ALICE PATRICIA LIVESAY

Meet Alice Patricia Livesay ! Ali arrived on June 1st, weighing 7lbs 11oz. She is healthy and doing quite well. She has already met Auntie Anne and looks forward to meeting the rest of her Bantam family. She really appreciates all the support and attention she's received so far! She feels so POPULAR! Here are just a few pics of the newest BABY BANT!

NESCAC Academic and Sportsmanship Honors

Congratulations to Jesse Schultz and Carrie Disa for earning NESCAC All-Academic honors for the spring of 2009. This is a very impressive accomplishment given the demands of the spring season. Way to go! Congrats also to Kristina Scontras for representing Trinity on the All-Sportsmanship Team for Women's Lacrosse. Very well deserved!

All-Academic:
Jesse Schultz
Carrie Disa

Sportsmanship Award:
Kristina Scontras

Seniors Selected for North/South Senior All-Star Game

Congratulations to Jesse Schultz, Kristina Scontras and Carrie Disa for all being selected to compete in the North/South Senior All-Star Game. The game showcases the nation's top seniors and we are thrilled to have 3 Trinity players represent our program and the NESCAC on the North squad.

The game will be held at the United States Training Center (USTC) in Downingtown, PA on Saturday, June 13, 2009. The Division I game begins at Noon, followed by Division II at 1pm and finally capped off by the Division III game which starts at 2pm.

Check out the complete rosters below:

The North

Becky Bedard, Ithaca College
Elizabeth Burns, Williams College
Cassidy Callahan, Stevens Institute of Technology
Carly Carey, The College of Wooster
MaryKate DiBenedetto, Montclair State University
Carrie Disa, Trinity College
Alexa Dougherty, Colorado College
Kelsey Evans, Rochester Institute of Technology
Tara Klein, The College of New Jersey
Kelly Mitchell, The College of New Jersey
Molly Moss, Endicott College
Julia Nawrocki, Williams College
Heather Nickerson, Colby College
Katie Reuther, The College of New Jersey
Katlyn Scarlett, Roanoke College
Jesse Schultz, Trinity College
Kristina Scontras, Trinity College
Kate Sheridan, Colby College
Mary Clare Snediker, Colby College
Danielle Torre, SUNY Cortland

North Coach:
Karen MacCrate Henning, Colby College

The South

Jennifer Abelin, Guilford College
Jessie Basch, Eastern University
Brianne Brennan, Messiah College
Lauren Carrier, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Colleen Evans, Washington and Lee University
Michelle Fluty, McDaniel College
Katie Foley, Elizabethtown College
Maddie Goetz, Salisbury University
SpringAnne Hatfield, Marymount University
Holly Johnson, Salisbury University
Brittany Lambert, Washington College
Sarah Meisenberg, Franklin and Marshall College
Jennifer Pritchard, Franklin and Marshall College
Kelsi Robinson, Washington and Lee University
Ana Sokol, Dickinson College
Sonja Stuart, Salisbury University
Shanon Summers, Franklin and Marshall College
Amanda Wayne, Fairleigh Dickinson University
Allie Zerhusen, St. Mary’s College of Maryland
Jen Venter, Messiah College

South Coach:
Lauren Paul, Franklin and Marshall College

All-American Honors

Congrats to Rachel and Liz for being honored as 2009 IWLCA All-Americans.

Rachel was recognized on the 1st-Team and Liz was recognized on the 3rd-Team. WAY TO GO!

Check out the Press Release below:

The IWLCA and US Lacrosse have honored 48 student-athletes in Division III with a selection on one of the All-American teams. The IWLCA and US Lacrosse will honor the National All-Americans at an awards banquet on Saturday, June 13, 2009 in King of Prussia, Pa.
The IWLCA (Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association) was founded on the principle of developing among intercollegiate coaches a deep sense of responsibility in teaching, promotion, and maintaining the growth of women's lacrosse in accordance with the highest ideals of fair play. It is a body committed to being an integral part of the growth and direction of our collegiate sport.
US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the national governing body for men's and women's lacrosse.

First team
Robyn Bishop, Sr., Salisbury University, M
Elizabeth Burns, Sr., Williams College, D
Lauren Carrier, Sr., St. Mary's College (Md.), M
Nina Emala, Jr., Gettysburg College, A
Alison Jaeger, So., The College of New Jersey, A
Sarah McKinley, Sr., Salisbury University, D
Sarah Meisenberg, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, M
Taryn Petrelli, Sr., Middlebury College, D
Jennifer Pritchard, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, A
Kate Robinson, Jr., Catholic Univ. of America, M
Rachel Romanowsky, So., Trinity College (CT), A
Kate Sheridan, Sr., Colby College, M
Hollis Stahl, Jr., Gettysburg College, M
Sonja Stuart, Sr., Salisbury University, GK
Shannon Summers, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, M
Danielle Torre, Sr., SUNY Cortland, A

Second Team
Lindsay Abbot, Fr., SUNY Cortland, M
Chrissie Attura, Sr., Tufts University, M
Lindsay Bakker, Sr., SUNY Cortland, D
Anna Collins, Jr., Babson College, M
Kate Cox, So., Stevens Institute of Technology, D
Chase Delano, So., Middlebury College, A
Kelsey Evans, Sr., Rochester Institute of Technology, GK
Mary Blake Hargest, Jr., Franklin & Marshall College, A
Kristin Joyce, So., Union College, A
Catherine Kennedy, Fr., University of Mary Washington, A
Alyssa Pigott, Jr., Stevens Institute of Technology, A
Katie Reuther, Sr., The College of New Jersey, M
Beth Rhodey, Jr., Salisbury University, M
Amanda Roberts, So., Tufts University, M
Ana Sokol, Sr., Dickinson College, D
Gina Valles, So., Roanoke College, M

