Senior-laden Marlins ranked No.3 in ODAC preseason poll

The following press release was published on February 11, 2009 after the preseason rankings came out…enjoy…I’ll share more soon…

SALEM, Va. — To say expectations are high for the 2009 women’s lacrosse season at Virginia Wesleyan College just might be a little bit of an understatement.

Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) coaches obviously think the Marlins are a team to keep an eye on, as they ranked Virginia Wesleyan as one of the league’s title contenders this season with a No. 3 preseason position.

But, fourth-year head coach Fran Amasia (33-20), who needs only six victories to become the most successful coach in the 12-year history of the women’s lacrosse program, fields one of the most experienced, senior-laden teams in program. In fact, the Marlins will compete with 10 seniors, the most ever for VWC.

Jillian Boyd, a 2008 All-South, All-Virginia, and four-time all-conference and offensive leader for the past four years, has graduated, but there is no reason for Marlin opponents to expect any drop off in the competitive level that helped VWC post a 12-6 record in 2008.  That returning senior class, combined with seven other letterwinners, and a highly promising group of newcomers should keep the Marlins on pace to record a seventh winning season in eight years.

Two-time All-ODAC honorees Bethany Adomanis (Arnold, Md./Severn Archbishop Spalding), Aimee Sraver (Timonium, Md./St. Pauls), and Laura Norris (Hollywood, Md./Leonardtown) will all be back on the field for the Marlins, along with 2008 all-conference honoree Suzie Mace (Dumfries, Va./Woodbridge Forest Park) and 2007 all-conference honoree Kasey Marchwicki (Boyds, Md./Poolesville).

Adomanis, Norris, and Marchwicki complemented Boyd’s scoring abilities last season when the Marlins netted 245 goals, the third highest total in program history, but are expected to step into leading roles offensively this year.  All three women rank among VWC’s all-time top 10 in scoring. Adomanis is currently No. 6 (114 points), Norris No. 7 (102) as a sophomore, and Marchwicki No. 10 (87).  Marchwicki leads the trio with 74 goals scored.

Boyd also led VWC in ground balls and draw control victories last year, but the Marlins are deep in each area.  After Boyd, the top six leaders in ground balls are back, led by senior Stacy Trow (Mont Vernon, N.H./Souhegan), Norris, and Mace, as are the top four in draw control wins, led by Trow and senior Kathryn Simmons (Lutherville, Md./Towson).

Experience spreads from the offensive side of things into the defense where Ashley Sippel (Leesburg, Va./Ashburn Stone Bridge) anchors matters as as the program’s first four-year goalie. She recorded 184 saves last season, the third highest total in program history, and enters her senior season as VWC’s all-time saves leader with 482.

Virginia Wesleyan, two wins away from recording the program’s milestone 100th victory, opens the season on Wednesday, Feb. 25, motoring to Salisbury, Md. to face the No. 3-ranked Sea Gulls of Salisbury University in a non-conference contest at 6 p.m.  The Marlins open the home portion of their 2009 schedule on Saturday, Feb. 28, hosting the Quakers of Guilford College at 3:30 p.m.

The 2009 ODAC preseason women’s lacrosse poll is as follows first place votes in parentheses):

1. Washington & Lee University 78 (7); Roanoke College 71 (2), 3; VIRGINIA WESLEYAN 63; 4. Randolph-Macon College 56; 5. Guilford (N.C.) 43; 6. Lynchburg College 39; 7. Sweet Briar College 26; 8. Bridgewater College 20; 9. Hollins University 9.

~ by coachamasia on February 16, 2009.