SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Last season, the Susquehanna University women’s lacrosse team won the Middle Atlantic Conference regular-season championship for the first time in school history and advanced to the conference title game before losing in triple overtime to Drew by a score of 10-9.

With 10 starters and the top seven scorers returning from last year’s 12-5 team, first-year head coach Deb Ranieri is intent on pushing her Crusaders to the NCAA tournament for the first time.

“We know what we would ultimately like achieve during our season,” said Ranieri, who came to Susquehanna last summer after serving as an assistant coach for perennial Division III power The College of New Jersey. “However, we are taking one day at a time and concentrating the key points of each practice knowing that as we improve and correct the little things we’ll get to where we want to go in the long run.”

Keying the Crusaders in 2002 will be Middle Atlantic Conference first-team All-Stars and 2001 IWLCA Metro Regional All-Americans Krista O’Brien on attack and Giulia Umile in goal, while MAC second-team All-Stars Katie Sonnefeld (attack) and Kristin Calabree (defense) also return to the starting lineup this season.

THE ATTACKERS

O’Brien (Sykesville, MD/Liberty H.S.) fired home a school single-season record 51 goals and added 12 assists for 63 points last season, scoring two or more goals in 14 of the 16 games in which she appeared. She holds the Susquehanna career records for goals (129) and points (173).

“Krista will do well, but we won’t be depending upon her to do all the scoring,” said Ranieri. “I think things will be a little more balanced this season.”

Joining O’Brien on the attack will be senior Katie Sonnefeld (Monkton, MD/Hereford H.S.), who finished second on the team in scoring last season with 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points. Sonnefeld’s 20 assists were the fourth-highest total in school history while her 39 career helpers are third all-time at Susquehanna.

“Katie was battling illness during training camp, but she has done a great job leading and encouraging her teammates,” said Ranieri.

Junior Kat Geiger (New Hope, PA/Hun School) and sophomore Lesley Sciarrillo (North Caldwell, NJ/West Essex Regional H.S.) each broke the 20-goal mark last season for the Crusaders, with Geiger netting 25 and Sciarrillo adding 23.

Sciarrillo emerged as a force on offense at the end of last season, scoring 13 goals in the last five games — including three in the championship game loss to Drew. Geiger posted seven multiple-goal games and ranks seventh in school history with 67 career goals.

“Kat and Lesley are really tough and stop at nothing to get the job done,” said Ranieri.

Freshman Melissa Heberlein (Baldwin, NY/Baldwin H.S.) could compete for a starting job on the attack after lettering three times at first home in high school.

THE MIDFIELDERS

The Crusaders boast a solid, veteran midfield unit, anchored by senior Liz Cipoletti (Fort Salonga, NY/Northport H.S.). Cipoletti finished 14th in Division III in ground balls per game last year, scooping 93 in 17 games for an average of 5.47 per contest. She also tallied eight goals and dished out eight assists for 16 points.

Junior Katie Hess (Darnestown, MD/Connelly School of Holy Child) finished the 2001 season with 11 goals and nine assists and 64 ground balls in 17 games, while junior Kelly Smith (New Egypt, NJ/Allentown H.S.) fired home 21 goals and grabbed 57 ground balls in 13 starts last year.

Sophomore Jess Robinson (Collegeville, PA/Methacton H.S.) came off the bench as a freshman and collared 33 ground balls in 16 games.

“Katie has great placement on her shots, and if we can get Jess to use her full height and confidence she could make a big impact on the field as well,” said Ranieri. “Kelly is doing very well defensively and has great speed.”

Freshman Kara Hall (Kennett Square, PA/Kennett H.S.) will battle for a starting slot in the midfield after earning first-team Del Val League honors last season, while fellow freshman Lauren Cidzik (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) will see time as well.

THE DEFENSE

Despite the graduation of third-team IWLCA All-American Erin Powell and four-year starter Julie Fischer, the Crusaders should be strong again on defense thanks to sophomores Cindy Fox (Harleysville, PA/Souderton H.S.) and Kristin Calabree (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional H.S.).

Both players started all 17 games last season, with Calabree finishing 12th in the MAC in caused turnovers per game with 1.18 per contests. Fox picked up 25 ground balls and caused 13 turnovers last season.

Freshman Kristen Reineke (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North H.S.) is expected to contribute in a reserve role on the defense.

THE GOALKEEPER

Umile (Blue Bell, PA/Gwynedd Mercy Academy) was a MAC first-team All-Star and a third-team regional All-American after a sensational sophomore season for the Crusaders.

She played every minute in goal for Susquehanna in 2001, making a school record 221 saves en route to a .639 goals against average that ranked her fifth in NCAA Division III.

Umile finished the season with a 7.12 goals against average that ranked 11th in Division III, and she kept Crusaders opponents under 10 goals in 11 of 17 games last season.

THE SCHEDULE

The Crusaders play all eight of their home matches in the first 11 games before finishing with four straight on the road. Last season, Susquehanna went 7-1 at home in the regular season and 8-2 on the West Lacrosse Field overall.

Two new teams appear on the Crusader slate this season, as first-year MAC program Elizabethtown joins Wooster on the 2002 schedule.