By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/11/09
Episcopal Academy senior midfielder Sammi Arbitman has signed a letter of intent to play at Johns Hopkins.
Arbitman, an honorable mention All-American who helped EA win the Inter-Ac League 
title last year, said she likes the Baltimore area and the combination of small-town and big city feel at Hopkins.
“I love the area, and obviously I love the team,” she said. “It’s a small school and it seems like a fit there. It’s also a perfect distance from home and the Inner Harbor is great.”
Arbitman, a secnd-team All-Phillylacrosse.com pick last year, plans to pursue sports psychology.
“I am really interested in how the mind affects how the game is played,” she said. “Sports is such a mental thing.”
The Johns Hopkins women’s program has only been playing Division I lacrosse for 10 years, but head coach Janine Tucker has turned it into a perennial Top 20 team.
“Coach has really built the program, she’s the one who took it from Division III to Division I,” Arbitman said. “Whenever I tell someone I am playing lacrosse at Hopkins, think automatically think it’s such a big lacrosse school.
“It’s just going to be exciting. Lacrosse is praised down in Maryland as a big sport and everybody gets excited about the games.”
Arbitman is also optimistic about the upcoming high school season. Episcopal returns most of its nucleus from last year and will be the favorite for another Inter-Ac crown.
“Everyone is really excited, we all know how well we can do,” she said. “It’s just a matter of us coming together as a team and actually getting it done.”
