The Mary Washington College women's lacrosse team will look to begin the new millennium as it ended the old one as one of the top teams in the nation among Division III schools. Coming off its best season ever in 1999, the Eagles lose just three seniors to graduation, and will look to remain near the top of national rankings, led by several national-caliber performers, including All-Region attack Bridget Geiman, All-Region midfielder Sara Andersen, and school assist-record holder, Jenni Foy, who had two of the highest assist totals in games in the nation a year ago, with seven against Catholic University, and, six against Randolph-Macon College.
Geiman earned both An-America honors for both her play on the field (team-leading 42 goals and 60 points) and Academic All-America for her coursework (3.9 grade-point average). Overcoming a serious knee injury, Geiman led the Eagles in scoring in six games a year ago, and averaged three goals per game for the season.
Andersen, who holds career records at MWC for assists (64), draw controls (219), and caused turnovers (99), netted 37 goals a year ago, coming off knee surgery. She added team highs in shots, ground balls, caused turnovers, and draw controls. A second team-All-Region selection for the second straight year, Andersen was also named All-Conference for the third straight year last spring.
Foy is the third member of MWC's returning scoring triumvirate, who also overcame a knee injury to become one of the top assist leaders in the nation a year ago. In addition to ranking in the top ten in the nation in assists with 35,Foy added twenty five goals, including six against Widener University in the team's annual game played in St. Petersburg, Florida over Spring Break.
Other top offensive performers returning for the Eagles include rising senior Diane Grimm, whose top-flight performance at winning draws' sets' up the Eagle offense from center-field. Grimm scored twenty-eight goals last season, including a career-high seven in a 24-6 CAC win over Catholic University. Top scoring underclassmen Karen Slotsky (14 goals, 12 assists) and Briana Gervat (11 goals, 6 assists) also return to solidify a talented returning ,offensive group. Midfielders Allyson Bristor, Shari Krug, Allison Olchowski. Meghan Twomey, and Laura Walden will all look for increased minutes in 2000, after receiving spot duty last spring.
Defensively, the Eagles lose two All-Americans in Melissa Ballance and Aimee Seward, but will rely on returnees Kate Weller (38 ground balls, 26 caused turnovers), Giselle Guarino, Kelli Brittain (25 ground balls; 13 caused turnovers), and Beth Curran (21 ground balls, 19 caused turnovers) to step up in their stead.
The goalkeeping chores will again be handled by rising senior Heather Carter, who, in her first year playing collegiate lacrosse a year ago, finished with a 57% save percentage, and ranked among the top 5 in the Capital Athletic Conference in saves and goals-against,average.
The Eagles will certainly have their own control over whether they receive their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid in 2000, as 1999 NCAA Tournament teams like the College of New Jersey, Salisbury State University, Rowan University, St. Mary's College, and traditional powers Washington & Lee University, Randolph-Macon College, and Roanoke College appear on the 2000 schedule.
For the third time in four years, Mary Washington tied the school record for wins, with eleven. With a consistent influx of talented players, the Eagles now also' concentrate on the mental aspects of success.