ROCK HILL, SC – An experienced and decorated senior class along with a large group of talented underclassmen, will lead the Winthrop lacrosse team onto the field this weekend to kick off the 2018 season.
Winthrop opens the season with two home contests, hosting first-year program East Carolina Friday at 4 p.m. and Cincinnati Sunday at 12 p.m.
The Eagles, under second-year head coach Julika Blankenship, are coming off a disappointing 2017 campaign that saw the squad finish with a 9-10 overall record go out of the conference tournament in the semi-finals.
GOALKEEPER
The most noticeable missing piece from the Winthrop lineup last season was goalie Alaina Girani. The 2015 Freshman of the Year and the 2016 Defensive Player of the Year, missed the entire 2017 season due to injury. Despite missing last season, Girani was named to the Preseason All-Conference Team by the league's head coaches.
In her 2016 campaign, Girani led all of Division I with a .537 save percentage and was third overall in goals-against average, allowing just 6.57 goals per game.
"You can see how much more relaxed the entire team is with Alaina in goal," Blankenship said. "Having someone in goal that you have so much faith in changes every aspect of the game."
DEFENSE
Winthrop lost two four-year defensive starters in Grace Sisserson and Paige Jenkins from last season but are still projected to have a very experienced back four.
Madison Cassidy, Laura Trilling, Jordyn Elliott and Karen Grant are all senior defenders and are joined by junior Mackenzie Cunningham. Cassidy led the defense last year with 24 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers.
MIDFIELD
Midfielders was the biggest focus for Blankenship coming into this year. Katherine Judge played as the Eagles' only true midfielder last season and flourished in being able to take on a more attacking role. Judge, a Preseason All-Conference selection, scored 46 goals last season which was second on the team.
Caroline Boudrean and Emily Delauter return to provide depth at the midfield position. Freshmen Olivia Deaver and McKenna Blick are expected to contribute in the midfield as well while Blick will also work on the attack.
"We have a really deep group of midfield bodies this season," Blankenship said. "We were lacking true midfielders last season and we're excited to have that opportunity this year."
ATTACK
The Eagles will have no shortage of offensive firepower this season as the team returns more than 94 percent of its scoring from last season.
Senior Nicole Beatson, who transferred to Winthrop prior to the 2017 season, led the Big South with 89 points last season and was second with 57 goals. Also contributing heavily on offense last season was Judge with 46 goals, Katie Clark with 44 and Kristen Shriver with 32. Sophomore Ellie Marindin scored 32 goals and recorded 16 assists as a freshman.
