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Splain named IWLCA/US Lacrosse Goalie of the Year; 5 other Herons receive honors
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Becca Splain is the USILA/US Lacrosse
Goalkeeper of the Year. |
June 2, 2004
GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College senior goalie Rebecca Splain (Middlebury Union/Middlebury, Vt.) recently was named the IWLCA/US Lacrosse Goalkeeper of the Year. She was joined on the All-America first-team by senior attacker Gretchen Lasda (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.), while senior midfielder Brighde Dougherty (Manasquan/Sea Girt, N.J.) earned a spot on the second-team.
All three Herons and sophomore defender Jessica Tanner (Schenectady/Schenectady, N.Y.) were named IWLCA/US Lacrosse first-team All-New York Region, while senior defender Meghan Fitzgerald (Dana Hall School/Sudbury, Mass.) and junior midfielder Ali Herter (Brooks School/Topsfield, Mass.) received second-team accolades.
One of the top goalkeepers in William Smith history, Spalin holds the Heron career record for wins (59), ranks second in career saves (627) and career goals against average (6.81), and is seventh in career save percentage (.587). This season, she led the Herons to their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance with a 7.40 goals against average and a .598 save percentage, both of which ranked in the top-20 in the nation.
A chemistry and English double major, Splain is a recent inductee into Phi Beta Kappa and has been on the Dean’s List in each of her four years at William Smith. The 2004 CoSIDA Women’s At-Large first-team Academic All-District selection is a four-time All-UCAA selection and earned All-Region second-team honors from the IWLCA in 2002 and 2003.
Lasda led the William Smith attack with 62 goals and 20 assists for 80 points and a conference-high 4.56 points per game. Her 62 markers represent the second most prolific scoring season in Heron history. The 2004 UCAA Player of the Year completed her career with 144 goals, 89 assists, and 233 points, ranking second in career assists and fifth in career points.
An All-UCAA first-team selection, Dougherty was second on the team in scoring with a career-high 50 points on 34 goals and 16 assists. She led the Herons with six game-winning goals and ranked third on the team in ground balls (51) and draw controls (26). Dougherty finished her career with 85 goals and 26 assists for 111 points.
An All-UCAA second-team honoree, Tanner led William Smith in ground balls (57) and was second in draw controls (34) and caused turnovers (24). She notched 10 goals and two assists for the year, including a career-high two tallies against Wheaton in the NCAA tournament.
A two-year starter, Fitzgerald caused a team-high 26 turnovers this season. She was third in ground balls (46) and had the second fewest turnovers of any starter. She netted a career-high two goals in a victory over Denison University and finished the season second among defenders with five goals.
Also a two-year starter, Herter was fifth on the team in points with 27 on 17 goals and 10 assists. She notched her first career hat trick in the season opener against Oswego State and scored at least one point in 17 of the team’s 18 contests.
The Herons finished the season with a 16-2 overall record, tying the program record for wins in a season. They captured their second consecutive UCAA title with a 9-8 victory over Union and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Appearing in NCAA postseason play for the 16th time, William Smith fell to Wheaton, 14-13, in the regional semifinals.