Statistics and scores can be deceiving ... Our schedule was as tough as anybody's ... We were young and inexperienced.
Cliches to some, excuses to others. Reality for the 1993 Mary Washington College women's lacrosse team. While Dana Hall didn't particularly like her 4-9 record, she was greatly encouraged by her team's tenacity against tough opponents and willingness to work hard, learning from mistakes and quickly correcting them. Although the Eagles outscored opponents, 136-116, they fell just short against a number of quality teams, five of which were ranked in the NCAA Division III Top 20. MWC dropped six of nine games by two goals or less and did register impressive double-digit victories over Washington College (15-1), St. Mary's (22-6) and Sweet Briar (16-6).
Balanced scoring was a problem the previous season, as just eight people scored goals or assisted. But in '93, 13 players hit the scoring column, paced by exciting freshman Eliza Huber (Doylestown, PA), who tallied 31 goals. Heather Hallowes (Fr./ Glastonbury, C1) - one of 11 freshmen or sopho- mores on the 19-person Eagle roster - added 30 goals and rising senior Kim Pandolfi scored 26 times. Audrey O'Brien (So./Huntington, Ny) chipped in 14goals and a team-high 10 assists, including a school-record six against Sweet Briar. Fleet junior Cheryl Cole (Avondale, PA) had 13 goals and six assists.
The Eagles will miss the steady defense provided by graduated All- Region players Lisa Van Guilder (defender) and Ashley Young (goalkeeper). However, defensive stalwarts Amy Halter (Medford, NJ), Jen Wassif (Pasadena, MD) and Tricia Kube (Doylestown, PA), all sophomores, return to solidify the back line.
In keeping with tradition, Mary Washington faces a highly competitive 1994 schedule which includes 1993 NCAA Tournament teams Washington & Lee, Johns Hopkins and Rowan as well as regional powers Lynchburg, Frostburg State, Roanoke and Western Maryland and Division I American.
"The '94 team will again be very young, with 19 freshmen (with high-school playing experience) challenging returnees for spots on the roster," said Hall. "We have a strong nucleus of returning players to build on. This season, a major goal will be to convert close games to victories as we continue to play challenging opponents in order to build our program."