Third Team
Ashley Bevington, Sr., Franklin & Marshall College, M
Kaillie Briscoe, Sr., Hamilton College, A
Liz Bruno, Fr., Trinity College (Conn.), D
Amy Campbell, Jr., Colby College, A
Sarah Dick, So., Claremont-Mudd-Scripps, A
Katie Foley, Sr., Elizabethtown College, A
Holly Johnson, Sr., Salisbury University, D
Allie Kimmelman, Fr., University of Mary Washington, A
Alyssa Kopp, Jr., Tufts University, D
Heather Nickerson, Sr., Colby College, M
Kaitlyn Pettengill, Jr., Babson College, M
Liz Rave, Jr., Hamilton College, M
Kelsi Robinson, Sr., Washington and Lee University, M
Lidia Sanza, Jr., Franklin & Marshall College, GK
Christine Smith, So., Stevens Institute of Technology, M
Britt Spackman, Sr., Williams College, M

Womenslacrosse.com Announces Post-Season Honors

Second Team:
Liz Bruno
Rachel Romanowsky

All-Rookie Team:
Liz Bruno

For more information about the Awards listed go to: http://www.womenslacrosse.com/weeklyhonors.shtml?p=Honors

2009 All-Regional Teams Announced

Trinity was well represented on the IWLCA All-Regional teams announced earlier today.

1st-team All-Regional:
Liz Bruno
Caite Irvine
Rachel Romanowsky

2nd-Team All-Regional:
Jenn Calver
Sarah Remes
Kristina Scontras

Smith and King named Assistants for 2009-2010

It is my pleasure to announce the hires of both Michelle Smith, 2008 Trinity graduate and Julia King, 2009 Bowdoin graduate. Michelle and Julia will be assisting both the field hockey and lacrosse programs for the 2009-2010 academic year.

Michelle comes to us after taking a one year hiatus from Trinity to serve as assistant lacrosse coach at Dickinson College. Michelle helped with all aspects of the lacrosse program at Dickinson, contributing to recruiting, practice planning, game management and overall program development. Michelle will be particularly helpful to the lacrosse program, as she was quite an accomplished player as a Bantam. Michelle was a 2 time, 1st-team NESCAC selection, an All-American and was named Division III goalie of the year in 2007. We are excited to have her back at Trinity!

Julia joins our staff after completing an impressive undergraduate career at Bowdoin College. As a polar bear, Julia played both field hockey and ice hockey, serving as team captain for both in her senior seasons. Julia was a big contributor to the field hockey program, that lost only 2 games in her final two seasons, winning 2 National Championships in the process. Julia set the assist record at Bowdoin, gaining All-American accolades in her senior campaign. Julia was an equally important contributor to a talented ice hockey squad that is a strong contender within the conference year in and year out. Julia played lacrosse in high school at St. Marks School. We are looking forward to adding Julia's experience to our coaching staff!

SUMMER TOURNAMENTS:
Trinity will have a representative at the following tournaments and camps:
National Tournament
Champion's Cup
Capital Cup
Peak Goalie Camp
Elite 180
F & M Elite Girls Lacrosse Camp

Michelle Smith will be the primary contact person for the summer. You can reach her via email at michelle.smith@trincoll.edu.

All-Conference Awards Announced

The NESCAC announced the 2009 Women's Lacrosse All-Star Selections just this week.

We were pleased to see several Trinity players gain recognition on the squad:

1st Team - Rachel Romanowsky

2nd Team - Liz Bruno
Caite Irvine

Congrats to Rachel, Liz and Caite for representing Trinity on these two teams! To have three players recognized really shows the depth of our squad and reflects well on the strength of the team this season! Way to go!

Bants Split in Final Weekend of Play

Well, it's taken me far too long to update this blog with the actual scores from our last weekend of play but here it is at long last!

Our regular season finale was played at home versus Amherst. Knowing it was an important game, and one that would propel us into the NESCAC tournament play for the weekend, we came out strong and took control early. After giving up the first goal of the game to the Lady Jeffs, we settled into our game plan and were able to build a 6-3 lead at the half, largely behind the steady play of Gina in goal. She was spectacular keeping Amherst attackers stifled for much of the half and giving our offense lots of chances to put points on the board on the other end of the field.

The second half started a bit slow for the Bants as Amherst attempted to make a run at the lead. They scored the first two goals of the half, pulling with one goal of our Bantam squad. After seeing our lead diminish, we responded with a critical 4 goal spurt that put us on top 10-5. That would officially put things out of reach for Amherst as they would register two more goals before Liz Bruno tallied the final goal of the contest (and her second of the game) to put the score at 11-7.

This was a great win for us as it means we finished the regular season 10-3 and beat Amherst in the regular season for the first time since 1998!

Unfortunately, there was a downside to our performance on Friday night, and that was that Rachel suffered a season ending knee injury in the second half of the game and would be absent for our first round NESCAC game vs Williams.

The Williams game was one packed with the excitement of tournament play. We knew the Ephs would be a tough match up as we had narrowly beaten them earlier in the season, 14-13. We were prepared for a battle and that's exactly what we got!

We took an early lead in the game and seemed to be playing with lots of confidence and poise. We put up the first 3 goals of the game off of scores by Caite, Remer and Disa. Unfortunately, Williams found their stride shortly after and rattled off 5 goals in a row to take a 5-3 lead. We would cut the lead to one by the break, but still trailed 7-6 at the half.

All things considered, we felt ok about the pace of the game. Battling 95 degree temperatures we had managed to play our pace of game and felt good headed into the second stanza. We got on the score board early again, scoring just 19 seconds into the half off of a free position by Kristin Phelps. Caite tallied the next goal, giving us the lead back just a couple minutes into the half. However, this was short lived as Williams would go on a big run, scoring the next 7 of the games next eight goals to take a commanding 5 goal lead.

