By Chris Goldberg
Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 10/18/09
The dreary weather let up just enough to allow Jackie DePetris and Emily Garrity to enjoy successful homecomings today when Syracuse met North Carolina in a women’s lacrosse 
Fall Ball game at Radnor High.
Syracuse’s DePeris, a senior attack from Archbishop Carroll, saw her Orange rally from an 11-5 deficit and claim a 13-12 victory before a frigid but sizable crowd. UNC’s Garrity, a freshman midfielder from Strath Haven, contributed several assists and appears to have a head start on a starting position for the 2010 season.
The game marked the second straight year Radnor played host to a women’s Fall Ball season finale featuring perennial Top 20 teams. Last year defending national champion Northwestern played North Carolina.
Both DePetris, who lives in Radnor, and Garrity, the 2009 Phillylacrosse.com Player of the Year, were welcomed afterwards by large groups of family and friends.
Syracuse, coached by men’s lacrosse legend and former Philadelphia Wing Gary Gait, won it with two late goals by senior Christina Dove.
“This was our last game and a great way to end Fall Ball; it was quite exciting,” said DePetris.
On Saturday, Syracuse and North Carolina competed in the annual Princeton Fall 
Invitational with the host Tigers, Penn, Northwestern and Florida.
“Yesterday was good, we worked really hard, but it was a long, rainy day,” said DePetris, whose team played five games. “But today we put it all together. It was a very good team effort.”
DePetris had five goals and five assists last year for a Syracuse team that went 14-5 and fell to Maryland in the second round of the NCAA tournament.
“We’re rally excited,” DePetris said “We have a new identity.”
DePetris greeted many family members after the game.
“When I saw this on the schedule, I was so surprised,” she said. “(The game was schedule for) Radnor High School, of all places!”
Garrity came to UNC with a strong resume after leading Strath Haven to the finals of the first Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association tournament while setting National Scholastic marks for assists and points in an illustrious four-year career.
She has immediately established herself at North Carolina and flashed the scintillating stick skills and all-around game that made her one of the nation’s top recruits.
“I love it, it’s awesome,” she said. “It’s everything I thought about when I picked it. That’s why I came here.”
Garrity said the transition to the college game has been smooth. North Carolina was the national runner-up to Northwestern last year and again figures to challenge for a national title.
“The girls are great, I love them,” she said. “I think I was ready to learn new things. Playing at this level is different; people know what you’re thinking. It’s the small details that we focus on now.
“I was hoping (to get to play right away), but you never know. You have to work on it.”
What does she need to work on? “I’m supposed to be a true midfielder … offense and defense can always be better, and also my transition play. “
After the game, Garrity was welcomed by many of her old teammates at Strath Haven. She said she hopes to return to Radnor every year for Fall Ball games.
“I love the support,” she said. “We pretty much knew last year that it’s going to be a tradition thing where we come here every year.”
NOTES – North Carolina sophomore defender Beth Ellis, the 2008 Phillylacrosse.com Co-Player of the Year for Radnor’s undefeated team, was not with the team. She is recovering from suergery to repair her anterior cruciate ligament. She suffered the injury at the end of the year… Syracuse’s roster also included sophomore defender Heather Wentz, a Unionville grad.
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