The Rochester Review, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA

Sports

Women's Lacrosse: Team-Building, Spirit-Building

Led by an enthusiastic new coach, Andrea Golden, the women's lacrosse team has embarked on an ambitious schedule to give the mostly sophomore and freshman squad plenty of field experience.

"Her idea is to play everyone we can possibly play," says co-captain and defensive player Lauren Makar '97, one of only three seniors on the team. "We're very fortunate to have her here."

The team, which competes in the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association, had a 6-10 season last year. To heighten competitiveness, Golden is adding some "heavies" to the rotation--national contenders such as William Smith, Ithaca, Skidmore, St. Lawrence, Cortland, Union, and RPI.

New York State, she says, is home to some of the best teams in the nation. "These people are not light contenders anymore. They're all gaming for the same kind of student we are."

Now in its third year after a three-year hiatus from varsity status, women's lacrosse has had its share of coaches. Golden, who spent last year as an assistant coach at Harvard, led women's lacrosse at rival Ithaca College for 15 years. She joined the Rochester program last fall and is expected to build the team's game experience and get her Yellowjackets used to playing at a higher level of competition.

"The players are really sincere about competing, and last year's season set a very good tone for them to be competitive at the varsity level," she says. "I've inherited players who want to be competitors both on the field and off."

If anyone exemplifies the hard-working attitude of the women's lacrosse team, says Golden, it is Makar. A senior health-and-society major (who is also working for a certificate in management), Makar co-captains the team, works in the training room, chairs the health education and communication efforts of the Student Health Advisory Committee, and works with administrators at Highland Hospital.

Oh, and she practices lacrosse with her teammates three hours a day, usually six days a week.

"Sometimes my days go from 7 in the morning till 1 o'clock at night," she admits. "But I love my life."

Golden says Makar is well respected not only by fellow lacrosse players but also by Sports & Recreation staff, who rely on her experience in the training room.

Before Golden arrived last fall, Makar rallied the team for regular practices. Co-captains Anni McDonough '98 and Jennifer Franzen '97, who were in the middle of the field hockey season at the time, helped when they could, but it was Makar who took the helm.

"She proved to be a leader at a time when the squad really needed it," Golden says.

"Here's a person who has no guarantees and is still committed," Golden says. "This gal is a survivor. That is an interesting component for a team that's trying to get back on its feet. How fortunate for us!"

Makar says that the good friends she has made on the team make it all worthwhile.

"Skill levels are important on the field, but that's not where you make your friends," she says. "Friendships develop on the bus ride, or dinner out after, or on an early run."

For Makar, whose part-time job at Highland Hospital grew out of an earlier internship, the team is yet another outlet for growth.

"I've really tried so many different things while I've been here," she says. "That's always been my goal--and it's wonderful. As I said, I love my life."

Fall Wrap-Up

Women's Soccer: A rock-solid defense and balanced scoring returned the women's soccer team to a position of prominence in Division III in the '96 season.

The four fullbacks--Lisa Allen '97, Kelly Bowman '97, Jodie Lippman '98, and Aria Garsys '00--did a superb job of keeping the opposition away from the net. Only four opponents had 10 or more shots on goal. Goalkeeper Kris Vander Plaat '97 allowed just nine goals and had 13 shutouts.

That defense helped Rochester share the UAA Championship with Chicago. (Both teams were 6­1 in the league.) The Yellowjackets reached the second round of the NCAA Division III Championships before losing to The College of New Jersey, 2­1. The final record was 14­4­1.

Heather Walker '98 led the team with seven goals and three assists for 17 points. Lisa Fischer '98 had 10 points on three goals and four assists. In all, 18 players had either a goal or an assist, including goalkeeper Vander Plaat, who re-entered the NYU game as a field player with 15 minutes to play and scored with a minute to play in a 7­0 win.

Allen was named a Second Team All-America, and Vander Plaat repeated both as a Third Team All-America and as UAA player of the year. Walker and Fischer joined the two All-Americas as members of the All-Northeast Region team.

Head coach Terry Gurnett '77 was named the Northeast Region Coach of the Year.

Men's Cross Country: The Yellowjackets finished eighth at the NCAA Division III Championships, their 10th straight finish in the top 10. Jeff Totten '97 earned All-America honors by finishing 21st in a field of 184. Rochester won the UAA, the NY State, and the NCAA NY Regional crowns.

Women's Cross Country: Rochester finished sixth at the UAA Championships, second at the UCAA Championships, and fourth at the NY State meet.

Field Hockey: The Yellowjackets were 4­2 in the UCAA, good enough for third place. Overall, Rochester was 6­11. Jana Behe '99 and Liz Trupei '98 were named All-NY State and All-UCAA. Melissa Glendening '99 was named All-UCAA. Jen Franzen '97 and Glendening were picked to the UCAA All-Academic team.

Football: Rochester struggled to an 0­9 finish this year. Eight players earned All-UAA honors. Cornelius Johnson '97, Jason Merchant '97, and Chris Boglev '98 were named to the First Team. Boglev was also named First Team All- ECAC, and he finished in the Division III top 10 nationally in punting average, with 39.6 yards per punt.

Men's Soccer: The Yellowjackets were 7­8­1, but knocked off Fredonia State, the nation's third-ranked team, in the season finale. Emeka Iheme '98 and John Nally '97 reaped All-UAA and All-Region honors. Head coach Mike Pilger won his 100th career game.

Women's Volleyball: Kristen Costello '97 and Tanya Klebe '98 were named to the GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America Second Team. Both were named All-UCAA along with Alyssa Dooley '98. Rochester won the UCAA title and finished 26­16. Head coach Bob Brewington won his 500th career game.