Senior leadership guides girls lacrosse

By Thomas Hearin
Led by Coach Alison Neun, the girl's lacrosse team looks to build off last season's success. After going 14-4, the team ended up making a run to the state championships, facing Oakton. After beating Oakton twice last year, both by one goal, the team was heavily disappointed when they fell 9-5 in the championship.
With high expectations of matching the 2005-2006 seasons' accomplishments, the team realized it would be hard, as they would lose the leadership and skill of 12 graduating seniors for the 2006-2007 season. Fielding a team of 25, the varsity lacrosse team looks to meet those challenges head on.
The team is headed by three captains this year, seniors Anna Kate Collier and Marnie Commins, defense and mid/attacker respectively, along with junior Allie Kimmelman, who also plays mid/attacker. Of the 25 players, eight are seniors, nine are juniors, five are sophomores, and three are freshmen. Lacrosse teams field 12 players at a time, goalie included. The team looks to compensate the loss of the 12 seniors, with the experience and skill of the returning players, who, with a state championship under their belt, should help provide knowledge to the new players.
The season started off nicely for the Rams, winning their first two games against Lake Braddock and W.T. Woodson, respectively. The Rams beat both teams by three, beating Braddock 7-4 and W.T. Woodson 10-7. The team however, suffered a difficult loss to Oakton, getting beat 13-10. Even though the loss was a set back, the Rams went on to beat Westfield the next game upping their record to 3-1. The Rams suffered another loss the next game, against Good Counsel, but even with two tough losses putting their record at 3-2, the girls were never fazed. The team bounced back and went on a two game winning streak, beating Centerville and Herndon. After beating Centerville 17-5, the Rams got an even bigger boost of confidence when they toppled Herndon 16-9, who at 5-3 hasn't had that bad of a season thus far.
Juniors Lauren Rudy and Morgan LeTellier remain optimistic on the season as they have seen what this team can do in spite of losing twelve seniors. They acknowledged the fact that people did not expect as much out of last season's state runner ups this year, and they are happy to say that thus far, the Rams are proving them wrong. "With the loss of twelve seniors we look like a young team" said Rudy, "but we don't play like it."
Collier also had a lot to add on to that sentiment. She said, "We're playing together as a team, not as one individual. We lost so many seniors, but it doesn't really matter since we are doing so well."
Kimmelman added, "We work hard because we know that we have such a high reputation."
Currently standing at 5-3, the girls have come a long way thus far after losing almost half of their team, but there is still a long way to go. The girls still play four more regular season games, some of which could prove trying. On the twenty-third, the girls will play away against one of their toughest opponents this year, Chantilly. On the twenty-fifth, the girls will play away again at St.Agnes. On the twenty-seventh the girl's will come back home to play against Fairfax, and on May first the Rams will finish off their season at home, facing off against Loudon Valley.
With the Concorde District playoffs taking place on the seventh of May, and the regions occurring on the fifteenth, the Rams remaining hopeful in making the playoffs. With four games remaining, the girls will go into every game with that same fire because those from last year know anything can happen.
Kimmelman elaborated on the subject, "There's a lot of tough competition. We learned that you can't take anyone lightly," in reference to the State Championship last year.
With four games remaining, the girls look to continue their current trend by finishing the season strong and heading to the playoffs. By being on a team that won states back in 2003 and made it to the State Championship last year, the Rams have not disappointed, as they have continued their reputation and filling in humongous shoes despite the circumstances.

By Stephanie Axelrod |  May 18, 2007; 8:58 AM ET
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