Lady Blue Hose Look To Reach New Heights In 2007
In its third year of existence, the second edition of the Lady Blue Hose varsity lacrosse team figure to improve on the successes that they achieved in their inaugural campaign in 2006.
The 2006 team had by all accounts a great first season. The squad ended the year with two victories, winning two of their final three games to bring a great deal of confidence into the 2007 season.
Stephanie Allen’s second year team features 11 returning veterans who saw action in the previous season.
The team only graduated one player so there is a great deal of anticipation as the returnees have a chance to pick up where they left off at the end of last season.
The stability already in place with the veterans, Allen also brought in nine newcomers from prominent programs on the east coast to push the veterans and give the team much-needed depth.
In essence, Allen will be looking to mesh the old with the new to develop the program to the level that Allen desires for the future. The team will be looking to reach new heights this season and Allen feels that the talent already in place at PC coupled with the talented incoming class will allow the team to emerge more successful in 2007.
Attack
For the second consecutive season the attack will be paced by senior Kelly Sisson, junior Sam Freudenthal and sophomore Sally Maple.
Maple started and played in every game last season for the Lady Blue Hose. The Peachtree City, Ga. native finished last season tops on the team in total points with 30.
Most of Maple’s points came on goals as she scored a team second-best 20.
Maple and the trio of returning attackers will be aided by the incoming of three top-notch freshman in Ali Carney (North Syracuse, N.Y.), Riviere Propst (Greenville, S.C.) and Lauren Thomas (Waynesville, N.C.).
A 5-7 attacker from Cicero-North Syracuse High School, Carney is an all-around athlete as she also competed for the Lady Blue Hose cross country team in the fall of 2006.
A local product out of Greenville High School, Propst is a 5-3 attacker that brings scoring power to the Lady Blue Hose. Propst was selected as the 2006 South Carolina Lacrosse League Offensive Player of the Year and named to the 2006 SCLL All-State First Team.
The 2006 Greenville Female Athlete of the Year, she was her team’s MVP twice and garnered the Coach’s Award as a sophomore.
Propst served as a team captain for all of her three years on varsity, notching 50 goals and 10 assists as a junior.
These newcomers will be relied on to help increase the firepower on offense for PC.
If the fall is any indication then it seems to be working as the PC attack exhibited tremendous chemistry in the fall and showed a commitment to fitness and strength that was not around in 2006.
Midfielders
The strength of the midfield will be strength in numbers. The newcomers bring a wealth of experience to the position and give Allen depth that she did not have at the position in 2006.
The midfield will be led by captain Shannon Strodel (Duluth, Ga.), who will be looked upon to control possession in Lady Blue Hose games with her draw controls. Strodel had 14 draw controls last season.
The junior was also second on the team last season in goals with 28.
Sophomore Trista Sturdivant (Street, Md.), sophomore captain Berkley Aiken (Charlotte, N.C.) and senior Rae McCray (Charlotte, N.C.) will help Allen’s squad in the upcoming season due to their understanding of Allen’s midfield philosophy.
The trio should also help the scoring aspect for the women’s lacrosse team at PC.
Freshman Rachel Beaumont (Severna, Md.), Brittni Dulaney (Rome, Ga.) and Jordan Newberry (Atlanta, Ga.) will open a plethora of opportunities for the unit in their effort to form a more powerful transition.
Freshman Megan Woodis’ (Roswell, Ga.) quickness coupled with her physical nature and field sense will help the midfield and defense this year interchangeably.
Defense
The defense will be more fluid this season with the trio of returning defenders Ashley Baker (Lancaster, S.C.), Beth Ubbens (Jacksonville, Fla.) and Alyson Whitley (Kennesaw, Ga.) now owning the tools to make adjustments to the game at the collegiate level.
A senior captain, Baker will be expected to be the voice of the Lady Blue Hose defensive unit. Baker will also be looked at to dictate the organization of the midfield group retreating to the Presbyterian College defensive end.
Ubbens and Whitley both have great field vision and a great deal of aggressiveness. The duo will surprise a lot of opposing offenses this season with their defensive prowess.
The defensive effort by PC will also be aided greatly by freshman Jenna Handshoe (Greenville, S.C.).
A member of the PC women’s basketball team, Handshoe ended her high school career as the South Carolina’s 2006 High School Defenseman of the Year. She has shown ability to defend top attackers and in moving the ball up field to the transition players.
Goalies
The Lady Blue Hose have a battle in the pipes as returning starter Kira Stringer (Marietta, Ga.) and High School All-America selection Erin McBurnette (Roswell, Ga.) are both vying for the starting position.
McBurnette, who was selected to the 2006 US Lacrosse Women’s Division High School All-America First Team back in June, has shown a great deal of comfort in net so far for the Lady Blue Hose. Her reactions and physical stature should prove to be an intimidating force for the PC players for years to come.
Stringer picked up both of Presbyterian’s victories last season and comes into this season with more maturity. Having played a significant amount during her freshman season, Stringer brings a stronger sense of security and confidence to the position than in the year prior.