Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 2/18/15
From Press Releases
La Salle sophomore goalkeeper Gabby Antonelli has been named the Atlantic 10 Defender of the Week in the first week of conference awards for the 2015 lacrosse season.
She shares the honor with Kate Farnham of Massachusetts.
Antonelli, an Atlantic 10 First Team pick in her rookie season last year, picked up right where she left off. She recorded 15 saves in the Explorers’ 10-9 overtime win in the season opener at UMBC on Saturday, helping the squad overcome a 34-18 shot disadvantage. After the first weekend of play, Antonelli sports a .625 save percentage and 8.18 goals against average.
“We pride ourselves as a team on getting each others’ backs and Gabby did that by making the big plays when we needed them most,” Head Coach Candace Taglianetti Bossell said. “I am so proud of her and very excited that she has earned the honor this week.”
Antonelli and the rest of the Explorers return to action on Wednesday, hosting Temple in the home opener at McCarthy Stadium at 4 p.m.
JMU’s Finley (Sacred Heart Academy) takes CAA honor
Senior attacker Stephanie Finley (Sacred Heart Academy) of the James Madison women’s lacrosse team has been named Colonial Athletic Association Co-Player of the Week, the league announced Tuesday.
Finley has tallied eight goals in three games this season, which puts her in a three-way tie for the team lead with redshirt-sophomore Betsy Angel and junior midfielder Jaci Gordon. Additionally, Finley has tallied 11 draw controls, seven ground balls and two assists.
In JMU’s two wins last week, Finley tallied six goals while scoring what turned out to be the game winner on Sunday, Feb. 15, against UConn. Against Virginia Tech last Thursday, Finley collected three ground balls and came away with five draw controls while helping the Dukes to a 13-8 victory. In the home opener against the Huskies, the senior notched three more goals on just four shots while assisting on one goal in JMU’s 15-11 win at University Park. Additionally, she picked up a season-high six draw controls while grabbing two ground balls.
In the season opener against No. 2 North Carolina, Finley scored JMU’s first two goals of the contest and assisted on a goal in the second half during the Dukes upset bid, but the Tar Heels came away with a 13-9 victory in the end.
Finley shared the honor with Hofstra’s Brittain Altomare while Delaware’s Kristen Hale was named Defensive Player of the Week. Stephanie Asher of Elon was named league Rookie of the Week.
