After finishing the 2000 season with a 9-5 record and making an appearance in the semifinals of the ECAC tournament, the women's lacrosse team returns all but one of last year's starters. This is a welcome change compared to last year when the team roster included five freshmen starters and no seniors.
"Last year we started five freshmen," coach Carol Rappoli said. "This year we might start one, if any."
Leading this year's experienced crew will be senior co-captains Jen Gregorian and Collete Gaudet. Gregorian led the team in offensive production last season with 41 goals and 47 points overall and earned a spot on the All-New England team. This season, she will once again head up the team's attack, aided by fellow senior Katie Richardson, who was second in scoring behind Gregorian, with 33 goals and 41 points overall last year.
"We have six of our seven leading scorers returning, so we're looking pretty good offensively," Rappoli said.
On the other end of the field, Gaudet, a NESCAC all-star last season, will lead Tufts' defense. In her second year as co-captain, Gaudet's experience will be a valuable asset to the team.
Backing the defensive crew will be sophomore goalie Ari Kristan. After starting in goal during her freshman year, Kristan will look to improve on her already impressive record of play.
Though several young players were thrust, somewhat prematurely, into the spotlight last season, Rappoli says that experience will be beneficial to the team.
"Our sophomores are playing like juniors and our juniors are playing like seniors," she said.
While this year's freshmen crew will not play as instrumental a role as did last year's, they will nevertheless be key to team success. The six freshmen on the roster boast impressive high school records and appear to be a talented group.
"Our freshmen this season are incredibly talented," sophomore Dana Chivvis said.
Gregorian was likewise impressed with the skill level. "They're a very smart group with great attitudes," she said. "They are all very into succeeding."
With an experienced starting line and a skillful freshman crew, goals for the season are high. After falling to Connecticut College in the semifinals of the ECAC tournament last year, the Jumbos are looking to repeat, then surpass, that success.
"We definitely want to make it to the national tournament," Gregorian said. "I think we have a really good chance."
The team has already had one scrimmage, and though the competition was not particularly fierce, team members were encouraged by their performance.
"Everyone looked really good," Rappoli said.
Chivvis was equally encouraged: "We still have a few kinks to work out, but the scrimmage went very well," she said.
Despite having only one scrimmage under their belt, the Jumbos are already being noticed outside campus; the Division III national power rankings have them ranked at 14th. But even with this high ranking, the team is not in for an easy season. According to www.laxpower.com,Tufts has the third hardest schedule among women's Division III lacrosse programs
For its first true competition of the season, Tufts will travel to Panama City, Fla. over spring break. While in Florida, the Jumbos will face stiff competition from Western Maryland College and Union College. Both games should prove tests of character for Tufts. In the preseason power rankings, Union is ranked just above Tufts at 13th, and Western Maryland will likewise be no pushover.
"Union is a very good program, and I expect Western Maryland to be very scrappy," Rappoli warned. "These will be tough games."
As has become the norm for teams coached by Rappoli, this year's squad has high expectations. It has been six years since the Jumbos last took the ECAC championship, but with the skill and experience of this year's group, that streak could come to an end.
"We have a well-rounded group, and we all get along very well," Chivvis said. "It should be a fun season."
