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Junior Attackers to Guide Women’s Lax
March 2, 2010
Junior Brandy Shafer will try and help Keuka defend its NEAC crown in 2010.
The women’s lacrosse team proved in 2009 that its not how you begin but how you finish that counts.
After winning just 4-of-10 regular season games, Coach Alena Krug’s team put it all together in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) tourney final, defeating Cazenovia College 14-13 to win the first-ever women’s lacrosse NEAC Title.
This year, Keuka will not only have to defend its NEAC title but then play the winner of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC) in a single game championship.
Six players earned All-NEAC honors and three of them, the Storm’s top three scorers, return in 2010.
Junior attacker Brandy Shafer (Rochester, N.Y./Eastridge) led the Storm in scoring for the second straight season tallying 26 goals and six assists (32 points) in just eight games. She also led the team with two game-winning goals. Shafer was an easy choice for the All-NEAC first team and was also picked as the tourney MVP after tallying five goals in the championship game.
Fellow junior attackers Laura Dougherty (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva) and Brittany Murray (Heuvelton, N.Y./Heuvelton) also return. Dougherty scored 11 goals and passed off a team-high 13 assists for 24 points. A first team All-NEAC pick, Dougherty also picked up 11 ground balls. Murray, a second team All-NEAC selection, was third on the team in scoring with 14 goals and eight assists for 22 points. She added 22 ground balls and 27 draw controls.
Joining that talented trio on offense will be juniors Jennifer Bush (Endwell, N.Y./Maine-Endwell) and Courtney Potochniak (Endicott, N.Y./Maine Endwell). Bush tallied eight goals, nine assists, 17 points, and 20 ground balls. Potochniak added five goals and five assists for 10 points. Sophomore Kayla McLachlan (Schenectady, N.Y./Guilderland) also returns after netting tow goals as a rookie.
Returning to anchor the defense will be senior Trista Partridge (Bath, N.Y./Haverling). Partridge, who split time between defense and the midfield, was fifth on the team in scoring with 14 goals and three assists for 17 points. Joining her on the defensive side of the field will be junior Mary Nicholas (Geneva, N.Y./DeSales) and sophomore Emma Ninestine (Geneva, N.Y./Geneva).
New to the squad this year will be goalies Sam Layton (Painted Post, N.Y./Corning West), Molly Hogan (Horseheads, N.Y./Horseheads), and Shelby Seeley (Livonia, N.Y./Livonia). All three will try and replace NEAC Goalie of the Year Audrey Randall.
Also new to the team is Chelsea DeGroote (Canandaigua, N.Y./Marcus Whitman), Brittany Madigan (Groton, N.Y./Groton), Lauren Schreyack (Liverpool, N.Y./Liverpool), Sarah Capek (Elmira, N.Y./Horseheads), Megan Morehouse (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan), and Courtney French (Massena, N.Y./Massena).
The Storm will begin its season on the road against Alfred University on March 17 and will play its first home game against NEAC foe Wilson College on March 28. The NEAC Championships will be from April 23-25 while the NAC Championship will be played on May 1.
