Feb. 7, 2014
| Swezey Interview | Schonk Interview
KENNESAW, Ga. – Temperatures were above freezing, the sun poked through the clouds and there wasn’t any precipitation in sight.
But the Vanderbilt lacrosse team started the 2014 season with a flurry on Friday.
The Commodores scored 10 goals in the first 11 minutes and blitzed host Kennesaw State with a 20-5 win in the season opener for both teams. Vanderbilt improved to 2-0 all-time over the Owls (0-1). The teams previously met last year when the Commodores won 22-3 in KSU’s first game as a program.
Sophomore Kelly Chandler tied a career-high with four goals (on just four shots) and sophomore Mallory Schonk notched a career-best five assists to go along with two goals.. The Commodores (1-0) scored the first 12 goals of the game and 11 players collected goals.
“Any time you have a zero on the right side of the column you’re pretty happy about that,” coach Cathy Swezey said. “Our kids came out explosive and we scored quite a few goals right in the beginning of the game, within 10 minutes. I was excited about the flurry we had, the push to the goal and how aggressive we were offensively.”
Chandler scored the first two – with assists from Schonk on both. Georgia native Amanda Lockwood, with family from her hometown, Alpharetta, in the stands, scored the next goal on a pass from freshman Jill Doherty, who made her first collegiate start and had three assists.
Lockwood dished out an assist on the next goal by Meggie Ramzy. Her first of two goals sparked a spurt of five goals within the next two minutes. Abby Wheeler’s first goal of the season – another assist by Schonk – put the Commodores up 9-0 less than nine minutes in.
“It is a great feeling,” Schonk said. “We were all so excited. When we got out there, we went on that big run in the beginning and got off us to a great start.”
Lockwood, Ramzy, Wheeler, Mackenzie Smith and freshman Caroline Peters scored two goals apiece. Freshmen Sydney Trentzsch, Abby Quirk and MacKenzie Lange and sophomore Emma Dagres also tallied goals.
The Commodores made sure to spread the wealth, with 17 assists on 20 goals. Alexa Kunowsky, Lockwood and Quirk each had two assists.
Valuable playing time was gained as 26 players logged minutes. Junior Maddie Kratz made three saves before freshman Callahan Kent took over in the second half.
The Commodores return to Nashville for their home opener at noon on Sunday against Massachusetts.
