The St. Joe’s women’s lacrosse team aims to win an Atlantic 10 Conference Championship after finishing third in the past two seasons.
The Hawks are led by 2019 captains senior attack Rebecca Lane, senior midfielder Hayley Sabol and junior midfielders Bridget Cerciello and Julia Pash.
The 2016 women’s lacrosse team, under newly appointed Head Coach Alex Kahoe, ended a playoff drought extending back to 2009 by beating Davidson University 10-7 in their opening game of the A-10 Championship. Since then, the Hawks have finished third in the conference standings for three consecutive seasons.
Kahoe said this year’s team is aiming to break through this postseason barrier.
“In the beginning, [reaching the playoffs] was our goal, but at this point it’s more of a standard,” Kahoe said. We expect to put in the hard work and be in the A-10 tournament, but I think from there we are really looking forward to getting that A-10 Championship this year.”
Lane said this year’s squad believes the 2019 season is their season to win it all.
“Our mindset from the beginning, even from the start of last semester, is that we are here to win,” Lane said. “We are not here to get third again. We have the talent and we want it, so I think our mentality this year is aggressive and intense.”
The team has a returning core of 24 players from last season, including seven starters. The Hawks have also welcomed 12 new freshmen, creating a mix of veteran and rookie talent.
Kahoe said this women’s lacrosse squad has a special chemistry among players.
“This year has a great balance of foundation and leadership, combined with underclassman coming in and stepping up right away,” Kahoe said. “Everyone is pushing each other every day with a competitive mentality and so I think the team this year has something truly special.”
Sabol said she thinks the addition of freshman talent will take the team to the next level.
“Because we are returning so many players, we are all used to playing with each other, and I think that shows up on the field,” Sabol said. “Our freshmen have really done a good job coming into that [dynamic] and joining that chemistry that we have developed over the years.”
Lane said the freshmen have big personalities, something that creates a unique feel on the team.
“It is hilarious to be around them all the time,” Lane said. “The locker room vibe is just really fun and goofy and I think that alleviates the stress of when we do get onto the field for a game.”
Pash said the combination of this team’s talent and confidence will make a difference in breaking through to the next level.
“Everyone on this team wants to win an A-10 Championship and there is no doubt in our mind that we are capable of it,” Pash said. “I think that sets us apart from teams in the past. We have all the right pieces, it’s just about putting it together now.”
Cerciello said she thinks the team’s accomplishments over the past several years have been overlooked, and the team is looking for an opportunity to make a splash.
“I feel like we don’t get enough credit for where we are as a team,” Cerciello said. “We are just waiting for that one game that’s going to push us over the edge and get people talking about us.”
The Hawks’ season opener against Georgetown University could be that game, according to Lane.
“Having a strong performance against Georgetown is going to set the tone for the rest of the season,” Lane said. “It’s just going to help feed into the belief that when we get further down the road into our season, we can do it.”
