Women's Lacrosse Drops Close Season-Opener

Miriam Esber

In the schools' first-ever meeting, as well as the season-opener for both squads, Springfield College edged The College of Wooster 12-9 in a women's lacrosse game played at Panama City, Fla., on Tuesday evening (March 20).

It was close throughout, but Wooster's offense, which averaged 14.1 goals per game in 2000, could not quite muster enough power to overcome the Massachusetts school.

"(It was) all around a good game that we're going to grow from," commented Liz Grote, who was named IWLCA West Region Coach of the Year in her first season as head coach at Wooster last spring.

"We just really need to get the transition game going and get the ball on the attack end a little better."

Four Scots scored two goals apiece, including sophomore Beth Hemminger, a USLA All-American from a year ago. She registered two scores and an assist, while senior Katelyn Connolly and juniors Miriam Esber and Emily White each threw the ball into the back of the net twice.

Other scorers for Wooster included senior Jessica Critchlow, who had a goal, as well as sophomore Megan Kennedy and freshman Lizzie Newton, who each recorded an assist.

Springfield, which led 6-4 at halftime, also had a balanced scoring attack with five of its players scoring goals and three adding assists.

Defensively, junior Kim Christensen registered five saves in the loss, while the Pride's goalie totaled seven saves.

The Scots hit the field again in Panama City, Fla., on Thursday afternoon (March 22), when they will battle Wesleyan University, starting at 3 p.m.