Feb. 22, 2007

The George Mason women's lacrosse team enters the 2007 season motivated to return to postseason play after having its streak of consecutive CAA Championship appearances snapped at 12 last season. While the Patriots have traditionally been a defensive-minded team throughout their 13-year history, this year's edition features an attack that could carry the team back to the postseason.

Last year the team scored 184 goals, three shy of the school record of 187 set in 2002 when the Patriots were led by Jill Toomey, the career leader in goals scored at George Mason. With the team returning both of its leading scorers from last season, junior Laura King and senior Melissa Venturi, as well as a more experienced Brittany Berger in her sophomore season, this year's team has the potential to again challenge the school record for goals scored in a season. King and Venturi had the fifth- and seventh-highest numbers of goals scored in a season at Mason, with 48 and 39, respectively, while Berger totaled 27 points and was named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. With this offensive firepower returning, opponents will be hard-pressed to shut down Mason's attack.

Along with the returning stars, the Patriots have also added three freshman to help bolster the team's attack. Joining the team this season are Megan Udovich from Ridley High School in Ridley Park, Pa., Danielle Caldwell, from Kent Denver High School in Denver, Colo., and Lyndsey Calton, from Clearfield High School in West Point, Utah. Julie Park, a junior transfer from Jefferson Community College in Watertown, N.Y. will also add to the depth at the position.

"Our advantage is that we have a lot of weapons," said head coach Amy Bokker. "In prior seasons, we may have had one or two weapons that we heavily relied on. This season, with our returning players and the addition of some new players, I think we have a lot of balance within the attack and many different people who can score. We can spread it across the board."

The Patriots also return an experienced group at midfield led by senior Melissa Curry, a second-team All-CAA selection last season, who ranks sixth in Mason history in career caused turnovers with 84.

"I look for Melissa to act as a little bit more of a true midfielder this season, playing at both ends the whole time," Bokker said. "She'll be someone we rely on to mark the opponents' top midfielder, as well as contribute on the scoring end." Returning to anchor the midfield along with Curry are redshirt junior Alex Velesz and senior Jess Shelton. Both have a wealth of experience, as Velesz and Shelton have both started the past two seasons, including all 16 games last season.

A newcomer that could make a big impact at the midfield position is Kelly Davis, a first-team All-County selection during her senior season from Liberty High School in Eldersburg, Md.

"Kelly is a versatile player that played above her years in the fall," Bokker said. "You really didn't realize she was a freshman because she was such a mature player on the field."

Rounding out the midfield will be junior Kelly Butler, along with junior Jenny Tran and senior Becky Lee, who could both see time at the position, and Jess Sajbel, a junior transfer from Northern Virginia Community College.

The defense loses a major star with the graduation of Michele Brady. Brady was the team's top markup defender and a four-year starter for the Patriots who ended her career fourth all-time at Mason with 95 caused turnovers. Despite the loss of Brady, the defense returns a few players that are certainly capable of shutting down an opponents' attack.

The Patriots will count on redshirt senior Katie Linnertz to anchor this year's defensive unit. Linnertz was sidelined for the final six contests of the 2006 season due to a knee injury, but is poised for a big return in 2007 to close out her career. She ranks eighth all-time at Mason with 72 caused turnovers in her career.

"She is an exceptional leader; the anchor of our defense," Bokker said. "She really orchestrates everything on the defensive end of the field."

Joining Linnertz on the defensive side of the field will be junior Megan Bartlett, who finished second on the team with 43 ground balls last season, and sophomore Maggie Bridges, who saw time in six games last season, but will play a far greater role this season.

"With the loss of Michele, I look for players like Maggie Bridges to step up into a marking role," Bokker said. "Maggie did a great job throughout the fall, so she is someone I foresee being a big part of the defense in the spring."

Freshman Cristina Maurizi, a captain of both the lacrosse and soccer teams at Summit High School in Summit, N.J. her senior year, will also see playing time at the defensive end.

George Mason will carry three goalies this season, with sophomore Roxie Alsruhe and freshman Sara Longobucco battling for the majority of the playing time. Alsruhe started 14 games during her freshman year, earning seven wins, and a great deal of experience during all those minutes logged between the pipes. Looking to challenge Alsruhe for the starting role will be Longobucco, a lacrosse and field hockey star at North Shore High School in Sea Cliff, N.Y., who won the All-Galaxy Award at the Empire State Games while playing for her club team, the Long Island Yellow Jackets.

Also returning to the fold is sophomore Bonnie Nelson, who saw time in six games last season, including two starts.

The Patriots begin their 2007 season on the road at Johns Hopkins on Saturday, Feb. 24 before playing their home opener at George Mason Stadium on Thursday, March 1 at 4 p.m. against American. In addition to Johns Hopkins and American, Mason's other nonconference opponents include in-state rivals Virginia and Virginia Tech, regional rivals Georgetown and George Washington as well as Boston University, St. Bonaventure and St. Joseph's.

Mason will begin its CAA slate with an April 6 contest with Delaware at George Mason Stadium. Of their CAA opponents, Mason plays Delaware, Towson, William and Mary and James Madison at home, and hits the road to play Hofstra, Drexel and Old Dominion. After the conference schedule wraps up, the Patriots will hope to start a new streak by appearing at the 2007 CAA Championships, which begin on May 4 at the home of the highest seed.