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Bench players boost girls lacross team
(by Tony Lange - April 18, 2012)
Bench players boost girls lacross team
By TONY LANGE
The Chagrin Falls girls lacrosse team may have 20 players on its varsity roster, but its bench goes 36 deep.
Every junior varsity player sits on the varsity bench, and every varsity player sits on the junior varsity bench during games, a tradition second-year head coach KC White started last season.
The idea of promoting one program has really allowed the Lady Tigers to start their season with some offensive firepower, despite graduating six of their seven attack men and midfielders from last season, she said.
"The girls who were not on varsity last year got a great start, because we worked so much as a program," White said. "So, for them, it wasn't a brand new experience. It was just sort of their time to step into the spotlight and do what we always knew they could do."
At center midfielder, junior Kate Mackin is the only returning starter in the Tigers' attack and midfield front seven, and she scored seven goals during Chagrin's 17-7 win against Kenston last week.
"The team was just working really well together. I had a lot of good support from my teammates, and they were setting me up really well," Mackin said. "It's just nice to rely on any one of them and to know that they can all get the job done."
The team really listens to Mackin to lead with the experience she has, White said.
"She's also the type of player who just works harder than anybody," White said. "She's a player who will practice her shot all weekend long so she's prepared for the game."
During the Kenston game, the Lady Tigers led just 4-3 before surging out to a 9-3 lead by halftime, and they built toward that 17-7 finish from there.
Joining Mackin in the multiple-goal-scoring effort, junior attack man Jessica Walker netted three goals, and junior midfielder Christina Vento scored two goals
"Walker's a new player to our lineup, and she's got a lot of speed and just goes for it," White said.
Scoring one goal each were junior Rachel Clemens, junior Shannon Fung, freshman Kristen Hendricks, freshman Kelsey Owen and senior Virginia Turner.
While Chagrin has a number of players fulfilling first-year starting roles on the offensive front, including sophomore Lily Manchester, its defensive unit has three of its four starters back from last year.
Senior Aileen O'Hearn, junior Claire Kampman and sophomore Haylee O'Hearn, along with the addition of freshman Quinn O'Brien, are leading that unit.
"Last year, they were a pretty new defensive unit," White said. "So they're sort of excited to take the defense to the next level this year, and they really take pride in working together to double team the person with the ball. They really embrace their roles as defenders, and they take a lot of pride in being a defender. I just love their enthusiasm out there to work together to be the best defensive unit they can be."
Each player contributes something positive and different to the team, Aileen O'Hearn said.
"Everyone knows basically what they're doing," she said. "Our newest player, Quinn, has adjusted so well, and she's really proven that she deserves her role and a varsity spot, and we love her. Every player basically helps each other out. We all give advice and play off each other, and it works very well. Also having all the girls on the bench really helps so much when you're playing and your team is just there cheering you on."
Tending goal this season, junior Maddie Wilson collected 11 saves against Kenston.
She really takes her role as a goaltender seriously, White said.
"She does a great job of communicating with the defense, and she's always looking to get those interceptions as well as saving shots," White said. "She really studies the team's offense, so, at halftime, she'll come in and say OK, this is exactly what the other team is doing on offense. So she's just like a student of the game. It's been really fun to watch her really take over."
Up next, the Lady Tigers travel to Hawken at 5 p.m. April 19.
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