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Women’s Lax Set for 2011 Season
LANCASTER, Pa. – Franklin & Marshall has played on the final weekend of the season in each of the past four years. The Diplomats captured the NCAA title in 2007 and 2009, and fell to Hamilton in the 2008 title game and 2010 NCAA Semifinals. Now a youth movement is afoot at F&M, which will field a new goaltender and a new look at either end of the field. Head Coach Lauren Paul sees no reason her Diplomats, ranked third in the preseason, shouldn’t be playing on the final weekend of the 2011 season.
The bulk of the known scoring threats are gone, however, the team’s often overshadowed muckrakers, Erin Dunne, Lauren Ehrhardt, Cat Serpe and Maggie Mae Shields all return to the lineup to secure possessions. Maggie Mae Sheilds, a pure ballhawk, posted team highs of 23 caused turnovers and 38 draw controls to go along with 34 ground balls, best among field players. Cat Serpe was the second best field player in terms of ground balls (33) a year ago, was third in caused turnovers (19) and fourth in draw controls (21). Dunne caused 22 turnovers, second on the team, was fourth in ground balls (31) and sixth on the draw with 16 controlled. Ehrhardt secured 26 draws, 19 ground balls and caused eight turnovers.
While those players are not afraid to mix it up out of the spotlight, they pack a scoring punch as well. Erin Dunne leads all returners from a year ago in all three of the major offensive categories, scoring 33 times and assisting 13 goals for 46 points. Serpe is second amongst returning players from a year ago in points (34), goals (22) and assists (12). Shields and Ehrhardt recorded 24 (18g, 6a) and 22 (17g, 5a) points, respectively. Ehrhardt will bump up to attack in 2011. Katie Delaney returns 16 goals and three assists to the lineup.
Juniors Delaney and Serpe will captain F&M’s roster, which consists of 11 juniors, four sophomores and a dozen first-years. Both have delivered clutch goals for F&M in their careers. Delaney netted the goal that sparked F&M’s game-clinching run in the 2010 Centennial Conference final against Gettysburg. As a freshman, Serpe scored the goal that sent the title tilt with Salisbury into overtime with 62 seconds showing on the board. She punched home the game-winner against Gettysburg with five seconds left in the second overtime in the 9-8 Centennial Championship game last year.
Defensively, only one starter, Kasey Downie, returns from last year’s unit/ Jordan Quinn and Jen Noon will join a new-look defense in front of a first-year keeper, either Kelsey Hoffman or Rebecca Rosen. Hoffman was a four-year starter at Buckingham Browne & Nichols, while Rosen was a three-year starter at Kent Place.
The Diplomats open the 2011 season on Saturday at Washington & Lee.
