SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Susquehanna University freshman goalkeeper Giulia Umile (Blue Bell/Gwynedd Mercy Academy) capped a record-setting season by earning Middle Atlantic Conference Women's Lacrosse Player of the Week – making 45 saves and allowing just 21 goals for a 7.00 goals-against mark and .682 save percentage while leading the team to wins in its final three games.
Umile broke the school records for saves in a season with 190 (Old Record: 158, Amy Zimmerman, 1997), goals-against average at 7.69 (Old Record: 8.45, Jen Swope, 1999) and save percentage at .607 (Old Record: .531, Maria Kuwani, 1993-95).
She made a career high 18 save in last Wednesday night's 13-8 win at Muhlenberg, breaking the season save record in the process. After making 13 saves and allowing just three goals (.813 save percentage) in Friday's 17-3 rout of MAC rival Messiah, she had 14 stops in Saturday's dramatic 11-10 win over Division II Philadelphia University in the season finale. Umile surrendered just one second half goal vs. Philadelphia while making five saves, shutting out the Rams over the final 15:23 while helping the Crusaders rally from a 9-5 halftime deficit.
Umile finished as the MAC leader in both goals-against average (7.69) and save percentage (.607), tying for 17th in goals-against average and ranking 20th in save percentage in last week's NCAA Division III statistics.
"Everything Giulia has gotten, she's earned through all the hard work she's put in. I think playing in goal is one of the most difficult things to do in lacrosse, particularly as a freshman, and she's just done a great job.," said third-year head coach Gina Lucido, who has now guided her team to a 33-13 record since inheriting a program which went just 11-59 during its first nine years before her arrival.
"Giulia's really demanded a lot of herself and has worked very hard this season. Both my assistant coach and I have spent countless hours firing balls at her. All that work has paid off, particularly over the second part of the season. Particularly as a freshman, what she's done is commendable and it's just pure excitement to know that we have her for three more years. She's exceeded any expectations I could have for her."
Also a goalkeeper on the nationally-ranked Crusader field hockey team last fall, Umile is
a history major and the daughter of Nadina and Ugo Umile of Blue Bell.
In addition to its school record 13-3 season, which included finishing second in the MAC for a third-straight year at 6-1, Susquehanna was ranked 32nd in this week's Division III power ratings by LaxPower.com.
