FREDONIA, N.Y. – In the last six years, Fredonia women's lacrosse has grown from a little-known program into one of the top teams in the region.
The team has made it into the NCAA Division III tournament twice in the last three years, including the 2014 season in which they advanced to the round of 16.
The season begins Saturday when the Blue Devils visit Wooster. Game time is 2 p.m.
Despite the recent success, the lacrosse program has never advanced past the first round of SUNYAC playoffs. First-year head coach
Amy Simon has been a part of the team's progress for those six years, but would like to earn the program's first SUNYAC title.
"We want to get back to NCAA's this year, but our biggest goal is to win SUNYAC's," Simon said. "We want to make a run for that title and I think it's a realistic goal. The competition in the SUNYAC gets better each year, but the last couple years there have been big upsets and it just goes to show that anybody can win any game."
Cortland has won the SUNYAC title in 17 of the last 18 years.
Fredonia is ranked No. 18 in the Nike/Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll. Though the recognition is well deserved, Simon doesn't believe it to be meaningful in the long term.
"It's nice to be recognized in the preseason but one thing I've learned is that the rankings only matter for the first week or two," Simon said. "After the games start you can't rely on being number 18 in the nation. You have to prepare and perform well. That said, having certain teams in the SUNYAC above us makes the girls want to go out and prove people wrong."
Cortland is ranked No. 4 in the poll, while fellow SUNYAC rival Geneseo is ranked No. 9.
The 2015 squad is returning two of its leading scorers from the past two seasons, senior captains
Marissa Cussins (Corning, N.Y. / Corning West) and
Katie Kleine (Cazenovia, N.Y. / Cazenovia). They will be joined in their captaincy by fellow seniors
Katie Glagolev (Webster, N.Y. / Webster Thomas) and
Shelby DePew (Macedon, N.Y. / Palmyra-Macedon).
Kleine and Cussins were both regional IWLCA All-Americans the past two years (the past three for Kleine) and both are on Fredonia Top 10 statistical career lists: Kleine No. 2 in points and assists and No. 5 in goals; Cussins No. 2 in goals, No. 3 in points, and tied with Glagolev at No. 10 in assists.
Though the Blue Devils lost leadership last year with the graduation of two senior defenders,
Chelsea Maderer and
Mary Bruton, Simon says this year's seniors haven't missed a beat.
"It's definitely different without (Chelsea and Mary), but everyone has really stepped up," Simon said. "I expect a lot from our seniors because they've been here for four years and they know what it takes to do well. They've taken it upon themselves to make sure we get back to where we were last year. They're always motivating the other girls, pushing them, and making sure nobody is hanging their head."
Simon will also look to her juniors to pick up any slack in leadership. Two juniors will return as starters for the team this year,
Sarah Lindovski (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker) and
Jessica Tuttle (Webster, N.Y. / Webster Thomas).
"Tuttle and Sarah were starters last year, so they've stepped up to get everyone on the same page," Simon said. "Along with the seniors, they've had some pretty high expectations but they've proven that they can be great leaders too."
Lauren Metz (Williamsville, N.Y. / Lancaster) and newcomer
Corinne Martucci (Webster, N.Y. / Webster Shroeder) are also junior defenders who will be called on for support. The roster has also been augmented by the addition of two other juniors, attack
Katie Miller (Hamburg, N.Y. / Hamburg) and midfielder
Lily VanDeValk (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker).
The sophomore class will return three starting players:
Kristie Kleine (Cazenovia, N.Y. / Cazenovia),
Emily Polizzi (Rushville, N.Y. / Marcus Whitman), and
Sam Owen (Horseheads, N.Y. / Horseheads). Joining them are returners
Traci Schaumberg (Ontario, N.Y. / Wayne) and
Erica Tuohey (Hilton, N.Y. / Hilton). Several of the sophomores will look to have their roles expanded this year.
"All the sophomores have seen improvement from the spring to the fall," Simon said. "There's some great talent in there and they'll all be in the running for a starting spot. They've all got that competitiveness to want to do well and be out on the field."
This year's freshman includes the only goaltender on the roster,
Nicole Burrows (Baldwinsville, N.Y. / C.W. Baker). Already, Burrows is bringing back memories of former standout Blue Devil goaltender Casey Chiesa (2013).
"I think Nicole is going to do great things for us," Simon said. "Nicole came from the same high school as Casey. They're very similar in their style of play. I asked her about it one day and Nicole said that everyone compares her to Casey. They're both so athletic, smart, and have great field sense. She's looking good so far and I'm excited for her future."
Two other freshmen join this year's roster:
Audrey Yokopovich (Webster, N.Y. / Webster Thomas) and
Johanna Santiago (Middletown, N.Y. / Middletown). Yokopovich has already turned heads in preseason practices.
"Audrey's lacrosse IQ is one of the highest I've seen in a while," Simon said. "She sees everything, she makes smart decisions and she has good stick skills. Having that combination, I think she's going to do great things and be one of the top rookies in the conference."
Senior
Katie Kleine knows this will be her last year as a collegiate lacrosse player. Her expectations for her final season are even higher than last year.
"I think our expectations are really high," Kleine said. "I think that if we don't win SUNYAC's, somewhere along the line we didn't give it our all. I think we can go even further than the Sweet Sixteen."
