SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Susquehanna University freshman goalkeeper Giulia Umile (Blue Bell/Gwynedd Mercy Academy) broke the school record for saves in a season as she made a career high 18 in Wednesday night's 13-8 win at Muhlenberg, giving her 163 this season. The old record was 158 set by current FDU-Madison assistant coach Amy Zimmerman in 1997.
Umile leads the Middle Atlantic Conference in save percentage, now at .597, and is tied for the conference lead in goals-against average at 7.86. She is tied for 17th in goals-against average and ranked 20th in save percentage in the latest NCAA Division III statistics.
Susquehanna will wrap-up its season this weekend with home games Friday and Saturday vs. Messiah and Division II Philadelphia University (formerly Philadelphia Textile) respectively. Umile is in a position to break the school records for both season goals-against average (Current Record: 8.45, Jen Swope, 1998-99) and save percentage (Current Record: .531, Maria Kuwani, 1993-95).
"I think playing in goal is one of the most difficult things to do in lacrosse, particularly as a freshman, and Giulia's just done a great job. The fact that we don't have a back-up keeper has also made it even more difficult on her because she never got a chance to take a break, or shake something off, like some of the other goalies," 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.
Susquehanna enters its final two games at 11-3 overall, 5-1 and a second place finish in the MAC for a third-straight year. The Crusaders could tie their school record for best season ever with wins in those last two contests – tying last year's 13-3 campaign. Two of the three losses this season have come to teams presently ranked in the IWCLA NCAA Division III top 20 in 12th-ranked Rowan and 13th-ranked Drew.
