SELINSGROVE, Pa. — The Susquehanna University women’s lacrosse team enters its 2000 season with a realization that it is one of the teams to beat in the Middle Atlantic Conference.
After last year’s school record 13-3 campaign which included a second straight appearance in the MAC Championship Game in as many years under head coach Gina Lucido, the Crusaders know they won’t surprise anyone this season. With that in mind, they will be taking a game-by-game approach through their schedule.
“It’s very important to me that we take everything one game at a time. This way, we prevent a letdown and remain consistently successful.” said Lucido, who has guided her team to a 22-10 record and its first two winning seasons, after it had gone just 11-59 (.157) in the first eight seasons of its history.
But the game plan is more than just staying focused because of the team’s new found success. Lucido and her team realize that this year’s MAC champion will recieve an automatic berth to the NCAA Championship Tournament and they would love to find a way to go one step further than the past two seasons.
For that to happen, it will rely on senior co-captains Dana Makowski (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson H.S.) and Janelle Reed (Shamokin/Line Mountain H.S.) to control the ball.
THE ATTACKERS
Makowski was a second-team MAC All-Star last season, despite posting better numbers than her first-team campaigns in her first two years. She broke her own single-season record for assists with 21 (Old Record: 16, 1998), upping her school career assist record to 38. She also had 28 goals last season as she finished second on the team in scoring with 49 points. Makowski was fourth in the MAC in assists per game (1.40 per game), ranking 10th in points per game (3.27). She is now second to new assistant coach and four-time MAC All-Star Sandy Jenkin in career scoring at Susquehanna with 104 points, ranking fourth in goals with 66.
A 1999 graduate, Jenkin’s return as a coach should help refine the Crusader attack.
“Sandy does a great job with the attack. She has been so successful that she knows what works. Our attack will benefit so much from her coming back,” said Lucido.
“I try to force our offense to shoot aggressively and control the game as much as possible.”
Makowski will be teamed up front by fellow returning MAC All-Star and junior Erin Powell (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy), as well as sophomore returning starter Krista O’Brien (Sykesville, Md./Liberty H.S.).
Powell moved from an attack wing to point last season and helped to anchor the Crusader defense, and could split time between offense and defense this year. Despite missing two games with a knee sprain, she was second on the team in interceptions with 16, ranking second to Reed in ground balls with 63. Offensively, she had two goals and three assists for five points in 14 games (0.36 ppg), missing a pair of games due to a knee injury.
“Erin was a first-team All-Star offensively as a freshman. It’s harder to get recognition defensively, but she made the transition there last year and just had an outstanding season,” said Lucido.
O’Brien had a banner rookie collegiate season for Susquehanna last year, scoring 32 goals and adding 10 assists to finish fourth on the team in scoring with 42 points (2.63 ppg). She started all 16 games at midfield and will take her ball control skills and experience up front to support the team’s attack.
THE MIDFIELDERS
The Crusader transition game and season outcome will primarily be in the hands of “The Natural” in Reed, who just started playing lacrosse as a freshman — developing into the top vote-getter among midfielders while earning first-team MAC All-Star honors last season. She was also a second-teamer at defensive wing as a sophomore. Reed led the team in ground balls a year ago with 91, ranking third in scoring with 30 goals and 17 assists for 47 points (2.94 ppg). She was also second on the team in shots (71) and fifth in interceptions with seven.
“Janelle is a great athlete and a great leader. You would never know that she just started playing four years ago,” Lucido said.
Joining Reed in the midfield will be sophomores Liz Cipoletti (Fort Salonga, N.Y./Northport H.S.) and Katie Sonnefeld (Monkton, Md./Hereford H.S.).
One of the team’s fastest players, Cipoletti started all 16 games at midfield last year as a freshman. She was fourth on the team in ground balls with 57, also netting nine goals with nine assists for 18 points (1.13 ppg). She also had nine interceptions defensively.
Sonnefeld also tallied 18 points (1.13 ppg) for the Crusaders in her debut season while playing in all 16 games, starting four at midfield. While scoring 14 goals and dishing out four assists, Sonnefeld scooped up 37 ground balls and was key in controlling the momentum of the game.
Also expected to see time along the midfield are senior Shelly Sanders (Eldersburg, Md./Liberty H.S.) and freshman Lindsay Barr (Emmaus/Emmaus H.S.).
Sanders started in her first two seasons, but did not play last spring because she was studying abroad. She is still ninth in career goals at the school with 28. She also has nine assists in her career giving her 37 total points.
Barr was a starter for the nationally-ranked field hockey team last fall and is from Lucido’s hometown and expected to see time this spring.
THE DEFENSE
The Crusader defense gave up just 8.06 goals per game last season and will be strong again with Powell joining an experienced junior duo of Julie Fischer (North Wales/North Penn H.S.) and Kirsten Dohner (Annvile/Annvile-Cleona H.S.).
Fischer started all 16 games last year on defense and grabbed 59 ground balls — third highest on the team. She was also third on the team with 10 interceptions.
Dohner has developed into a defensive asset since picking up the game after arriving at Susquehanna. She played in 14 games last season, starting four on defense. Also a defensive starter as a freshman, she collected 20 ground balls and intercepted four passes a year ago.
Also seeing time in the Crusader defensive squad will be a trio of freshman in Kristin Abernethy (Wecosville/Emmaus H.S.) — who is also from Lucido’s prep alma mater — Lauren Maglietta (Vorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional H.S.), and Kelly Smith (New Egypt, N.J./Allentown H.S.).
Behind the defense will be another freshman in goaltender Guila Umile (Blue Bell/Gwynedd Mercy Academy). Lucido believes Umile will be able to stop the ball and get it to her midfield quickly.
“Clearing is one of her (Umile’s) strengths,” Lucido said. “She has a great work ethic and attitude that rubs off on to others.”
