May 2, 2004

GENEVA, N.Y.—William Smith College senior attacker Gretchen Lasda (West Genesee/Camillus, N.Y.) was named the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Women’s Lacrosse Player of the Year as voted by the league’s coaches. The Herons and Union College led the league with six selections apiece.

Joining Lasda on the first-team were senior attacker Brighde Dougherty (Manasquan/Sea Girt, N.J.), junior defender Liz Harris (East Rochester/East Rochester, N.Y.), and senior goalie Becca Splain (Middlebury Union/Middlebury, Vt.), while senior defender Michelle Steigerwald (Auburn/Auburn, N.Y.) and sophomore Jessica Tanner (Guilderland/Schenectady, N.Y.) earned second-team accolades.

A two-time UCAA Offensive Performer of the Week, Lasda has been the driving force behind the William Smith offense all season. Scoring at least three goals in 15 of her 17 games, the co-captain leads the team with a career-best 60 goals and 20 assists for 80 points. She tallied a career-high six goals at St. Lawrence and notched at least three points in 16 of the team’s 17 contests. Lasda’s 60 scores this year are tied for fourth on the single season records list, while her 80 points rank ninth. For her career, she is tied for second in assists (89) and fifth in points (231).

A co-captain, Dougherty is second on the team in scoring with a career-high 32 goals and 14 assists for 46 points. A talented all-around player, she came up big in key games, securing the top seed for the Herons in the UCAA Tournament with a last-second overtime goal against Rensselaer and helping William Smith advance to the UCAA Championship with the game-winner against Skidmore with 3:25 left to play. Dougherty leads the league with six game-winning goals this season.

A smart defender, Harris has started every game for the Herons each of the past two seasons. She ranks fourth on the team in caused turnovers with 29, and has committed just eight turnovers, the fewest of any defender. Selected to the UCAA All-Tournament team, she picked up a season-high six ground balls in a win over Nazareth and caused a season-best three turnovers in the regular season victory over Union.

A three-time UCAA Defensive Performer of the Week, Splain has anchored the William Smith defense all season. She leads the UCAA and is 10th in the nation in save percentage (.612), while her goals against average are third in the league and 12th in Division III. A four-year starter, Splain’s 16 victories this year is tied for first on the single season records list, while her 191 saves rank sixth. For her career, she is tops in career wins (59), second in saves (617) and goals against average (6.70), and seventh in save percentage (.590).

A starter in all 17 games, Steigerwald has been a key defensive player for the Herons. Third on the team in caused turnovers (19) and fifth in ground balls (39), she picked up a season-high six ground balls and caused two turnovers in the UCAA Championship win over Union.

A stifling and physical defensive wing, Tanner leads the team in ground balls (53) and is second in draw controls (31) and caused turnovers (24). She tallied a career-high two goals in a win over Rochester and has racked up eight goals and two assists for 10 points as a defensive wing. Tanner earned UCAA All-Tournament team honors after holding Union’s leading scorer to just two goals on 14 shots.

The Herons captured their second consecutive UCAA Tournament title with a 9-8 win over Union College this afternoon, moving William Smith to 16-1 on the season and tying the program record for wins in a season. Earning the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, the Herons will discover who their next opponent will be this evening during the NCAA selection show.

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