed and quickness frustrates opponents and can spark the Heron attack as well.
Stahl meanwhile, has the potential to be a playmaker for the green in the midfield. Possessing a quick first step, she is a tenacious defender and plays with the confidence of a veteran.
Senior Carla Manganaro (The Rivers School/Natick, Mass.), junior Emily Tate (Freeport/Freeport, Maine), sophomore Hannah Wesley (Avon/Avon, Conn.), and first-year Bridget Millard (Manhasset/Manhasset, N.Y.) will compete for time in the midfield after strong preseason outings.
Defensively, the Herons return starters Tanner and senior Liz Harris (East Rochester/East Rochester, N.Y.). Joining the fray around the crease will be junior Jenn Davidson (South Burlington/South Burlington, Vt.), senior Julie Stevenson (South Burlington/South Burlington, Vt.), and first-year Sarah Davidson (South Burlington/South Burlington, Vt.).
Harris will be the vocal leader on defense. An intelligent player, she was fourth on the team in caused turnovers and had the fewest turnovers of any starter last year. Stevenson and Jenn Davidson will break into the starting lineup after showing improvement over the course of last season and in the off-season. Sarah Davidson also has the potential to earn a starting spot by the end of the season as she adapts to the speed of the college game.
Perhaps the biggest shoes to fill will be those of Splain’s. Rookie goaltenders Adele Hayward (Hyde School/Windchester, Mass.) and Morgan Baird (Pingree School/Gloucester, Mass.) will battle for the starting nod. Both have the ability to jump in goal right away. Hayward is a vocal leader from the cage and communicates well with her defenders, while Baird possesses quick reflexes and good instincts.
Ranked 10th in the most recent IWLCA poll, the Herons’ schedule features six teams ranked among the top-20. William Smith opens the season in Wellington, Fla., taking on No. 17 Franklin & Marshall on March 15, and No. 7 Bowdoin two days later. William Smith also will tangle with No. 8 Hamilton (April 16) and No. 11 Union (April 9) in the Liberty League loop, as well as non-conference opponents in No. 20 Ithaca (April 2), and No. 18 Cortland (April 27).