Women’s lax vies to close with 2nd consecutive NLC title
By Joe Wetzler
The women’s lacrosse team is no stranger to winning and if they can keep playing the consistent type of lacrosse that Coach Lyndsey Boswell has instilled, another National Lacrosse Conference (NLC) Championship looks within reach.
The goal from the beginning of the year was to identify High Point women’s lacrosse and repeat as NLC Champions. This was a feat they accomplished in their first year as a program. They now have more experience, talent and confidence that has helped propel them into contention for another conference championship.
The Panthers (8-3) have played very consistent lacrosse all year and have raised expectations after each win. The out-of-conference schedule has been much tougher for the team. However, they have responded with victories and very competitive play. With quality wins over teams like Navy, Oregon and Jacksonville, the Panthers have put themselves in contention on a national scale. This is not only for a conference championship but a possible berth in the coveted NCAA tournament. A win over Duke could have put them into serious consideration for the NCAA’s. However, the Panthers fell to the Blue Devils 17-6 in a very hard fought game.
Coach Boswell has been very pleased with the collective team effort each game, but noted that Heather Ziccarelli has been a major key to the team’s success this season. Ziccarelli, a senior midfielder, has done the little things during games that have led to possession changes, draw controls and winning goals. This season Ziccarelli has 15 goals, 5 assists, 21 ground balls, and 15 draw controls to go along with one game-winning goal.
While Ziccarelli has been an important factor for the Panthers this season, Chelsea Thompson leads the team with 22 goals and 21 assists. Grace Gaeng is second on the team with 20 goals and 14 assists. She leads the team with 31 draw controls. Mackenzie Carroll, Christie Dougherty and Sara Kuhlman have also played important roles in the success of the team this year. Junior goalkeeper Anna Wallingford has paced the team in cage by saving 41 percent of the shots she has faced.
The Panthers have five regular season games left this season. They hope to win all five and gain tremendous momentum going into the postseason. Their next two games are on the road, which might be tough for a lot of teams. However, the girls love road trips because it builds team chemistry and allows them to spend time together away from school.
The final five games are all against conference opponents, which are crucial if the Panthers want to win the regular season championship.
“Before the season started,” Boswell said, “our goal was to win the regular season championship and the NLC tournament championship.”
The Panthers are more than capable of achieving these goals and also have a chance, though small, of making the NCAA tournament. This is the most important time of the year for the team with a brutal conference schedule to finish the season. Coach Boswell believes that the team has a lot of confidence heading into this stretch of games because of how well they have performed in their tough, non-conference schedule.
While another NLC championship is in reach, the Panthers are only looking ahead one game at a time. Their main goals are winning their final five games of the regular season, winning the regular season championship and winning the conference tournament championship.
Completing these goals will put High Point women’s lacrosse young program on the map and give the team and school a great reputation as winners.