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CONTACT: Jerry Reilly,
Sports Information Director

DATE: Sun., March 18, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Women's Lacrosse

Devils look to pick up where they left off

FREDONIA, N.Y. -- The Fredonia State Blue Devils ended up making the 2006 season teir best yet with an overall winning record of 8-6 (3-4 in the SUNYAC), which included a first-ever win vs. SUNY Brockport, as well as a tie with Buffalo State for fourth place in the conference.

Over the last few years, the strength of the program and Fredonia State's pace in the SUNYAC standings have been improving. With the talent, both returning and new, the Blue Devils are looking to improve on last season's record as well as get to the SUNYAC playoffs. They ended the 2006 season on a school-record six-game winning streak, which they put on the line starting Monday vs. Frostburg State at Wellington, Fla.

A scheduled game with Plymouth State on Sunday was postponed because of travel delays experienced by their opponent.

"Hopefully," head coach Chris Case said, "we can take the momentum from the last half of the 2006 season and capitalize on that throughout the entire 2006 season." v The Blue Devils graduated two seniors, defenders Jade Gianforte and Courtney Wheeler, who were both four-year players. Though their presence will be missed on the field this year, the team is happy to welcome seven new players, three of them defenders, three attackers, and one midfielder.

Senior newcomer Melinda Janis and freshmen Emily Reichert and Meghan Podsiedlik will be joining the defensive line this year. All three players will bring a lot of speed and aggression. Senior co-captain Brittney Bennett and Erin Schurr, back after one season away, will be expected to lead the backfield along with veteran defender and junior co-captain Janelle Giehl and junior goalkeeper Sarah Wright. All bring immense experience and determination to the backfield.

Giehl has high expectations for the defensive end this season. "I expect for the defense," she saod, "to play as one because honestly, the skills that each individual defender ... and the rest of the team really ... holds are very strong and the ability to play fluidly together is definitely there."

"We have a lot of potential this year," Bennett said. "I am looking forward to the season starting so that we can pick up where we left off last spring. Our team is very hungry to make the playoffs this year and everyone is seemingly ready to put in the work and effort to get there."

Newcomer Katie Monaghan will be joining sophomore Brittany McDevitt, Nicole VanEtten, Stephanie Maderer, and co-captain Rebecca Erlichman in the midfield this season. Monaghan brings intelligence, speed, and great play-making ability to the group and will fit in quite nicely.

Assistant coach Erynn Anderson is quite pleased with the midfiel situation. "Monaghan," Anderson said, "has great chemistry with our defensive and offensive players. Though only a freshman, she plays her position with great integrity and maturity. She'll fit in very well with the veteran middies."

Rounding out the offensive end of the field are the attackers. The group will consist of newcomers Jennifer Haas, Valerie Snider, and Nicole Williams. They will be joining veterans Leslie Von Pless and Christie Zaganiaczyk. Also back after one-year absence is Carrie Halstead, who will be looked upon to make an immediate impact.

"Halstead and Von Pless," Case said, "are our veteran lefties and we're very lucky to have two of those ladies on the attacking end because it gives us some versatility."

Zaganiaczyk is also pleased with the attacking bunch. "The attackers," she said, "all really know their job, they all bring individual talents that when combined create a great energy on the offensive end."

Junior co-captain Erlichman said that "what's nice is all of the players, both old and new, really seem to care about the progress of this team and program. We all have a lot of confidence in each other and our coaches, and we're really just looking forward to the 2007 season."

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