 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
William Smith tabbed 13th in IWLCA preseason poll
February 22, 2006
 |
Senior midfielder Ali Herter and the |
GENEVA, N.Y.—The William Smith College lacrosse team will being the 2005 season ranked 13th in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association preseason poll. The defending national champion, Middlebury College, is atop the rankings, while The College of New Jersey is second.
The Herons return 17 players, including five starters, from last season’s Liberty League Championship squad that posted a 16-2 overall record and earned the program’s 16th berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Senior Kate Bickford (Lincoln School/Providence, R.I.) is William Smith’s top returning scorer. She finished the 2004 season fourth on the team with 37 points (32-5). Senior Ali Herter (Brooks School/Topsfield, Mass.) and sophomore Jessica Scott (Waynflete/Portland, Maine) return to the midfield after combining for 40 points last season, while senior Liz Harris (East Rochester/East Rochester, N.Y.) and junior preseason first-team All-America selection Jessica Tanner (Guilderland/Schenectady, N.Y.) are the Herons’ top returners on defense. Harris and Tanner combined for nearly 25 percent of William Smith’s caused turnovers, while committing less than one percent of the team’s turnovers in 2004.
Led by longtime Head Coach Pat Genovese, the Herons will go up against six teams ranked in the IWLCA preseason poll. William Smith opens the season in Wellington, Fla., taking on No. 14 Franklin & Marshall on March 15, and No. 6 Bowdoin two days later. William Smith also will tangle with No. 9 Hamilton (April 16), No. 10 Union (April 9), No. 17 Ithaca (April 2), and No. 18 Cortland (April 27).