Middle Atlantic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Championship Game
Susquehanna Univ. (13-2, 2nd in MAC) at Drew Univ. (10-4, 1st in MAC)
USFH Center (1,200) — Madison, N.J. — Sat., May 1, 1 p.m.
SELINSGROVE, (Pa.) — One week after suffering a close 9-5 home loss to nationally-ranked Drew in the battle for the Middle Atlantic Conference regular season title, the Susquehanna University women’s lacrosse team will travel to Madison, N.J., for the rematch with the five-time defending champion Rangers in the MAC Championship Game Saturday at 1 p.m. This is a rematch of last year’s inaugural MAC title contest, which Drew won in a rout, 18-1.
The game will be on the AstroTurf at Drew’s U.S. Field Hockey Center — which also serves as the home facility of the United States national and Olympic men’s and women’s field hockey teams.
Under second-year head coach Gina Lucido, Susquehanna has put together its best season in the program’s 10-year history with its current 13-2 record. Lucido has directed a dramatic turnaround to the Crusader program, guiding it to a 22-9 record the last two seasons (.710) for back-to-back record campaigns. Prior to Lucido’s arrival, Susquehanna had gone just 11-59 (.157) in the program’s first eight years of varsity competition.
The Crusaders have the conference’s top offense (now 14.07 goal per game), ranking 15th in Division III. They are also 15th nationally in scoring margin (now +6.40 per game) and tied for 13th in scoring defense (now 7.67 goals per game).
Ranked fourth in the latest NCAA Division III Metro Region rankings and 19th nationally, Drew has won the MAC title in all five seasons since the conference realigned in 1993-94. Under third-year head coach Suzanne Weinberg (34-8, .809), the Rangers feature a defense which is ranked first in the MAC and seventh in Division III (6.50 goals per game). Drew also has the conference’s second best offense (now 11.79 goals per game).
SCOUTING SUSQUEHANNA
Senior third home Sandy Jenkin (Millersville, Md./Severna Park H.S.) is a three-time MAC All-Star who is almost sure to make it four for four this season. She is the school’s career record holder in both goals (112) and scoring (141 points), setting new single- season records this year with 40 goals and 55 assists. Jenkin is seventh in the MAC in both scoring (now 3.67 ppg) and goals (now 2.67 per game). Jenkin was limited to a pair of assists last week vs. Drew.
Junior center Janelle Reed (Shamokin/Line Mountain H.S.) has been the team’s hottest player entering the championship game, scoring 11 goals in her last four games — including three goals and five assists against Hood Tuesday. A second-team MAC All-Star last year as a defensive wing, Reed is third on the team in scoring (47 points/3.13 per game), goals (30), and assists (17). Her long reach has also allowed to lead the team with 89 ground balls on the season.
Joining Reed and Jenkin up front are senior Thora Westock (W. Paterson, N.J./Montclair Kimberly Academy) and freshman Krista O’Brien (Sykesville, Md./Liberty H.S.) at first and second home respectively. O’Brien is second on the team in goals with 32 and fourth in scoring with 42 points (2.80 per game). She was shutout last Saturday vs. Drew. Westock, meanwhile, has battled back from reconstructive knee surgery to score 15 points this season (1.15 per game) on 14 goals and an assist. She sustained the serious ligament knee injury on Drew’s turf in last season’s title game.
Junior Dana Makowski (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson H.S.) is a two-time MAC All-Star and joins with freshman Liz Cipoletti (Fort Salonga, N.Y./Northport H.S.) as the team’s starting attack wings.
Makowski is the school record holder for both career and season assists with 21 this season for 38 all-time. Also with 28 goals for 49 points to ranks second on the team (3.27 ppg), Makowski is fourth in the MAC in assists (now 1.40 per game). She scored a game high four goals in last Saturday’s loss.
While Makowski provides control and precision passing, Cipoletti has the top speed on the outside. She is third on the team in ground balls with 59 and has nine goals and nine assists for 18 points (1.20 ppg) in her first collegiate season.
Defensively, senior Jen Swope (Perkasie/Pennridge H.S.) has been the anchor in the cage — allowing 10 goals only once in her last 13 games. She is second in the MAC and 17th in Division III in goals-against average (now 7.67), ranking fifth in conference save percentage (now .519).
Senior third man and co-captain Brandy Crum (Harrisburg/Central Dauphin H.S.) leads the coverage in front of Swope and has done a masterful job of shutting down the opponent’s top scorer. She held Centennial Conference scoring leader Katie Kenny of Muhlenberg three goals under her average and limited MAC scoring leaders Karen Townsend of Drew and Brenda MacPhail of Lycoming to just one goal apiece recently. The team leader in interceptions with 17, Crum was an all-region defensive player in field hockey last fall. She also has 49 ground balls and has scored seven goals with an assist offensively (0.53 points per game).
Returning first-team MAC All-Star Erin Powell (Claymont, Del./Ursuline Academy) is also a key cog in the Crusader defense. Powell missed a pair of games with a slight knee injury, but has returned to control the midfield from her cover point position. She is second on the team in both ground balls (59) and interceptions (12) and has two goals and three assists for five points (0.38 ppg).
The defensive wings are senior Sally Brady (New Berlin/Mifflinburg H.S.) and sophomore Julie Fischer (North Wales/North Penn H.S.). Seniors Christine Hughes (Sewell, N.J./Clearview Regional H.S.), Alex Henry (New Germantown/West Perry H.S.) and junior Kirsten Dohner (Annville/Annville-Cleona H.S.) have shared the point position this season.
Of that group, Fischer is third on the team in both ground balls (59) and interceptions (9). Brady and Henry have also been offensive threats, with Brady scoring seven goals and an assist (0.53 points per game) and Henry six goals and an assists (0.50 ppg). Hughes has missed two games and not started eight because of her student-teaching obligations, making room for both Henry and Dohner, who also started a year ago.
SCOUTING DREW
Defense wins championships, and in Drew’s case — that starts with returning all-region and MAC All-Star senior goalkeeper Andrea Hanley. A co-captain, Hanley made 11 saves while giving up just five goals last Saturday vs. Susquehanna. She is sixth in goals-against average and eighth in save percentage in Division III, continuing to lead the MAC in both (6.50 GAA, .633 SV%).
Assisting Hanley is also a returning all-region and all-conference senior co-captain in defensive wing Monica Bradley. She leads the team with 30 ground balls and has also been an offensive threat as one of the team’s four 20-goals scorers. Bradley is second on the team in goals with 24, ranking fourth in scoring with three assists for 27 points.
Junior defensive wing Heather-lyn Mennis is also a returning MAC All-Star on defense and has 25 ground balls.
Any talk of offense has to include junior attack wing and returning All-American Karen Townsend. While she had just a goal and two assists last Saturday, Townsend leads the MAC in scoring with 41 goals and 33 assists for 74 points (5.29 ppg). She is seventh nationally in assists (now 2.36 per game) and is 13th in scoring. Townsend has scored 153 goals and 64 assists for 217 points in her career.
Joining Townsend and Bradley offensively are junior third home Jeannie Peterson and sophomore second home Tara O’Flaherty who scored two goals apiece last Saturday. O’Flaherty is second on the team in scoring this season with 30 goals and six assists for 36 points (2.57 ppg), while Peterson is third with 22 goals and 11 assists for 33 markers (2.54 ppg).
Sophomore center Katie Woods also is a returning MAC All-Star and has 17 goals and two assists for 19 points (1.46 ppg) while collecting 25 ground balls.
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