While Williams was playing with a lot of confidence on offense and tiring out our defense, we never conceded the contest. Our Bants fought back huge after finding ourselves in a bit of a hole and managed to string together four of the next five goals of the game to come within 2 of Williams with just 1 minute to go. Williams was forced to call a timeout and we were convinced we would get the ball and make up the ground we needed in the last few seconds of the game. Unfortunately, we never got a chance to possess the ball, as we were whistled for a foul on the ensuing draw and Williams was awarded the ball and able to run out the clock.

While it was a devastating loss, the team showed huge character in our ability to come back from a big deficit and to play without all of our usual contributors. The season was a very successful one and one that we are all proud of!

Middlebury Too Much for Bants, 9-18

It was a tough day to be a Bant on Saturday vs. Midd. We had high hopes of playing our best lacrosse against a very tough opponent but things just did not go our way! We got off to a difficult start early, going down 5-1. We did make a bit of a comeback and closed the gap to 5-3 off of Caite and Rachel goals. We however would not score for the rest of the half as we watched Middlebury go on a 7-0 run to take a 12-3 lead at the half.

Disappointed by a shaky first half, we came out stronger in the second and closed the gap to 13-7 and then 14-8. That was the closest we would come as Middlebury scored some late goals against our extended pressure. We did score the last goal of the game, so in some ways we had the last word, but it was obviously too little, too late.

While we were bummed not to have played a better game (plagued mostly by turnovers and lack of possession on attack) we would love to see Midd again in the playoffs and have another go at them. We did still manage to secure a home seed for the 1st round of NESCACs which is on Sunday. We wrap up the regular season on Friday vs. Amherst at 7pm and then we play on Sunday vs. the #5 seed which we'll find out late Friday night.

We are excited to be home for both games this weekend and look forward to rebounding from our performance in VT! The weather finally warms up for us tomorrow and even heats up to a predicted 85 degrees for Sunday!

GO BANTS!!

Player Profile of the Week

JESSE SCHULTZ (aka. Spanz, Spanzerelli)

Year: 2009

Major: Political Science

Position: Attack

Uniform #: 21

High School: Emma Willard School

Post Trinity Plans: Teach english in Europe or South America

Favorite Sports Quote: Success isn't something that just happens - success is learned, success is practiced and then it is shared.

Favorite Practice Drill: New Blue/New Gold

Why did you choose Trinity? Academic Vigor, Location, International Studies Program

What does Trin Lax mean to you? Dedication, Hard Work, Friendship, Laughter, Tradition, Love

Favorite Trin Lax memory? BEATING WASHINGTON AND LEE !!!!!!!!!!!!

Any advice you have for your teammates? Stay positive, stay focused, work hard and have fun

Bants Explode for 11 Second Half Goals to Beat Bates 13-5

It was another wet, cold day on Robin L. Sheppard field as we geared up to face the Bobcats. We knew that the game would be a tough one as Bates had easily handled Amherst earlier this year and almost upset Tufts last week. We were prepared for another great NESCAC battle!

We entered the game especially focused and excited, as today was the last regular season Saturday game for our Seniors, Spanz, Sconch, Pecks and Disa. All four have been tremendous contributors to the program over the course of their four years:

Spanz has been a constant source of positive energy and has worked hard to improve her game from her freshman year. She has become one of the most threatening attackers in the league and an important leader and voice for us on the field. Spanz is a true team player and we would not be the same team, on or off the field, with out her.

Sconch has been a huge contributor over her four years, playing several different positions on the defensive end and always happy to do so, knowing it was for the good of the team. She has helped a young defense mature to the point where we are playing our best right now. Her leadership and committment to the team have been incredible this year.

Pecks has been a pleasure to watch mature over the last few seasons. While she's not big in stature she makes up for it in heart and hustle! She has been the spark plug on the field this year, scooping up groundballs and making big plays (like scoring the game winners against Bates and Williams)!

Disa has been the heart and soul of the midfield for the last several seasons. There is no statistic for what Disa provides in transition in speed and skill. She has one of the steadiest sticks on the team and is a fierce defender to match up with. While her voice is often quiet, her committment and passion for Trinity Lacrosse are big and evident in everything she does.

While we were excited and ready to go from the first whistle, the first half did not exactly go according to plan. In fact, it was our least productive offensive half of the season, only scoring 2 goals over the first 30 minutes. Fortunately, Bates was experiencing the same difficulties as we were and they managed only 2 goals as well, so we headed into the break tied at 2-2.

The second half is where the fun began. After battling the elements and a fiesty Bates defense, we finally settled into the pace of play and began to take better care of the ball. We finally started to catch Bates out of position and earned some free positions early in the half, with Rachel and Spanz both connecting on their scoring opportunities. Jenn contributed to this offensive spurt and we stretched out our lead to 5-2.

Bates made things interesting over the course of the next several minutes, scoring 3 of the games' next four goals, making it a one goal game, at 6-5. Sandwiched in between the Bates tallies, was Lauren Pecks' all important 6th goal of the game, the eventual game winner and only her 2nd on the season! Very timely and a great motivator for the rest of the team.

Sarah Remes then started what would be an unanswered 7 goal run by us to finish off the Bobcats. Remer converted on a free position with just over 16 minutes to play in the half. Over the course of the next 6 minutes we would score 6 goals, 3 by Rachel, 2 by Alisen, and another one by Pecks! It was an incredible offensive burst and provided us the necessary breathing room for the last 10 minutes of play.

