Franklin Pierce Looks For Continued Steps Toward Success in 2008

 

The Franklin Pierce University women’s lacrosse team hopes to build on the team’s two victories last season as the team attempts to turn a corner in the competitive Northeast-10 Conference in 2008. The Ravens went 2-15 (1-9 NE-10) in 2007, breaking a 41-game losing streak that dated back to 2004 with a win over SUNY-Morrisville, and the team looks to take their success a step further this season.

 

Head coach Meighan Guiney returns for her second season leading the Franklin Pierce women’s lacrosse program after a 2-15 record last year. In her first season in Rindge, Guiney attempted to create a winning attitude among the women’s lacrosse program, and with the help of nine returning letterwinners she hopes that the team will continue to make positive strides in her second year.

 

“After breaking the losing streak last year, we are looking to capitalize on last season’s successes,” Guiney said. “The team is focusing on one day, one practice at a time. We will look to increase our winning percentage and decrease our scoring margin, as we continue to build and develop a stronger program each season.”

 

ATTACK

 

The Raven attack will be bolstered by the return of the team’s top two scorers from last season, juniors Carla Savini (Danvers, Mass./Danvers) and May Stoffer (New Hartford, Conn./Watkinson). Savini, named a tri-captain this year, powered the offense last season with 37 goals and six assists for 43 points, and through two seasons ranks fourth all-time at Franklin Pierce in career goals (49) and points (55). Stoffer was the only other Raven to reach the 20-point plateau in 2007, as she found the net 15 times and tied Savini for the team-lead with six assists. Both players will be called upon to provide plenty of offensive support once again this season.

 

The experienced Raven attack unit will also be helped by senior tri-captain Celine Stamets (Sausalito, Calif./Mavin Catholic) as well as sophomore Meghan Masterson (Sharon, Mass./Sharon). Stamets, who ranks in the top-ten all-time in all three major offensive categories at Franklin Pierce, set new career-highs in every category with nine goals and five assists for 14 points last season. Masterson posted 12 points on eight goals and four assists in her first season with the Ravens and is expected to play a key role in the offense again this year.

 

Guiney has also brought in a trio of freshmen to aid the Raven offense, as Jordan Baillargeon (Westfield, Mass./Westfield), Ashley Moirano (South Burlington, Vt./ South Burlington) and Lauren Stille (North Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) will look to contribute offensively in their first seasons with the team.

 

MIDFIELD

 

The team’s midfield will be anchored by junior tri-captain Kayleigh Jaksina (Townsend, Mass./North Middlesex) and classmate Erika McGowan (Billerica, Mass./Billerica Memorial), while freshman Emily Rouleau (Barre, Vt./Spaulding) also will look for playing time in the middle in 2008.

 

Jaksina started the three of the first four games of the 2007 season before missing the rest of the year due to injury, and the junior will look to regain her 2006 form that saw her score nine goals and add one assist for 10 points playing in all 15 games. McGowan made seven starts in her sophomore season last year, assisting on three goals and picking up five groundballs, and should play a bigger role in the midfield this season alongside Rouleau, who should be a key contributor in her first season with the team.

 

DEFENSE

 

The defense has three key members returning from last season’s squad, as junior Siobhan Martin (Narragansett, R.I./Narragansett) and sophomores Carolyn McNeil (Lowell, Mass./Lowell) and Samantha Newman (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonskee) are back on defense. McNeil picked up 39 ground balls and caused 15 turnovers last season, while Newman led all Raven defenders with 44 ground balls and Martin added 19. Each player started at least 14 games in the backfield in 2007, and will provide experience on the Raven back line again this year.

 

The duo will be joined by three newcomers to the team, as sophomore Laura Browne (Sandwich, Mass./Sandwich) and freshmen Jillian Benn (North Quincy, Mass./North Quincy) and Megan Feldmeth (South Pasadena, Calif./South Pasadena) will look to make an impact in their first seasons on the squad.

 

GOALKEEPER

 

With the graduation of Erin Hopkins ’07, senior Michaela Sullivan (Arlington, Mass./Arlington) and freshman Chanice Franklyn (Chappaqua, N.Y./Horace Greeley) will compete for the starting role this season. Sullivan was the Ravens’ starter in 2005, starting 12 games with a 16.86 goals against average and a .393 save percentage, but did not play on the team the last two seasons. Franklyn should see plenty of playing time in net as well as a freshman.

 

SCHEDULE

 

Franklin Pierce will play a highly competitive 16-game varsity schedule in 2008, including three games in Orlando, Fla., to begin the season. The Ravens will take on Southern Connecticut State University and SUNY-Geneseo as well as the New York University club team down south before returning north to begin the team’s Northeast-10 Conference slate at Southern New Hampshire on March 25.

 

The Ravens will play a stretch of four consecutive home games spanning late March and early April, beginning with the team’s 2008 home opener against 2007 NCAA National semifinalist Stonehill College on March 29 at noon at Sodexho Field.

 

“I am extremely excited for the 2008 season,” Guiney said. “We only have two seniors on the team, but we have many returning impact players and I am very happy with my first lacrosse recruiting class. I am very eager to get the season started.”