2012 Season Preview
The Denison women's lacrosse team returns in 2012 with a new face at the helm of the program and high expectations after a North Coast Athletic Conference championship and NCAA Tournament berth in 2011.
The Big Red turned plenty of heads a season ago by rattling off 10-straight victories en route to their 16th NCAC championship. After knocking off The College of Wooster, 10-9, in the NCAC Tournament title game, the Big Red went on the road to play 12th ranked Messiah in the NCAA Division III Tournament where they suffered a 14-7 loss to the Falcons.
Despite losing all-conference standouts Jenny Strathern (45 goals, 20 assists), Phoebe Myhrum (30 goals, 24 assists) and Lulu Carter (24 goals, 50 ground balls) the Big Red returns 54 percent of its scoring from a season ago along with first-year head coach Kristin Ramey. They are led by three-year All-NCAC honoree Alex Thurner who tallied a career-high 33 goals and seven assists off 69 shots. Thurner has scored 87 goals in her career.
Also returning in the midfield is senior Olivia Shiland, and sophomores Katherine Palms, Kiersten Dussinger, and Lauren Adams. Shiland tallied 30 goals and eight assists while finishing second on the team in ground balls (44) and caused turnovers (27). She earned second-team All-NCAC honors for the first time in her career. Palms was one of the most efficient players for the Big Red in 2011, scoring her 16 goals off only 25 shot attempts. Dussinger played in all 18 games and turned in three goals and 16 ground balls while Adams was named to the All-NCAC second-team after posting 27 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers while starting 15 contests.
On attack, senior Molly Sbrega is back after a strong junior season which saw her score 29 goals and dish out eight assists. Junior Molly Cornbrooks returns after starting all 18 games and posting a 12 goal, 11 assist sophomore season and Laura Spinelli will look to earn a larger role in the offense after appearing in 14 games as a rookie. Also returning to the fold for her senior season is Lisa Feroli. As a freshman and sophomore, Feroli scored 26 goals and added four assists from her attack position.
The Denison defense is led by all-region standout and first-team All-NCAC selection Carly Tschantz. The senior finished second in all of NCAA Division III in draw controls per game, averaging 6.06 per contest. Her 109 draws shattered the previous Denison single-season record of 58 set in 2007. Joining Tschantz in the back will be senior Alyssa Zinsser and junior Sara Forbes. Zinsser started all 18 games and posted 22 ground balls to go with 14 caused turnovers. Forbes appeared in five games as a first-year.
Junior Grace Bodenmann returns at goalie along with junior Hannah Minifie and sophomore Laura Campbell. After starting 15 of the team's 18 games a season ago, Bodenmann posted a .423 save percentage while totaling 93 goals between the pipes. She was named to the NCAC All-Tournament team after turning in a combined 13 saves against Wittenberg and Wooster in the conference tournament. Bodenmann is being challenged in the preseason by Minifie, who started 14 games as a rookie in 2010 and by Campbell who appeared in nine games with two starts last season. She posted eight saves in her victory over Whittier a season ago.
Denison will open its season on Saturday (Feb. 25) against Wanyesburg at 1 p.m. in the program's annual Friends of Jaclyn Game. Denison asks that all fans come and support the Big Red's efforts to raise awareness about pediatric brain tumors and the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation. The Friends of Jaclyn Foundation is a non-profit, charitable organization that improves the quality of life for children with pediatric brain tumors and their families.
DU will be true road warriors in 2012 as 11 of the team's 16 games will be played away from Piper Stadium. A live video broadcast of Saturday's season-opener against Waynesburg will be provided by the Denison Sports Network, free of charge, beginning at 12:50 p.m.
