Lynchburg, Roanoke Round Out Top Three

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University earned 100 total points and received all 10 first place votes in the 2011 ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll.  Lynchburg College holds down the second position after picking up 87 points in the annual survey of the league’s coaches, while Roanoke College rounds out the top three with 82 tallies.

Defending ODAC champions, Washington and Lee, was also recently tabbed 14^th in the Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll and 15^th in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Association (IWLCA) listing.  The Generals advanced to the ODAC championship game for the eighth-consecutive season where they defeated Lynchburg College, 14-6, to earn the conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, eventually falling to Elizabethtown College, 13-12, in the first round.

Washington and Lee (14-5 overall, 8-0 ODAC) returns five All-ODAC honorees from last season, including a pair of first team members in goalkeeper Katharine Farrar and midfielder Emmy Mathews.  Farrar posted an 8.61 goals-against average and a .473 save percentage, while Mathews finished third on the team in scoring with 41 points, while collecting 31 ground balls, 34 draw controls and 20 caused turnovers.  Farrar and Mathews also collected First Team IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region accolades.  Other returning honorees include attacker Wilton Megargel (45pts, 37g, 8a), midfielder Christina Benedetti (12g, 4a, 31GB, 25DC) and defender Kathy Brown (40GB, 31CT, 21DC), who all were tabbed to the second squad. 

Lynchburg (14-4 overall, 6-2 ODAC) made their first trip to the ODAC championship game since 2001 a year ago.  Head Coach Bruce Reid, the 2010 ODAC Coach of the Year, welcomes back four All-ODAC members, including three first team selections to the turf.  Attacker Lesley Buckingham, midfielder Morgan Logue and defender Emily McMillan were all tabbed to the All-ODAC first team.  Buckingham totaled a program record 59 goals, while dishing out a team-high 17 assists.    Logue led the team in draw controls (44) and caused turnovers (29), while finishing second on the team in goals (39), points (49), and groundballs (29).  McMillan was part of the defense that led the league in goals against average (7.68).  Goalkeeper Christina Tran garnered Second Team All-ODAC laurels a year ago as she recorded a 7.78 goals against average and stopped 51.6% of shots on goal.

Roanoke (9-7 overall, 7-1 ODAC) has its eyes set on an 11th overall conference championship in 2011. The Maroons welcome back two key student-athletes, including two-time ODAC Player of the Year, senior midfielder Gina Valles.  A 2010 First Team IWLCA All-America pick, Valles broke her own single-season scoring record in points (109).  She also  led the conference in goals (67) and assists (42).  Senior midfielder Meegan Rourke earned Second Team All-ODAC accolades after she tied the school-record in caused turnovers with 46.  She also tallyied 26 goals and 10 assists for 46 points. 

Randolph-Macon (8-6 overall, 5-3 ODAC) will have a new look this year with head coach Caitlin Erickson leading the Yellow Jackets.  R-MC welcomes back an experienced group with six seniors and three juniors making up the roster.  Attack Erin Clare Cassidy garnered Second Team IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region honors and First Team All-ODAC laurels a season ago.  Cassidy registered a team-best 47 points on 33 goals and 44 assists.  Goalkeeper Alex Flammia collected All-ODAC honorable mention accolades after posting a 9.13 goals against average and a .482 save percentage.

Virginia Wesleyan (5-12 overall, 4-4 ODAC) is seeking to improve its position in the league standings again this year.  The Marlins return 2010 ODAC Rookie of the Year, midfielder Nikki Salyers, who recorded 18 points (14g, 4a).  Juniors Taylor Harding (29pts, 24g, 5a) and Courtney Williams (41pts, 37g, 4a) and senior Anna Kate Collier (1g) were each tabbed to the All-ODAC second team. 

Guilford (6-10 overall, 3-5 ODAC) will be without the service of midfielder Carrie Ernst, who earned First Team All-ODAC honors.  However, plenty of talent remains, especially with senior attack Hannah Merrell.  Merrell tallied 30 points on 27 goals and three assists a season ago.  Attack Emily Egan (22pts, 14g, 8a) and Sarah Bradburd (10pts, 8g, 2a) will also add depth to the Quakers’ offense. 

Bridgewater (10-7 overall, 2-6 ODAC) also has a new mentor in Kim Lowry.  Lowry’s squad returns several key players including Second Team All-ODAC pick, Mary Robinson.  A midfielder, Robinson finished the 2010 campaign with 20 goals and nine assists.  She led the Eagles in ground balls (56), draw controls (83) and caused turnovers (37).  The Eagles roster also includes plenty of experience and depth at both ends of the field, including Leslie Crawford (32g, 13a) and Aili Knapp (43GB, 27DC).

Sweet Briar (3-12 overall, 1-7 ODAC), Hollins (2-10 overall, 0-8 ODAC) and Randolph (1-8 overall) will all look to climb the ODAC ladder this spring.  The Vixens were fourth in the league in caused turnovers (10.27) and welcome back midfielder DJ Abernathy, who finished eighth in the league in points per game (2.93).  HU ranked fourth in the conference in ground balls per game thanks to the service of returner Kelly Sheehan’s 3.58 ground balls per game.  The WildCats enter their first year of competition in the league.  Ashley Stevens led Randolph a year ago in intercollegiate competition as she collected 32 ground balls and caused 15 turnovers.  Stevens also netted four goals. 

Listed below is the complete 2011 ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll.  For more information, visit the websites of any of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC’s home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com.

2011 ODAC WOMEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL
(#) Denotes First Place Votes