Under the direction of coach Julie Myers, the Virginia women's lacrosse team returns to the field with experienced veterans and highly valued youth to prepare them for what should be an exciting year. After finishing last season as the No. 7 team in the nation with an overall record of 11-7, the Cavaliers have lofty goals this spring.
Providing leadership this year will be senior co-captains Tiffany Schummer and Gina Sambus. Schummer, who missed the first half of last season but started the last 10 games and ranked among the team leaders in caused turnovers and ground balls, leads the Cavalier defense. Sambus, the team leader in ground balls, ranked second on the team in forced turnovers last year and will lead the defensive midfield this season. Sambus and junior midfielder Lauren Aumiller, who led Virginia in scoring last year with 65 points, were members of the USA team last year.
Schummer admitted the experienced players' roles will be pivotal in getting the incoming freshmen into their comfort zones. This year's squad boasts seven energetic freshmen and six seniors to guide them along.
"My biggest role is trying to keep people active and talking," Schummer said. "We have an amazing first-year class. They're so athletic and they work as hard or even more so than everybody else."
Sambus stressed it is important for all of the senior players to step up and lead by example.
"Basically there are six leaders on the team," Sambus said. "Tiff and I are in charge of getting people warmed up and motivated to play."
Six of those freshmen look to help Schummer and junior Lindsay Buchanan on defense. Those freshman hoping to contribute in stopping their opponents' attacks are Elizabeth Pinney, Molly Urlock, Courtney Young, Ashley Dodson and Ashleigh Haas.
Virginia also returns all three goalkeepers from last season, including senior starter Liz McCarthy.
At the head of the Cavalier offense will be Caitlin Banks, last year's ACC rookie of the year. Banks scored 21 goals and 11 assists for 32 points in her freshman season, good enough to lead the conference freshmen in all three categories. Banks also played in all 18 games, starting in the final 11.
Joining Banks up front will be 5-foot-3 freshman Amy Appelt, a high school all-American in both 2000 and 2001. Appelt led Garden City High School to the 2001 New York state championship. Myers also looks to sophomores Anne Harvey and Carol Hotarek to serve major contributions to the Cavalier attack. Freshman Cary Chasney is another two-time all-American who could see significant time on the offensive side of the field.
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With a fine-tuned offense and a young, energetic defense, the Cavaliers feel they can bounce back strongly from their early exit from the 2001 NCAA Tournament. A come-from-behind victory by James Madison sent the Cavaliers to an 11-8 first-round loss in May of last year.
"We struggled to win several important games last year," Sambus said. "This year we're concentrating more on specific games, and I think our overall intensity is higher than last year."
In addition to Sambus, Schummer spoke for the Cavalier players when she said she has seen significant changes in practice and is full of optimism. She also praised the high level of intensity in practice.
"We have rather lofty expectations for the upcoming season," Schummer said. "It's absolutely amazing. I watch our attack from the defensive side and usually when we played last year we would rely on one or two people to handle it."
Now, she said, there are a number of options for the Cavaliers, as players are working together consistently in practice.
Schummer added that the coaches "have done an awesome job of seeing where we need to be, getting us motivated, and finding us ways to work harder. Last year our preseason practices would sometimes get dull. Now I feel sorry for whoever we play."
Myers is in her seventh season as head coach and already ranks in the top 10 all time in winning percentage, at 84-31. Expect that mark to continue to go up as the Cavaliers have a good mix of experience and youth in 2002.
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