What made this stretch of play so incredible was the defensive pressure in the midfield. Annie Cook and Liz Bruno were studs in transition, coming up with critical ground balls and caused turnovers to deny Bates any offensive possession time. If Bates did manage to settle the ball in our defensive end, Sconch, Carrie W. Gina and Kayla helped to lead a very tough settled defense. Our defense was patient and loud and very effective in working together as a team to limit any good looks by Bates and to come up with turnovers. It was a fantastic effort against a very threatening attack.

The last 8 minutes of the game was not highlighted by defensive play or goal scoring but rather by possession as we did not want to give Bates any more time with the ball in their stick. We executed a beautiful possession offense where we had the Bates defenders very frustrated as they could not, desperate as they were, win the ball against our great passing game.

The win means that we are 5-2 in the conference, currently ranked 3rd with an important game coming up against Middlebury next weekend. They also only have 2 losses in the conference so we will be battling for a top spot as we face off in Middlebury, VT. Hope to see you there!

Bants Blast Springfield 15-6

It was a chilly windy evening but we heated things up on the turf with some OUTSTANDING play from everyone! We came out of the gates quickly scoring just 36 seconds into the first half and continuing on a six goal run for the next 15 minutes of play. Kristin Phelps capped off a run that featured goals by Rachel, Spanz and Caite, with a great free position goal.

Contributing to our early offense was our ability to win the ball of the draw. We won 9 of 14 first half draws and 9 of 10 second half draw opportunities! Our best performance by far! Sconch was outstanding on the circle, controlling a game high, 5 draw controls!! Annie, Rachel and Liz all chipped in to the effort with 2 draw controls each! It was a great team effort to win possession!

Our defense did a great job in settled situations, really slowing down the springfield attack and limiting their time on offense. Steph earned the win for us in goal, making 8 saves and giving up only 5 goals in the 53 minutes she was on the field. Annie Cook had a terrific defensive gave, drawing a charge late in the game and helping to transition the ball against a fiesty springfield attack. Sconch, Pecks, Carrie, Liza, Bruno. Emma and Kayla all contributed to one of our best defensive performances of the year, as we had lots of different combinations rotating in on defense. Avery saw action for the second time this year in cage, coming up with a great save followed by a very good clear to jump start the attack!

The midfielders were absolute studs against an athletic springfield team. Remer set the tone early pushing the offense, creating great fast break opportunities for the attack. Alisen and Disa also served as huge connectors betweent the defense and offense, something we needed to improve upon from the weekend. They did a great job maintaining possession for us between the restraining lines!

Offensively it was a constant rotation of people and everyone out there was very effective with their minutes. Rachel, Spanz and Caite provided a lot of the offense for the evening but it was a reflection of some great team movement on attack that allowed them some nice looks to cage. Jenn was super steady, winning the draw and even helping out on the defensive end when we were in a yellow card situation (great double team Jenn!) Brads and Kristin provided some great looks on goal and Ali O. and Maddy did a fantastic job of helping in transition and controlling the ball on attack.

It was a we called it, a Total Team Effort (TTE) kind of night. We are hoping to keep this rolling into the weekend as we take on Bates on Saturday, in Hartford, at Noon. Hope to see you there - bring an umbrella!!

Player Profile of the Week

CARRIE DISA
Year: 2009
Major: Biochemistry and Neuroscience

Position: Midfield

Uniform#: 22

High School: Minnechaug Regional H.S.



Post Trinity Plans: Hopefully get a job in the Boston area doing clinical research work, then go back to school for some health profession!

Favorite Sports Quote: “I am a member of a team, and I rely on the team, I defer to it, and sacrifice for it, because the team, not the individual, is the ultimate champion."

Favorite Practice Drill: 3v3 split


Why did you choose Trinity? I wanted a small liberal arts school with a good academic reputation, but one of the real main reasons was the lacrosse program!


What does Trin Lax mean to you? Trinity lacrosse means so many things to me, some that I can’t put into words. From the amazing friendships I’ve made to the important lessons I have learned, my experience being a part of this team has helped me to grow in ways that I never could have if I wasn’t a part of it. When I think about being on this team, I realize that I am not only just a part of a team, but part of a program and even bigger, a tradition. I have so many memories from Trin lax that will stay with me forever!


Favorite Trin Lax memory? Beating W&L in sudden death overtime over spring break this year!


Any advice you have for your teammates? Always strive to be a better player in every practice and every game that you play. There is always something you can work and focus on to make yourself a better teammate and a better player.


Tufts Too Much for Bants!

It was a battle of two top ten ranked NESCAC squads as we (currently ranked #9) headed to play #7 Tufts in Medford, MA on Saturday. The weather was cold and windy - typical New England spring conditions. We were focused and ready to play, knowing that this would be a great match up and a tough team to beat.

Pecks looks upfield for a pass!

The game got off to a great start - we went up 2 - 0 on early goals from Jenn and Spanz. The second goal was a beautiful assist from Rachel and Spanz slam dunked it in the back of the net. It was a very sweet goal!! While we tried to pull away from Tufts they would not allow us to as they won nearly every draw control early in the game. Our defense did a great job of limiting the good offensive looks for the Jumbos but eventually they broke into the scoring column and then went on a little run to take the lead and extend it 4-2. We battled back, despite not playing our best, and closed out the half with 2 goals, making it a 6-5 game with Tufts narrowly ahead.

The attack works the ball against an aggressive Tufts defense!

The second half was made up of lots of little runs. After trading the first two goals, Tufts picked up some momentum and extended the lead by 3 goals. We then responded, finding our own streak, scoring the next 3 goals to tie the game at 9-9. Unfortunately, Tufts turned up the pressure and took over for the final 15 mintues of the game, outscoring us 4-1 to earn the victory. They swarmed our defenders and while Sconch, Kayla, Liz, Annie and Pecks all worked hard to move the ball safely upfield, Tufts forced some critical turnovers that kept us on the defensive end for what proved to be too much time.

