By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/23/08
Philadelphia area products should figure prominently this year in the major women’s Division I scene.
No less than 16 of the top 20 teams in the recently-released Lacrosse magazine pre-season poll feature players from the area.
The following is a brief recap as the season draws near.
1. Northwestern – The three-time defending champion Wildcats get a boost with the addition of freshman midfielder Colleen Magarity (Germantown Academy), who was a member of the gold-medal winning U.S. Lacrosse team’s Under-19 squad last summer. Magarity, a two-time first-team All-American, was listed as the fifth best recruit in the nation by Rise Magazine.
2. Virginia – Junior defender Katie Shannon (Downingtown West) has been a part-time player for the Cavaliers, who bowed to Northwestern, 15-13, in the title game. Marghi Walters (Penn Charter) is a freshman recruit.
3. Duke – The Blue Devils return sophomore midfielder Christie Barnes (Radnor) and sophomore defender Sara Giedgowd (Conestoga). Each played in 17 games as a freshman. Duke also has added freshman attacker-midfielder Emma Hamm (Baldwin School), another member of the US Under-19 team, and defender Taylor Fleming (Merion Mercy). Hamm was the seventh-ranked recruit in the nation by Rise Magazine.
4. Maryland – Junior Jenny Collins (North Penn) is a reserve attacker and freshman Colleen Dawson (West Chester East) also will fight for time on attack.
5. Syracuse – Junior Megan Mosenson (Great Valley) was a part-time starter at attack and scored 10 goals last year while sophomore Jackie DePetris (Archbishop Carroll) scored two goals in limited action.
6. Penn – The Quakers, who shocked everyone by reaching the Final Four last year, have six local products. Junior attacker Becca Edwards (Springfield-Montco) scored 32 goals and was an honorable mention all-Ivy League selection. Junior attacker Hannah Rudloff (West Chester East) scored seven goals and started three games last year. Also fighting for time are sophomore attackers Courtney Lubbe (Council Rock), Megan Smith (Henderson) and Bethany Warren (Downingtown West). Jill Taylor (Penn Charter), who started 14 of 15 games on defense for Old Dominion as a freshman last year, is red shirting after transferring in.7. Princeton – The Tigers, another ivy power dotted with locals, feature senior attacker Allison Murray (Episcopal Academy) and junior defender Marie McKenna (Penn Charter), both part-time starters. Also vying for time are sophomore attacker Kaitlin Donovan (Unionville), sophomore midfielder Emery Maine (Springside School) and sophomore midfielder Jenna Washabaugh (Germantown Academy).
8. North Carolina – None
9. Johns Hopkins – None
10. Yale – Sophomore defender Michele Fiorentino (Conestoga) started 13 games last year, the most of any freshman. She had 17 groundballs and 14 forced turnovers. Also on the roster are freshmen midfielders Logan Greer (Episcopal Academy) and Kaitlyn Flatley (Conestoga).
11. Georgetown – Junior attacker Bunny O’Reilly (Springside School) heads a large contingent of local starters for the Hoyas. O’Reilly scored 24 goals and is joined by senior midfielder Patty Piotrowicz (Plymouth Whitemarsh), who scored 10 goals, and junior midfielder Megan Bloomer (Conestoga), who scored five goals. Ace reserve Zan Morley (Springside School) scored 13 goals. Top freshmen include midfielders Logan McCraw (Conestoga) and Mary Beth Brophy (Archbishop Carroll).
12. Notre Dame – Senior midfielder Caitlin McKinney (Germantown Academy) scored 44 goals and added 21 assists and was a first-team all-Big East and second-team IWLCA All-American pick. McKinney has 114 career goals, fourth in school history. Senior defender Becky Ranck (Radnor) is a returning starter and senior attacker Heather Ferguson (Archbishop Carroll) scored 10 goals as a part-time starter. Ferguson’s twin sister, senior Lindsey Ferguson (Archbishop Carroll), is a reserve midfielder.
13. Vanderbilt – none
14. James Madison – Junior defender Jessica Brophy (Archbishop Carroll) is a key returnee after leading the Dukes in caused turnovers (18) and finishing third in groundballs (26). Reserves include junior attacker Jaime Dardine (Marple Newtown) and junior defender Mary Fran Shelton (North Penn). Freshmen include goalie Alex Menghetti (Penncrest) and midfielder Mary Kate Lomady (Abington).
15. Penn State – Senior midfielder Jessi Lieb (Radnor), who had 26 goals and 13 assists in 13 games last year, is one of the top players in the country. Named a team captain, she is a member of the U.S. Women’s Elite National Team (she is the second youngest on the team). Junior attacker Mariel Bryan (Ridley) scored nine goals last year while sophomore goalie Stephanie Ellis (Radnor) and junior attacker Laura Lincicome (Conestoga) are reserves. Midfielders Jackie Eastman (Springfield-Delco) and Mary Dean (Cheltenham) are freshmen.
16. Denver – none
17. Boston University – Senior midfielder Lauren Morton (Gwynedd-Mercy Academy) scored 41 goals last year and was a second-team IWLCA all-Northeast Region selection. She is joined by freshman midfielder Alyssa Kovach (Strath Haven).
18. Dartmouth – The Big Green is again an Ivy League challenger and features four local names. Senior midfielder Kate Labrum (Strath Haven) is a returning starter (five goals) and sophomore defender Alex Huestis (Strath Haven) started half of the games last year. Junior attacker Jenna Manula (Pottsgrve) is a reserve and senior Ashley Heist (Episcopal Academy) is a backup goalie.
19. Rutgers – The Scarlet Knights feature two returning starters from the area, sophomore midfielder Mary Cryan (Radnor), and junior attacker Mallory Tornetta (Great Valley). Cryan scored 17 goals last year while Tornetta had 5 goals and 10 assists. Midfielder Tara Hardy (Unionville) is a freshman.
20. Richmond – Senior defender Samantha Tract (Radnor) started in all 20 games last year and is a co-captain for the Spiders.
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