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!

Preseason Shots from Endicott

Here are just a few snapshots from our early preseason scrimmage against Endicott. It was a great day to play lacrosse. Some alums may even recognize those old pinnies!! Enjoy!

Senior Carrie Disa takes a breather after an impressive performance in the midfield!

Kayla Lawson and Liza Beckler helped to hold down the defensive effort (Remer you are seeing ball, right?)

Senior Jesse Schultz (Spanz) was stellar on attack, helping to keep things organized and productive!!

What a mean looking coaching staff!!!

Trin Lax Goes Spinning!

As part of our preseason training this year we decided to take the team to Work Out World in West Hartford for a morning of spinning. Amy is a spinning instructor there and was nice enough to offer up the bikes and her professional services to our team! It was a grueling work out (Amy is one tough instructor!) but everyone had a great time!

First Draw Cancelled

A forecast of day long snow has forced us to cancel the First Draw Scrimmage Day for 2009. Due to their proximity, Wesleyan is still planning to travel across town for a morning scrimmage before the snow has time to accumulate. That will begin at 10:30am. We look forward to clearer skies next weekend when we take on Conn College in our home opener on March 7th! Hope to see you there!