Annie moves the ball upfield through Tufts pressure!

While we didn't play our best, we never gave up and had a chance to get the game within 1 goal, with just a couple of minutes to play. The Tufts keeper came up with a huge save that allowed them to get possession and tack on a late goal with our defense extended. We were disappointed with the outcome but know that Tufts played a great game and we look forward to hopefully having a chance to play them again down the road in tournament play.

Some great Trinity redefending!

For now, we are shifting gears and preparing to face Springfield at home, at 7pm on Wednesday!Remer challenges the Tufts defense!

Bants Pull Away from Wesleyan in Monsoon!

Wednesday's game vs Wesleyan was a hard fought, wet NESCAC game played under the lights in the raw conditions of 40 degree weather and hard rain! While the circumstances were less than ideal, we still managed a pretty good effort on the field. We had great play on the attack with some impressive assisted goals. Defensively, we worked out a few kinks in the first half and only allowed 4 goals in the last half of play. The midfield was very strong, limiting the turnovers, which was not easy given the weather. Overall, it was a good effort against a talented Wesleyan team and gave us another conference win which is great!

Carrie Wolcott carries the ball up in transition!

Rachel looks to feed on attack!
Rachel got things started offensively for us early in the game, finding the back of the net just 1:12 into the contest. Wesleyan tied things up before Caite answered with a beautiful goal off an assist from Spanzerelli (Jesse). The offense had great vision for the open attacker and created some great opportunities for eachother. Caite drew some defense attention and found Liz Bruno open streaking to net for her second goal of the season! The play of the game was an interception by Caite that led to a spectacular goal by Christy Bradley!

While we were working well together offensively, so was Wesleyan! They were aggressive driving to cage and we struggled to contain some of their stronger players. They would not go away when we stretched the lead out to 6-4, scoring the last two goals of the half to keep things tied up at the break.Halftime!

After the half, we came out very strong, determined to get some distance between us and Wesleyan in the scoring margin. The defense really turned things up, keeping Wesleyan scoreless for the first 17 minutes of the second half. During that time, the offense took care of business, finding the net 4 different times, with four different people contributing (Rachel, Alisen, Caite and Spanz).

Steph Fisher earned her 2nd win of the season in goal!

While the last 13 minutes were more back and forth, our defense was able to hold off an aggressive Wesleyan rush and our offense did a great job possessing the ball in the final minutes of the game. It was an important conference win and a great effort despite less than ideal conditions.

Player Profile of the Week

KRISTINA SCONTRAS
Year: 2009

Major: Political Science

Position: Defense

Uniform#: 27

High School: Cape Elizabeth HS

Post Trinity Plans:
Living in Boston and Maine this summer and then moving to Washington DC in the fall!

Favorite Sports Quote:
"Those who have the will to win cannot be beat"

Favorite Practice Drill:
competitive ground balls to goal (aka. ANIMAL BALL!)

What does Trin Lax mean to you?
Teamwork, heart, taking risks, challenging oneself and tradition

Favorite Trin Lax memory?
First win against Colby in 2007!

Bants Outlast Eph Rally to Secure Win!

After a whole week of practice, the team had plenty of time to put our Colby loss behind us and work on getting ready for Williams. We showed up on Saturday focused and ready to play. We knew Williams would be TOUGH as they had just knocked off previously unbeaten Tufts the weekend before. We were ready for a battle and that's exactly what we got!

It was a spectacular day - sunny and 60s in Williamstown. We got off to our best start yet. The offense was clicking on all cylinders which was exciting to see. Jenn Calver spurred the early offense with a great drive and then a sweet rebound goal that she snuck past the Williams keeper. We spread things out in the scoring margin, with Liz Bruno notching her first collegiate goal and Caite, Alisen and Spanz all finding the back of the net. We jumped out to a 6-1 lead before Williams began to put a dent in our lead.

Trin taking a breather after a HOT start!

While the offense was doing their thing, the defense was equally stellar, knocking down passes in the 8-meter and getting the immediate ground balls. Williams had very few good looks at goal in the first half of play thanks to our aggressive and heads up defensive effort. The defense was loud, intimidating - playing their best team defense of the year! Contributing to the effort was senior Kristina Scontras collecting 3 ground balls on the day, Carrie Wolcott, Annie Cook, Liz Bruno, grabbing 3 ground ball and 3 caused turnovers and Lauren Peck who snagged a game high six ground balls on the day!

Carrie Wolcott controls the ball on the defensive end!

Alisen corrals the ball in the midfield!
Carrie Disa, Alisen Urquhart and Kristin Phelps ran the midfield for us, which was not an easy task considering the pace of the game, the hot weather and the absence of Sarah Remes who was sick with strep. They did an outstanding job transitioning the ball and pressuring Williams in the midfield. They were also key in securing the draw controls for us in the waning minutes - with Alisen and Disa winning 2 of the games last 3 draw controls.

Eventually Williams narrowed the gap and we took a 9-4 lead into halftime. We didn't have much to fix at that point, we just prepared ourselves for what we knew would be an even tougher and past paced second half. Williams scored first but we answered right away with two scores within just a few minutes of eachother. We took an 11-6 advantage and then Williams began to take over.Carrie Disa pushes the ball in transition!

Williams won 8 of the next 10 draws and completely controlled the pace of the game, working their offense to get nice assisted goals or drawing fouls on us to put them on the free position line. They were relentless and we were doing everything we could to quiet their surge. Caite scored midway through their run to stretch our lead to 12-8 and then Williams continued to put the pressure on scoring the next four goals, tying things up at 12-12.

Caite brings the ball into the attacking end!

