New coach Graham (Spring-Ford) is optimistic as Chestnut Hill College women gear for start of season

Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/16/10
From Press Releases

Chestnut Hill College aims to return to the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) playoffs under first-year coach Lesley Graham (Spring-Ford). Despite the loss of two senior leaders the high-powered Griffins figure to maintain their offensive effectiveness

The Chestnut Hill attack will be led by senior sisters Carley and Maryanne Glass, while fellow senior captain Kera Cathel w

ill direct the defense as the Griffins begin their journey back to the CACC Championship Tournament.

“We have a lot of youth on this team, some with experience and some who are newcomers to the game,” Graham said. “I’m looking for our returning players to guide the team and instill strong, sound, defensive skills to a team that already features an explosive offense.”

The Glasses combined for 128 goals and 67 assists last season, but they will need to elevate the play of 14 new teammates for the Griffins account for the loss of Katie Donovan (Archbishop Carroll). Donovan ranked first in the NCAA in Division II for goals-per-game (5.18), registering 88 goals in her senior season. She graduated as the programs’ second all-time leading scorer with 267 goals.

The Griffin offense will be kept on pace by the play of the Glass sisters. Carley finished 2009 as the NCAA DII leader in points-per-game (6.35), while Maryanne finished sixth in goals-per-game (3.88). They will headline the Griffins’ offensive unit with the support of junior midfielder Jillian Sanger, sophomore attacker Kelly McKay (Pennridge) and host of newcomers.

On attack the Griffins have added freshmen Maya Fairweather, Nicole Covella, Jessica Schmidt, Christina Walsh (Bishop McDevitt), Brianne Timony, Michelle Dudzenski, and Raquel Hood, and sophomore Michelle Wiater (Pennridge). Fairweather will provide the Griffins with height in the offensive end while also serving as a scoring threat. Covella possess tremendous field vision and has demonstrated playmaking ability.

In the midfield, the newcomers include; freshmen Christina Squillante, Bobbie Chukuntarod, Emily Goode, and Nicole Ehrdhardt. Squillante displays great offensive awareness while Goode is an intimidating and powerful presence in the offensive end.

The loss of goalie Stephanie Jordan is a blow to the defensive unit, but Cathel will fill the leadership role in her senior campaign. She contributed two goals, four assists, 11 ground balls, and 14 draw controls to last season’s effort. Joining her will be sophomores Megan Nadler and Jacquelyn Wojcik who account for the rest of the experienced defenders as freshman Erica Eaby is a newcomer to the unit. The goalkeeping duties will be fulfilled by a platoon of Squillante, junior Cherise Bell (Cardinal Dougherty), and sophomore Ashley Hoch (Little Flower). Their performance in the cage and their cooperation with the defenders will be a key to the Griffins’ success in 2010.

The women’s lacrosse team opens the season with a home contest against Dowling College, who recently ranked No. 2 in Lacrosse Magazine’s NCAA Division II Women’s Preseason Poll. The contest is schedule for a 3:00 p.m. opening draw at Victory Field #1 on Saturday, March 6.