After Wednesday's 19-13 win over William & Mary, the No. 7 Virginia women's lacrosse team will face No. 10 Syracuse on Saturday at noon. This top-20 competition will prove to be fierce as both teams look to extend their winning seasons early on.
The Orangewomen (1-0) dominated last week's game against Stanford with a 15-9 win. With returning head coach Lisa Miller, 18 key returnees and two new assistant coaches, Syracuse will be a strong contender for the 2002 NCAA tournament. Leading the team with preseason all-Big East honors are senior tri-captain Carrie Soults as defensive player of the year and sophomore Leigh-Ann Zimmer as midfielder of the year.
Along with Soults, Zimmer and eight promising freshmen, sophomore attacker Danielle Lillis, freshman midfielder Courtney Palladino and junior midfielder Kim Wayne will prove vital forces for Syracuse in Saturday's matchup. On the defense, senior Devon Baer and junior Sami Stock will go head-to-head with the Cavaliers' attack while junior goalkeeper Carla Gigon will attempt to halt Virginia's offensive efforts by creating a minimal field of play and forcing turnovers from the cage.
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To combat the strength and energy of the Orangewomen, the Cavaliers intend to heighten the intensity of their level of play by relying on the skill and leadership of key returnees and the energy of several newcomers. Senior co-captain Tiffany Schummer, junior Courtney Muller and senior Lauri Kenis will combine efforts to maintain a strong line of defense for the Cavaliers. The defensive midfield, comprised of co-captain senior Gina Sambus and sophomoresLauren Keller and Erin Sweeney, will focus on forcing turnovers and making a smooth transition of play for the offense.
On offense, Virginia will look to the abilities and experience of sophomoreCaitlin Banks - last season's ACC rookie of the year - along with sophomores Anne Harvey and Carol Hotarek. Joining these veterans on the attack are freshmen Amy Appelt, a two-time high school all-American, Cary Chasney, Courtney Young and Ashleigh Haas.
Sophomore goalkeeper Andrea Pfeiffer will rely on the defense to crush the efforts of Syracuse's attack and the offense to maintain a strong lead over the Orangewomen. Pfeiffer has unwavering confidence in the skills of the offense.
"This year I feel we have so much ability on offense," Pfeiffer said. "The first-years, Appelt and Chasney, are two great bonuses. We fill spots everywhere on the offensive front."
As evidenced in its No. 7 preseason ranking, Virginia has the skill and drive to overcome Syracuse. If the Cavaliers gain an early lead, consistently force turnovers and dominate possession of the ball throughout the game, the Orangewomen will be forced to redouble their efforts to oppose a Cavalier victory.
Sambus said she sees a lot of potential for the Cavaliers.
"I think overall our intensity is greater than last year," Sambus said. "Even young players are stepping up."
With the combination of key returnees and new recruits, the Virginia women's lacrosse team will justifiably enter Saturday's game with optimism, determination and confidence as they face Syracuse in a battle of two of the nation's elite teams.
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