Things were getting very tense but we kept our composure and finally turned things around winning the last 3 draws of the game and getting a very important goal at the 7 minute mark from Caite on a free position. We then possessed the ball, spread out their defense and found a wide open Lauren Peck in front of the cage. Pecks didn't think twice and put the ball in the back of the net, to extend our advantage 14-12.

Williams managed to win the ball back and went down and was awarded a free position goal with just 1:49 to play. Williams player, Whitney Thayer (Spitty's daughter!) put the ball behind our keeper to make things really interesting. We were able to win the draw again but turned it
over allowing Williams one last chance to tie things up. Luckily, Lauren Peck came up HUGE on defense and knocked down a Williams pass and then came up with the ground ball with just 30 seconds to go. There was a bit of a scramble for the ball as we tried to move it up the field and finally Annie Cook put the nail in the coffin as she intercepted a last second Williams pass upfield. It was a real nail biter of a game- just what we expected from the Ephs.

Rachel pressures Williams in transition!

We are so psyched to have earned a 3rd conference victory and are looking forward to taking on Wesleyan on Wednesday, at home and then Tufts on Saturday in Medford, MA.

GO BANTS!

Bants Come up Short Against Mules

Saturday's game was the finale of a BUSY first two weeks of competition and our Bants ran out of steam against a talented Colby squad, falling with a final score of 7-10. After a thrilling game against W&L, we were excited to host Colby on Saturday, as it was a rematch of the 2008 NESCAC Championship game.

We got off to a hot start, scoring the first 2 goals of the game off of Caite Irvine scores. Colby answered shortly after with their first tally of the game. Rachel would extend our lead again, minutes later, converting on a drive from the top of the 8 meter. After sustaining a Colby 2 goal run, we were able to regain the lead again off of a Jenn Calver free position goal. While things seemed to be going our way, the tides quickly turned and we would be held scoreless for the remainder of the first half, and most of the second, finally scoring our 5th goal with 7 minutes to go in the game. We quickly added a few more goals but it was a little too late to make much of a dent in the 6 goal lead that Colby had built up.

While we struggled offensively, our defense played well, with Gina recording 13 saves for the game! We were patient defensively and gave Colby good pressure on the ball, forcing 20 turnovers on the day. Liz Bruno tallied 3 caused turnovers and Annie Cook and Caite Irvine both recorded 2 caused turnovers in the defensive effort. Annie, Lauren Peck, and Carrie Wolcott did a great job of helping to transition the ball against a fiesty and fast Colby ride. As a team we did a great job of limiting our turnovers, totaling only 13 on the day.

Annie Cook applies good ball pressure on Colby attacker!

We had great minutes from lots of different players Saturday - Emma Lynch provided a nice spark on the defensive end and Ali O'Brien, Kristin Phelps and Christy Bradley helped give us some good offensive looks against a very good Colby goalie.

Kayla and Annie defend the 8-meter!
While we were all disappointed that we didn't play to our potential, the support from the parents on the sidelines was amazing! The tailgate that followed was second to none, thanks in large part to the grilling skills of Big Love! Thank you to all the parents for feeding us, be it with girl scout cookies and snack bags on the bus to VA or burgers and sausages for a home tailgate - we are so lucky to have such loyal fans!!

We are excited to have a week of practice decompress a bit from spring break and have lots of time to prepare for Williams on Saturday. We travel there and play at Noon. Go Bants!

Spring Break Recap

We started off spring break with a bang this year. After a nerve racking game at Bowdoin, we pulled away with a big win! We woke up early the next morning, and all boarded the bus to Washington and Lee with our pillows in hand. We all got a pleasant surprise when Disa and Pecks decorated the bus with tropical spring break signs! After the initial half hour of murmurings, everyone was fast asleep and we were well on our way to Lexington, Virginia. After a long ten hours of chit chatting, snacks and movies we finally arrived at Washington and Lee!

We woke up early the next morning for our first practice of the year on a grass field. Although it was a bit slippery and rainy, everyone put their best effort for a very productive practice. The second practice on the turf went just as well with our offense working out some key issues and really perfecting their game strategy. After a long day of lacrosse, the team cleaned up very nicely for dinner downtown at W&L’s favorite team Italian restaurant. We ended dinner with cake and a wonderful birthday rap dedicated to Spanz by Romo, Bruno, Ali O. and Carrie! Later at the hotel, after a pre-game talk by KP and some team activities, we all headed to bed with clear minds thinking only of beating Washington and Lee.

On Tuesday the team woke up excited and ready for our morning walk through. After perfecting ground walls on Washington and Lee’s game field we headed back to get some pre-game lunch. Although there was a minor snafu with the bus we all ended up back downtown for a great pre-game lunch (thank you Mrs. Remes and Mr. Urquhart!). That afternoon we headed to the field ready to play and ready to win. The team was completely focused on the task at hand, and took it to heart when KP asked us to play as a team. The game was one of the most intense and exciting games of our careers playing Trinity lacrosse. Our midfield transition was beautiful; the attack had an outstanding game, and the defense pulled it together to play a stellar man on man. The support from the bench was amazing and every single person on the team was involved. We really put together all of the lessons we have learned this season and played as a unit. No one will forget the game tying play that went all the way from the defensive end, through the mid-field, up to Caite and in the goal! The overtime was nerve racking and intense and everyone was ecstatic when Rachel put in the free position to end the game in double over time sudden death. Later that evening we enjoyed a team dinner out at Applebee’s with the parents and players where we all replayed our favorite moments of the game.

The next morning we woke up early but happy! We boarded the bus once again and decided that the twenty hours of travel was definitely worth the sweet victory!!

Thanks to all the parents (Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Remes, Mr. Urquhart and Mr. Lynch) for making the trip to cheer us on and making us so comfortable (ie. FEEDING US) while we were on the road!

