Lacrosse Set to Honor Five Seniors on Saturday

George Mason Athletics Women's Lacrosse 4/29/2016 11:03:00 AM

FAIRFAX, Va. – Over the last five years, the George Mason women's lacrosse program has enjoyed gradual improvement.

And the Patriots' five seniors have played no small part in the upward trajectory. From just three wins in 2012 to journeying into a new conference to undergoing a coaching change to back-to-back 10-win seasons for the first time in program history, the senior class has offered steady leadership through it all.

On Saturday, Mason will honor those five seniors – Erin Anderson, Kelli Beard, Chloe Chan, Elena Obregon and Gina Purdue – on Senior Day before the team's regular-season finale against VCU at 2 p.m. at George Mason Stadium. Admission is free.

“They, by far, are the most loyal kids to this program,” head coach Jessy Morgan said. “They stuck around through the hard years and we were really excited about the direction the program was taking upon my arrival (after the 2014 season). They're very loyal and they're leaders on our team. We're going to miss them.”

The seniors have impacted the program since 2012, when Beard was just a freshman. She redshirted the 2013 season when Anderson, Chan and Purdue arrived on campus. A year later, Obregon joined the fold after transferring from Christopher Newport University.

Morgan, in just her second year as head coach, said the uniqueness of each player makes this senior class special. Through their different skills, talent and leadership, they've all contributed to Mason's success.

“They are so different in so many ways,” Morgan said. “I think they brought diversity to the team with their personalities. I think they brought a certain type of mental toughness. What they lacked in other arenas they brought in their resiliency. That sometimes is what you need and that is what really has made the difference on our team in beating some of these other, maybe, more skilled opponents.

“All five in some way have impacted our team.”

Anderson, a native of West Chester, Pennsylvania, has been an anchor on the back line of defense. She has started all 65 games of her career – tied for sixth-most in program history. The senior captain has collected 65 ground balls and caused 52 turnovers in her career. She also scored her first collegiate goal last year against Massachusetts in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament.

Beard, a fifth-year senior from Catonsville, Maryland, possesses “special qualities that not every kid has,” Morgan said. A valuable leader who has earned the respect of her teammates, she has been named captain each of the last three years. She has played in 61 games, with 57 starts. The three-year captain has collected 44 ground balls and caused 20 turnovers in her career.

Chan, a native of Manchester, England, has been one of the team's more versatile and athletic players. She has played in the midfield and on defense, appearing in 63 career games and making 36 starts. She has scored eight goals and dished out seven assists in her career along with accumulating 74 draw controls, 37 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers.

Obregon, from nearby Fairfax Station, has been a vocal leader on the team as an offensive captain since she arrived prior to the 2014 season. She has played in 11 games the last two years, scoring her first goal as a Patriot last season against St. Bonaventure.

Purdue, a native of Centreville, Maryland, played in 42 games over the last three seasons before suffering a career-ending injury last month. The defender made 39 starts, won 69 draw controls, picked up 44 ground balls, caused 20 turnovers, scored 11 goals and dished out two assists. Her depth was on display throughout her career as she scored 10 goals in 2014 before snagging an impressive 50 draw controls last year. She was named Second Team Atlantic 10 All-Conference in 2015.

In their last home game, the seniors will have a chance to add to their legacy as the Patriots (11-4. 6-2 Atlantic 10) need just one win to tie the school record for most wins in a single season. The 2008 squad holds the school record for wins with 12.

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