Imagine having to sit on the sideline watching while your team wins the NCAA championship.
For two Virginia women's lacrosse players, that nightmare was a reality. Midfielders Cary Chasney and Meredith Lazarus both had to sit on the sideline last year as the Cavaliers upset two-time defending champion Princeton for the NCAA title. Both players had their seasons cut short by injuries in the first two games of last season. Lazarus suffered a knee injury in the season's opener against Vanderbilt. In that game, Lazarus recorded her first career hat trick.
Chasney was bit by the injury bug in Virginia's next game as she suffered a season-ending injury in a loss to Syracuse. Ironically, Chasney also scored a hat trick in that game prior to her injury. But Chasney and Lazarus' seasons were done almost as soon as they started.
Fast forward to this February. Both players completed rehab for their injuries and now figure to be key components as the Cavaliers look for a repeat championship run. In fact, both Lazarus and Chasney were named preseason second-team All-Americans by insidelacrosse.com, and Chasney is on the 2005 Tewaaraton Trophy watchlist. The Tewaaraton Trophy is given annually to the top lacrosse player in the nation.
"It's great for team chemistry, team morale," Virginia coach Julie Myers said. "For those kids, it's great. To be able to rehab so successfully in under a year and be ready to contribute is great."
For both players, the accolades are a return to their pre-injury days. Lazarus was named to the national rookie team by womenslacrosse.com in her freshman season. That year, Lazarus led all Virginia freshmen with 40 groundballs and 27 draw controls. Chasney was a first team All-American in 2003 and in her first two seasons notched 46 and 59 goals, respectively.
According to Chasney, the excitement of playing on the field is her current driving force.
"Coming off a big year where I couldn't participate as much as I wanted to, I'm just so excited," she said. "Even playing in fall ball, I got so pumped for the scrimmages against other teams."
Another exciting aspect of returning to the field for Chasney is the chance to play with teammate Amy Appelt again. Appelt was last year's consensus player of the year after notching 90 goals. Appelt and Chasney came to Virginia in the same year, 2002.
"My first and second years, Amy [Appelt] and I had really good chemistry," Chasney said. "We worked with each other really well on and off the ball. We were just able to see each other really well. It's exciting to have that good chemistry on the field. It's exciting to know what we are capable of doing this year."
The excitement for both players to return is high. Lazarus' hat-trick prior to her injury showed a new possible offensive dimension to her game. Regardless of whether she will provide more offensive spark, Lazarus' draw control skills will be welcomed back. Myers said she is confident that both of her players will return with the intensity that made them award-winning players for the Cavaliers.
"I think Cary [Chasney] and Meredith [Lazarus] are going to return hitting the ground running," she said.
For now, the two players can only imagine the possibilities this season may hold.
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