- Sconch and Disa

Player Profile of the Week

LAUREN PECK
Year: Senior

Major: Political Science/International Relations

Position: Defense Wing

Uniform #: 2

High School: Newton South HS

Post Trinity Plans:
I want to live in Boston for a little and then hopefully move to the West Coast. Ideally I would like to do something with marketing and/or advertising.

Favorite Sports Quote:
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog" Archie Griffen

Favorite Practice Drill:
The Bantam Drill! Big Blue Rules!!!! (Current score - Blue: 12, Gold 12)

What does Trin Lax mean to you?
Trin lax means being part of a team - making amazing memories and even better friends. It means working hard for a common goal and succeeding. Playing my favorite sport with my best friends whether it's snowing or 75 degrees outside. Trin lax has become part o f who I am and will be with me forever.

Favorite Trin Lax memory?
My freshman year we went to Florida for spring break. Each room had been responsible for bringing something to dinner. We all met in the hotel dining area. We had all helped ourselves to to food and were contently eating when a guest at the hotel walked in non-chalantly and helped himself to our buffet!! Kara just sat and laughed and no one ever told him!!

Big Win on the Road in VA!

WOW...it was an amazing game against #7 ranked Washington and Lee. It was a tightly contested match with us taking a 5-4 lead at halftime. The second half we hit a bit of a lull and W&L stretched out the lead to 11-8 after being deadlocked at 8-8. Finding our selves down 12-9 with just a few minutes to go we rattled off 3 goals in the last 1:04 to tie the game with 3 seconds to go in regulation! Talk about exciting!!!! OT was a battle - back and forth with both teams registering a goal in the first OT to push things into sudden death. Rachel finally ended the drama with 30 seconds to go in the first sudden death overtime after an outstanding interception by defender Liz Bruno. It was a marathon of a game and an unbelievable comeback by the Bants! The coaching staff and parents in the stands were so PROUD of the effort we all witnessed on the field. It was an incredible game!

We are on the bus and headed back to Hartford to take on Colby this Saturday!

Rachel Earns NESCAC Player of Week Honors/Inside Lacrosse Honors

Rachel was recognized by the NESCAC and Inside Lacrosse Magazine this week for her offensive contributions in the Eastern CT game and the tightly contested Bowdoin win. Great job, Rachel!
http://nescac.com/sports/wlax/index
http://www.insidelacrosse.com/page.cfm?pagerid=8&id=200657&div=66489&hidecontent=yes

Bants Survive Polar Bears

Today was a test of wills for the Bants as we struggled to hold onto the lead against a talented and fiesty Bowdoin squad. We had a great first half - we came out loose and aggressive, forcing turnovers defensively and getting great offensive production from the attack. We were able to build a 3 goal lead and hold Bowdoin scoreless in the first 8 minutes of the game. As Bowdoin responded, so did we, continuing to outscore them over the next 10 minutes of the game to take a 6-2 lead. The defense was outstanding through the first 20 minutes of the first half - putting lots of pressure on the ball and helping with challenges to goal. It was a terrific team effort for most of the half.

Caite Irvine drives to goal in the first half!

We did slip up momentarily and Bowdoin capitalized in a big way, scoring 3 goals in just over a minute's time to close the gap to a one goal game. Jenn Calver gave us a little bit of breathing room, scoring with just 1:28 to go in the first half, making the halftime score 7-5.

Jenn Calver pushes the ball in transition!

The second half started out strong but saw us struggle to take control of the game once again. Carrie Disa got us off to a great start, scoring off of a free position shot and spurring a three goal run that stretched out our lead to 10-5. To Bowdoin's credit, this scoring spree only fueled their competitive spirit and they went on a 3 goal run of their own to keep the score close. They came within striking distance several times, making it a one goal game at 11-10, 12-11 and 13-12. Our Bants were clutch however, gaining possession when we needed it. Liz Bruno had an outstanding take away in the last few minutes of play that kick started a nice fast break finish from Caite Irvine. It was, however, Alisen Urquhart's draw control with just over a minute to play that proved to be the play of the game, giving us possession and allowing us to seal the victory.

Liz Bruno pressures the ball in the defensive end!

Lauren Peck closes in on a Bowdoin attacker!
Several Trinity players had notable performances on the day. Senior Carrie Disa was tremendous securing 6 draw controls for Trinity, a huge contribution in a tightly contested game! Senior Kristina Scontras made life very difficult for the Bowdoin attack, keeping them from scoring on close range shots. Kayla Lawson had a terrific defense performance, making her strongest contribution in helping to transition the ball safely upfield. Liz Bruno added another stellar game on defense, racking up 5 caused turnovers on the day. Midfield defenders Annie Cook, Carrie Wolcott and Lauren Peck all played key roles in frustrating a fiesty Bowdoin attack for much of the game. Gina Dinallo gave us big minutes in cage, coming up with an impressive 13 saves on the day. One of those saves was HUGE, as it came late in the game when Bowdoin was looking to tie things up!

Annie Cook defends the crease roll with Gina behind her in net!

On the offensive end, Rachel continued her scoring streak, finding the back of the net 5 times and assisting on three others. She had balanced help in the scoring column with Jenn and Caite contributing two goals apiece and Disa, Jesse, Christy and Alisen all with one goal. Our attack continues to be spread out with lots of different people providing scoring threats!
Rachel pushes the pace against a couple of Polar Bear defenders!

Beyond these individual performances, the team did a terrific job responding to some heavy Bowdoin pressure throughout the course of the contest. The support from the sidelines was outstanding and certainly made the difference in such a tight game!

Jesse Schultz works hard on the redefend causing several Bowdoin turnovers on the day!

