SELINSGROVE, Pa. — Due to work being done on the Admissions Field playing surface, the Susquehanna University men’s lacrosse team will be forced to move the final two home games of its inaugural varsity campaign to the West Soccer/Lacrosse Field — which also is home to the Crusader women’s lacrosse team.
That move will create a home doubleheader this Saturday as the women will host Middle Atlantic Conference rival Widener (8-3, 3-2 in MAC going into Thursday’s game) in a 1 p.m. game, while the men will have the the starting time of their scheduled game with conference foe Allentown (2-9, 1-5 MAC) moved to 3 p.m. so they can follow the women.
The men’s lacrosse team has also moved the final home game of its season as it will now host the University of Scranton on Saturday, April 29 — not Friday, April 21, as originally scheduled. That move will create another home lacrosse doubleheader as the women’s team will host Philadelphia Textile in their home finale, now at 12 p.m., with the men playing their home finale vs. Scranton at 2 p.m.
THE WOMEN’S REPORT
Despite losing at nemesis and six-time defending MAC champion Drew on April 1 (8-15), the Crusader women’s lacrosse team took a three-game win streak and 7-2 record into its home game Thursday with Montclair State. Susquehanna is second in the MAC standings at 4-1, and ranked 34th in the latest Division III power ratings by LaxPower.com for third-year head coach Gina Lucido.
Lucido, of course, has turned around a Crusader program which went 11-59 in its first eight seasons prior to her arrival — guiding it to 29-12 record (.707) in her three seasons while setting the school record for wins in a season in each of the first two.
Her team will enter the toughest stretch of its schedule starting with Saturday’s game vs. Widener, and then playing a 4:30 p.m. game Tuesday at NCAA Division III power Rowan (6-3), which is presently ranked 11th nationally.
The Crusaders should be ready with a team which leads the MAC in scoring offense (now 14.11 goals per game) and ranks second in scoring defense (7.63 goals per game) — ranking tied for 20th and 19th respectively in Division III.
The top player statistically this season has been freshman goalkeeper Giulia Umile (Blue Bell/Gwynedd-Mercy Academy), who presently leads the MAC in both goals-against average (now 7.56) and save percentage (.598). She is 16th in save percentage and 17th in goals-against clip in the latest NCAA Division III statistics. Umile has made 101 saves this season and presently has the lowest goals-against mark and highest save percentage in the program’s 11-year history (Records: 8.06 GAA, Jen Swope, 1999; .558 save percentage, Amy Zimmerman, 1995). She made 21 saves and gave up just 11 goals last week for a 5.50 goals-against clip and .656 save percentage — helping Susquehanna beat Western Maryland (13-7) for the first time in 11 tries all-time, also scoring a 21-4 rout at MAC rival Lycoming. Umile was a key player as the Crusaders held Western Maryland scoreless for the final 13:16 of that game, blowing open a one-goal advantage with the game’s final five goals.
In front of Umile is a defense which has been led by a pair of past MAC All-Stars in senior co-captain and center Janelle Reed (Shamokin/Line Mountain H.S.) and junior cover point Erin Powell (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy), along with returning starter and sophomore Liz Cipoletti (Fort Salonga, N.Y./Northport H.S.) at a defensive wing.
Reed usually draws the opponent’s best scorer and responsible for marking her through out the game, and also takes the team’s draws. Along the way, she’s managed to rank second on the team in groundballs (24) and scored 12 goals with an assist for 13 points (1.63 ppg). Reed only started playing lacrosse during her sophomore year at Susquehanna.
Powell tops the team in interceptions with 11, and is fifth in groundballs (18), while Cipoletti is the groundball leader (25) and has used her speed to score eight goals with two assists for 10 points (1.11 ppg). Cipoletti also is second to Powell in interceptions with nine.
Up front, sophomore second home Krista O’Brien (Sykesville, Md./Liberty H.S.) is the team scoring leader with 28 goals and eight assists for 36 points (4.00 ppg). She was one of two starters who missed the start of Tuesday’s 17-7 win at King’s due to academic commitments, but came on to score four goals – all of them in the second half. O’Brien is already fifth in career goals (60) and points (78) in just 25 games.
Freshman third home Kat Geiger (New Hope/The Hun School of Princeton) led the effort vs. King’s with a game and career high five goals and two assists for seven points. She is second on the team in scoring with 25 goals and nine assists for 34 points (3.78 ppg).
Senior co-captain and attack wing Dana Makowski (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson H.S.) is a three-time returning MAC All-Star who not surprisingly leads the team in assists again this year with 11. She also has 15 goals to rank third in scoring with 26 points (2.89 ppg). Makowski owns the program’s career record for assists with 49, ranking second in scoring with 130 points (Record: 141, current assistant coach Sandy Jenkin, 1996-99) and third in goals with 81 (Record: 112, Jenkin, 1996-99).
Sophomore first home Katie Sonnefeld (Monkton, Md./Hereford H.S.) has also become one of the squad’s top playmakers in her first year as a full-time starter – recording 14 goals and 10 assists to rank third on the team in scoring with 24 points (2.67 ppg).
THE MEN’S REPORT
Head coach Scott Rynne expected the debut varsity men’s lacrosse season at Susquehanna to be a learning experience for everyone associated with the program, and that’s what it’s been. Nonetheless, the program got its first win ever with an 11-8 home decision over King’s on April 4 – probably keeping it out of basement of the MAC standings in the process.
Rynne has seen many positives in this first season, but may lack the quality throughout its lineup because of having only one year of recruiting to get ready for varsity play.
A top recruit in that first class was freshman attack Andy Nadler (Westport, Conn./Staples H.S.), who has not disappointed as he leads the team in scoring with 12 goals and nine assists for 21 points (2.33 ppg). Also the team leader in shots with 49, Nadler controlled play offensively in the King’s win while tallying two goals and an assist. He is second on the squad in groundballs with 55.
Senior co-captain Rob McNamara (Strongsville, Ohio/Upper Arlington H.S.) has certainly done his part from a leadership standpoint as he leads the team in groundballs with 59, while ranking second in scoring with 11 goals and five assists for 16 points (1.78 ppg). Also second in shots with 47, McNamara scored the first goal in Susquehanna varsity history during a 14-11 loss to Shenandoah on March 16. He also had a team high three goals in last Saturday’s loss to Utica, and scored the lone goal in a setback at MAC co-leader Drew Wednesday.
Fellow senior Jeremy Adams (Selinsgrove, Pa./North Attleboro, Mass., H.S.) has also come up big on offense – netting a game high three goals in the King’s win. Adams is third on the squad in groundballs (50) and has four goals and an assist.
Another freshman, Ryan McFadden (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Indian Hills H.S.) has proven to also be an offensive threat from his midfielder position – ranking third in both goals (10) and scoring (12 points/1.33 ppg).
On defense, senior co-captain Evan Dresser (Wynnewood/Lower Merion H.S.) has been a leader and tops the defensive unit in groundballs with 40. Sophomore Dave Howard (Frackville/North Schuylkill H.S.) has also been an enforcer from the long pole position – despite playing the sport for just the second year.
Freshman Alex Perrotta (Franklin Lakes, N.J./Indian Hills H.S.) has become the starter in goal and has a 17.78 goals-against average and .462 save percentage, making 103 saves on the season. Junior Bill Thomas (Sparta, N.J./New Hartford, N.Y., H.S.) began the season in goal and has still played in six games, recording a team best .471 save clip.
