2008 Woodie Awards
Women's lacrosse continues to struggle with another blowout loss
By B.J. Yot
Rocket Contributor
Issue date: 3/30/07 Section: Sports
The Rock women's lacrosse team knew what to expect walking into their first varsity season. Aspirations of walking home with a championship at the end of the season never once took place in team members' minds, but neither did being outscored 67-9 in their first three games.
After being blown out in the first three opening games, Mother Nature ended a 19-4 loss with 10:34 left in the game by way of thunderstorms and lightning in Tuesday's game against East Stroudsburg at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. With the lost, the Rock drops to 0-3 on the season
"We improved from start to finish in the three losses," coach Stacey Hart said. "We have a lot of new players and we just want to fulfill our goals, which are just to improve. We have to stay realistic. Although these games won't be remembered as our best performance, we are walking away with a positive attitude."
Freshman attacker Ashley Henry said that despite the three losses, she has since noticed some improvements in the Rock attack.
"We're really starting to come together," Henry said. "A lot of us have never played together before and it's just taking us a little time to get used to each other."
Not to mention, the Rock has tacked on one more goal in each of their losses.
Offense is not the only bright point that Slippery Rock has going for them as freshman goaltender Ashley Winkelspecht continues to put on performances that deserve notoriety.
"Sixteen saves in Tuesday's game is all you can ask for out of a keeper," Hart said. "Believe it or not, if it were not for the stellar work of Winkelspecht, the scores could have been a lot more lopsided."
Junior Lara Winter scored two goals for SRU and led the team with five shots on net in the loss while fellow juniors Brooke Scholl and Catherine Smolter each tallied a goal.
"What I'm really proud of is that we never give up," Henry said. "No matter how ugly the scoreboard appears, we always pick ourselves up and give it all we got. Hopefully this attitude continues inside the Slippery Rock locker room, so when the turnaround happens for the team, they will be ready."
Earlier in the week, SRU dropped a 24-3 match at hosting Shippensburg last Saturday.
Scoring the goals for the Rock was Henry, Smolter and sophomore Caitlin O'Brien. Winkelspecht was credited with 17 saves in the loss.
The Rock will go in search for its first victory of the season when it hosts Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rival Indiana of Pa. in a 1 p.m. start time on Saturday at Thompson Stadium.
The game will have added significance as SRU assistant coach Kiki Chesterton served as IUP's head coach last year.
The Rock will host one more home game against West Chester University at 3 p.m. next Tuesday before traveling to Lock Haven University next Saturday.
After being blown out in the first three opening games, Mother Nature ended a 19-4 loss with 10:34 left in the game by way of thunderstorms and lightning in Tuesday's game against East Stroudsburg at N. Kerr Thompson Stadium. With the lost, the Rock drops to 0-3 on the season
"We improved from start to finish in the three losses," coach Stacey Hart said. "We have a lot of new players and we just want to fulfill our goals, which are just to improve. We have to stay realistic. Although these games won't be remembered as our best performance, we are walking away with a positive attitude."
Freshman attacker Ashley Henry said that despite the three losses, she has since noticed some improvements in the Rock attack.
"We're really starting to come together," Henry said. "A lot of us have never played together before and it's just taking us a little time to get used to each other."
Not to mention, the Rock has tacked on one more goal in each of their losses.
Offense is not the only bright point that Slippery Rock has going for them as freshman goaltender Ashley Winkelspecht continues to put on performances that deserve notoriety.
"Sixteen saves in Tuesday's game is all you can ask for out of a keeper," Hart said. "Believe it or not, if it were not for the stellar work of Winkelspecht, the scores could have been a lot more lopsided."
Junior Lara Winter scored two goals for SRU and led the team with five shots on net in the loss while fellow juniors Brooke Scholl and Catherine Smolter each tallied a goal.
"What I'm really proud of is that we never give up," Henry said. "No matter how ugly the scoreboard appears, we always pick ourselves up and give it all we got. Hopefully this attitude continues inside the Slippery Rock locker room, so when the turnaround happens for the team, they will be ready."
Earlier in the week, SRU dropped a 24-3 match at hosting Shippensburg last Saturday.
Scoring the goals for the Rock was Henry, Smolter and sophomore Caitlin O'Brien. Winkelspecht was credited with 17 saves in the loss.
The Rock will go in search for its first victory of the season when it hosts Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference rival Indiana of Pa. in a 1 p.m. start time on Saturday at Thompson Stadium.
The game will have added significance as SRU assistant coach Kiki Chesterton served as IUP's head coach last year.
The Rock will host one more home game against West Chester University at 3 p.m. next Tuesday before traveling to Lock Haven University next Saturday.
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