We are excited to head down to Washington and Lee tomorrow (minus the 9 hour drive!). We have one practice day in Lexington and then take on W&L on Tuesday at 4pm. Should be a great trip!
WAY TO GO BANTS!

Defense Leads the Charge Against EASTERN CT

Yesterday's game against Eastern was perhaps our best defensive effort of the year, allowing just 2 goals in the first half and 1 goal in the second, to finish with a score of 16-3! We challenged the defense before the game to really step up the pressure and they sure did, causing 13 turnovers over the course of the game and allowing limited shots on goal. It was great preparation for our upcoming schedule of Bowdoin, Washington and Lee and Colby!

Sconch and Bruno help hold down the defensive end!

The attack was just as impressive, taking control of the game from the get go, with Rachel converting on a shot just over a minute into the game. Fellow attackers, Jenn, Caite and Jesse all found the back of the net over the next several minutes to take a 7-1 lead. Kristin Phelps chipped in to the scoring with her first goal of the season with just over 5 minutes to play in the first half. The score at the break was 8-2.

Ali O'Brien controls the ball on the attack for Trinity!

The defense continued to be relentless in the second half as we found more and more opportunities to double the ball both in transition and settled defense. Kristina Scontras (Sconch), Annie Cook, Lauren Peck and Liz Bruno helped set the tone for our outstanding defensive effort on the day. Emma Lynch, Kayla Lawson and Liza Beckler also gave great minutes on the defensive end!

Senior Lauren Peck slides to double!

Midfielder Carrie Disa stepped up her offensive game, notching all 3 of her goals in the second half. Midfielders Alisen Urquhart and Sarah Remes also helped out the scoring effort, contributing a goal a piece. All three were outstanding in helping to transition the ball safely down the field, while also putting lots and lots of pressure on Eastern to clear the ball!

Carrie Disa collects a ground ball in our defensive end!

Steph Fisher made her first start in cage and Avery Harries finished the game in net, combining to make 5 saves over 60 minutes of play. It was a great team effort. We are looking forward to going up to Brunswick (Steph's hometown) to take on the Polar Bears on Saturday. This should be a great NESCAC match up and we are excited for the challenge!

Steph Fisher runs out of pressure to clear the ball.

Great Opening Weekend for the Bants!

Our first weekend of play was an exciting one! The weather could not have been more perfect for us to take the field, first at home vs. Conn on Saturday and then on the road vs. Skidmore on Sunday. There was no under armour in sight, which is a rarity in early March! It was truly a great weekend to be a Bant!

Saturday's game against Connecticut College started out strong. We took a commanding 4-0 lead and then extended that over the course of the next 10 minutes to go up 9-1. Leading the charge was senior attacker Jesse Schultz (Spanz), who scored three of our early tallies. Rachel Romanowsky contributed to the early offense, racking up 2 goals and 2 assists in the first 15 minutes of play.

Sophomore Christy Bradley moves the ball on the attack. Brads had 2 goals on the day!

Beyond just putting points on the board, the team did a tremendous job defensively, led by seniors, Kristina Scontras (Sconch) and Lauren Peck (Pecks), who were able to almost completely shut Conn down for the first 15 minutes of the half. Over the course of the game we racked up an amazing 18 caused turnovers!! Leading the charge was attacker Jenn Calver and first-year defender Liz Bruno. Jenn and Liz combined for 7 caused turnovers with some tenacious redefending and high pressure in the midfield transition. It was a tremendous effort on everyone's part to pressure Conn all over the field!

Sophomore Kayla Lawson helped to keep Conn to just 4 goals in the first half!

We had several first-years see the field on Saturday. Notching her first collegiate goal was Maddy Hardy with a great take from the top of the 8m with just 20 seconds left in the first half. First-year goalies Gina Dinallo and Steph Fisher both saw time in the net and did a tremendous job securing the win!

First-year Maddy Hardy wins a ground ball on the attack. Maddy scored her first collegiate goal in the 1st half!

We had a tremendous tailgate provided by our wonderful parents! It was not only a good spread of food, but it was a great chance to reconnect with parents of returners and meet some of our first-year parents. It was the perfect start to the season!

Sophomore Alisen Urquhart had a stellar day, scoring 2 goals and helping transition the ball in the midfield!

Sunday was no less exciting! We arrived in Saratoga Springs with more sun and warm temperatures to greet us. We took the field and quickly realized that Skidmore was a team not to be taken lightly. They were fiesty and aggressive and excited to play us on their home turf. They took an early 3-1 lead and we had to take a timeout to regroup and re-focus.

Our Bants responded to the challenge and went on a 5 goal run, sparked by 2 tallies from Caite Irvine and capped off by 2 goals from Jenn Calver. Skidmore would not go away and managed to keep things close, closing out the half only trailing us by a goal with a score of 7-6 Trinity.

The second half was where we really hit our stride. We came out a little slow, still gaining composure from a shaky first half, allowing Skidmore to tie things up quickly at 7-7. We then kicked things into gear, scoring the next 4 goals to take our most commanding lead of the game. While Skidmore managed a couple more tallies, that was all they would get and we continued our offensive onslaught, outscoring them 11-3 in the second half and finishing with a score of 18-9.

Rachel had a very productive offensive day, finding the back of the net 8 times and assisting twice! Our attack was very potent for the second day in a row, scoring 7 of 9 free positions.

Our defense was led by Gina in goal who made life difficult for the opponents, intercepting several passes from behind the cage and winning 4 ground balls in the defensive end. While the defense and midfield struggled a bit with the pressure put on by Skidmore, they made important adjustments in the second half, led by senior Carrie Disa and sophomore Alisen Urquhart.

It was a terrific finish to our first weekend of competition. The team looks great and we are excited to see them back in action against Eastern CT on Wednesday at 4:30pm on Robin L. Sheppard field!