Phillylacrose.com, Posted 1/29/16
From Press Release
Lehigh women’s lacrosse senior Kendall Garden and junior Allison LaBeau have been named to the preseason All-Patriot League Team while the Mountain Hawks were selected fifth in the preseason poll. Garden and LaBeau have both been named All-Patriot League honorees each of the last two seasons.
Garden earned first team All-League status in 2015, one year after garnering second team laurels as a sophomore. She finished last season third on the Mountain Hawks in scoring with 34 points behind 24 goals and 10 assists, finishing with 12 multi-point games, eight multi-goal games and three hat tricks. The two-way midfielder led the team and Patriot League in caused turnovers with 31 while finishing tied for the team lead with 30 groundballs. She was also second with 24 draw controls, five coming at Jacksonville. Early in the season against UC Davis, Garden tallied a goal, assist, three groundballs and four caused turnovers in the bitter cold as the Mountain Hawks posted their first win of the season. She was named Patriot League Midfield Player of the Week in late March after three stellar games, all wins, at Bucknell, Mount St. Mary’s and Bryant.
One year removed from Patriot League Rookie of the Year and first team All-Patriot League honors, LaBeau again earned All-League honors as a sophomore for a second straight season. A second team honoree in 2015, LaBeau led the Mountain Hawks and finished eighth in the Patriot League with 48 points behind 34 goals and 14 assists. She also tallied 17 groundballs, 15 draw controls and 11 caused turnovers. LaBeau recorded six hat tricks, highlighted by 11 goals over a two-game stretch at Mount St. Mary’s and Bryant. After six goals against the Mountaineers, she scored five at Bryant, including the game-winning goal with 4.5 seconds remaining, which helped earn Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week honors. She entered the Patriot League Tournament with double-figure points in seven-of-eight games.
After finishing tied for fourth in 2014 and fifth in 2015, the Mountain Hawks were predicted fifth in this year’s preseason poll, garnering 104 points. Loyola was named the preseason favorite with 162 points and 18 first-place votes. The Greyhounds were followed by Navy (144 points), Boston University (122) and Colgate) (118). After Lehigh was Holy Cross (72), Lafayette (56), American (53), Army West Point (38) and Bucknell (31).
Lehigh is a week into preseason practice as the Mountain Hawks prepare for their season opener on Feb. 13 vs. Penn State. Check back to Lehighsports.com for updates heading into the 2016 season.
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2016 Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll
1. Loyola, 162 points (18 first-place votes)
2. Navy, 144 (2)
3. Boston University, 122
4. Colgate, 118
5. Lehigh, 104
6. Holy Cross, 72
7. Lafayette, 56
8. American, 53
9. Army West Point, 38
10. Bucknell, 31
Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Offensive Player of the Year: Haley O’Hanlon, Colgate (So., M)
Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Defensive Player of the Year: Maddy Lesher (Archbishop Carroll), Loyola (Sr., D)
Women’s Lacrosse Preseason All-Patriot League Team
Attack: Mallory Collins, Boston University (Sr.)
Attack: Katie Gallagher, Navy (Sr.)
Attack: Allison LaBeau, Lehigh (Jr.)
Attack: Kirsten Wilhelmsen (Strath Haven), Lafayette (Jr.)
Midfield: Jenna Collins, Navy (So.)
Midfield: Kendall Garden, Lehigh (Sr.)
Midfield: Jill Horka, Boston University (Sr.)
Midfield: Haley O’Hanlon, Colgate (So.)
Defense: Maddy Lesher (Archbishop Carroll), Loyola (Sr.)
Defense: Bailey Mathis, Loyola (Jr.)
Defense: Lizzy Rullan, Navy (Sr.)
Goalkeeper: Molly Wolf, Loyola (Sr.)
