Lipson seeing the field from a different angle this year

This time last year, junior Sarah Lipson was taking shots on goal. Now she's trying to stop them.

Rewind to the end of the 2003 women's lacrosse season. The team was preparing to lose then-senior Ari Kristan, a four year starter in goal. Everyone knew it would be hard to lose the goalkeeper who had started 55 games and had a 54.6 save percentage to show for it. The team, however, was confident in the abilities of back-up goalie, current junior Maureen Wiley.

Fast-forward to October. Lipson was preparing for her third season at attack for the Jumbos when she learned that Wiley would not be playing this year. The team had no returning goalie and had not recruited anyone to fill the position. That's when she made a trip to coach Carol Rappoli's office to volunteer to fill the empty net.

"Our team needed to improve and recover from losing Ari," Lipson said of her decision to speak with Rappoli. "I decided to step in and do it."

Since that day, Lipson has spent the last four months learning how to play in goal. She's had a lot of help from her teammates, who often come to practice early and leave late to give her extra time in pads. They were more than happy to sacrifice a little more of their time considering the commitment Lipson has made to the team.

"She's probably the most team-oriented person I've ever met," senior tri-captain Lauren Peach said. "For someone who started [playing goalie] in October, she's amazing. Obviously she's inexperienced, but the team has full confidence in her."

For Lipson, one of the hardest parts of her transition has been changing from an offensive to defensive mindset.

"There's definitely a different mentality, but I think it's easier moving from attack to goalie [as opposed to moving from defense to goalie], Lipson said. "I'm familiar with the plays, the speed of attack, and shooting. There's a lot less creativity now though; I have to react to other people instead of creating plays myself."

Lipson isn't the only new goalie on the team. In December, the Jumbos got a little insurance in goal when sophomore Jaime Hartman-Boyce, who did not play last year, decided to join the team.

"Both of them have been great so far," Rappoli said.

Lipson will miss working closely with her offensive teammates on the field, but ultimately she is excited about playing in the net and about the possibilities for this year's team.

"We have really good freshman, and I feel like I'm part of their class because I'm starting over too," she said. "It feels like we have a whole new program this year, and I think we'll do really well."

The program will certainly will have a different face in goal, but it is one that has already won over her teammates.

"If I had never played goalie, and switched four months ago from attack ... it's just so hard to learn a new position," sophomore Hilary Pentz said. "She's been awesome so far."