Maine news, sports, weather from Waterville Morning Sentinel

COLLEGE WOMEN'S LACROSSE

Determined to succeed

Two-time defending NESCAC champs start another run

By Matt DiFilippo mdifilippo@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

WATERVILLE -- They practice hard, and with a purpose.

click image to enlarge

GETTING READY: Colby College women’s lacrosse goalie Keryn Meierdiercks fields a throw from Lane McVey during practice on Wednesday. The Mules, the two-time defending New England Small College Athletic Conference champions, open their season today against Williams College.

Select images available for purchase in the
Maine Today Photo Store

Williams at Colby
When: Noon today
Where: Bill Alfond Field, Waterville

As the two-time defending conference champions, the Colby women's lacrosse team knows how much other teams want to knock off the queens.

"After the first championship, everybody knew, 'All right, we really have to come out there. People are going to be out to get us,' " senior attacker Carly Rapaport said. "After two years of winning, they're going to be even more on our throats. So it's time for us to step up more and more."

The Mules begin their season at noon today, with a home game against New England Small College Athletic Conference rival Williams. Colby is ranked seventh in the Division III national poll, and Williams is 12th. Middlebury, another NESCAC rival -- and the team that defeated Colby in last year's NCAA tournament -- ranks sixth.

Part of the reason the Mules are not the conference favorite is the graduation of Kate Sheridan, Colby's all-time leading scorer. Sheridan led the NESCAC last season with 85 points on 34 goals and 51 assists.

"I think the whole NESCAC is waiting for us to just have a downfall because she's not with us," said senior attacker Amy Campbell, who led Colby last season with 40 goals. "She was an amazing player, but we're still a really good team."

Sheridan had a hand in nearly one-third of Colby's goals last year, when the Mules won 15 straight at one point and finished 16-2. Also gone to graduation is Heather Nickerson, who scored 37 goals last fall.

"People are taking on new roles," Campbell said. "It's kind of weird, because we have a really old team with a lot of seniors and juniors, but not a ton of experience on the field. But when everyone steps on the field at practice, you would think we've all been playing every minute of every game together for all the years. It's definitely noticeable that (Kate's) not with us, but you don't notice a deficit in the team, per se."

That's what Colby coach Karen MacCrate Henning wants to hear. She says Colby has seven players who can score at any time, and all seven need to remember that.

"I think the offense is coming along," Henning said. "When you lose a player like Kate, I think what has to happen is not one person put the burden on themselves. I think it's a team. If seven people step up, and have improved their game from last year, we'll be fine. But if one person tries to take all of it on themselves, that's going to be really difficult."

Colby's defense returns five players, including starters Caroline Duke, Lexi Crook and Mary Cummings, as well as goalkeeper Sarah Warnke.

"The defense is looking good," Duke said. "We have five returners, and we have a lot of young kids who are stepping up and making a good impact on the team."

Henning has kept her low-key style with this group. On Wednesday, when practice started and ran late, one player had to cut out early. Henning says academic commitments like that will happen at Colby, but the players are still dedicated to lacrosse.

"I think we all know that academics are the priority, but they're willing to do the work on their own time if they can't be here," Henning said. "So if they have to leave early, then they might do a run on their own. They might come and see film. They may talk to a teammate and find out what they missed. They might come out and take extra shots.

"A Colby athlete tends to want to excel in every area. Not just in the classroom, not just on the field, but when they enter life. So they're going to be successful. I just have the opportunity to share lacrosse with them."

The Mules have certainly been successful on the lacrosse field, and finished last year ranked eighth in the country in Division III. Henning is clear that she feels this group has the ability to continue that kind of success.

"I know what they're capable of," Henning said. "They're faced some of the best players in the NESCAC for the last two years.

"I think if they believe in themselves, and they know it, then I think we'll be set. I think our defense is confident because they have a little bit more experience, and hopefully that will trickle forward through the midfield and into the attack."

Matt DiFilippo -- 861-9243

mdifilippo@centralmaine.com