Sports Information Department – 112 Dods Hall
Phone (716) 673-3100 / Fax (716) 673-3136

CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Thurs., March 13, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women's Lacrosse

One game short last season, Devils look to make SUNYAC tournament

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The plan for the Fredonia State Blue Devils women's lacrosse team for the upcoming spring 2008 season will be to continue to take it one step further.

The 16-game regular season is scheduled to begin 2 p.m. Saturday at home vs. Elmira College. The first of eight SUNYAC games is April 1 at Geneseo.

Last year’s team set a school record for most points (253) and most assists (87) in one season. Yet with an 8-7 overall record and a 2-5 conference record, the Blue Devils missed on making the SUNYAC Tournament by one win. They are counting on the experience of their upperclassmen along with a skilled incoming freshman class to make it there this year for the first time in program history.

Heading into the 2008 season, the Blue Devils are returning eight starters from last season, including senior attacker Christie Zaganiaczyk (Lancaster), a SUNYAC Second Team selection in 2007. Zaganiaczyk led the team in points (51) and goals (47) last season and moved up career lists in both categories.

The Blue Devils are also returning sophomore impact defender Emily Reichert (Henrietta/Rush-Henrietta), a SUNYAC First Team player as a freshman. She was also chosen First Team All Region and was one of a dozen players to make the All Freshman team. Her specialty: Taking the ball away from the opponent. Reichert was 12th in NCAA Division III in caused turnovers during her rookie season. She led the SUNYAC in the category.

The Blue Devils will look for vocal leadership and strong sticks in the defensive end from senior captains Janelle Giehl (Rochester/Irondequoit) and Rebecca Erlichman (Pittsford/Pittsford Mendon) -- Zaganiaczyk and Nicole VanEtten (Endicott/Union-Endicott) are also captains. Both Giehl and Erlichman were starters last season. Giehl was second on the team with 29 groundballs, while Erlichman was opportunistic offensively. Of her six goals, two were game-winners. In addition, her 12 assists was the seventh-best single season by a Blue Devil, while her career 51 draw controls is sixth best by a Blue Devil.

Senior goalkeeper Sarah Wright (Rochester/Irondequoit) heads into her third straight season as the starter. She has played every minute of every games the last two seasons and is Fredonia State’s all-time saves leader (374) with one season remaining. Rounding out the defensive end for the Blue Devils will be incoming freshman Kristen Nosky (Penfield) and Stacey Morgan (Lancaster). Both bring speed and quickness to the back end.

VanEtten, a senior, and sophomore midfielder Katie Monaghan (Fairport), have proven to be offensive threats in the program. They will be joined by freshman midfielder Kelsey Lamb (Niskayuna) as the key transition players for the Blue Devils this season. Monaghan was second in points (38) and goals (21) last season while her 17 assists tied the single-season school record. VanEtten had 23 points with 17 goals. She, too, has put her name on the Fredonia State all-time charts in assists (24; 6th), points (82; 9th), and goals (58; 10th). As a freshman, Lamb comes into the midfield with great speed and stick skills.

Along with Zaganiaczyk on the offensive end, the Blue Devils return with great experience and talent coming from senior attackers, Leslie Von Pless (Liverpool) and Stephanie Maderer (Orchard Park), as well as sophomore attackers Val Snider (Spencerport) and Nicole Williams (West Seneca/West Seneca West). Looking to come into their freshman season as impact offensive players will be Laura Culhane (Rochester/Gates-Chili), Emily Fink (Penfield), Alyssa Przydrozny (Marcellus), and Jaimie Bagley (Hamburg), all of whom possess strong stick skills and great field sense.

The Blue Devils have won eight games overall in each of the last two seasons -- which represents the program’s highwater mark. In addition, the back-to-back winning seasons represent a program first. While a place in the SUNYAC Tournament has been elusive, the Blue Devils appear to have the right blend of experience and youth to make a run this year for one of the four playoff berths.

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