Feb. 16, 2008
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The 13th-ranked Commodore women’s lacrosse team opens the 2008 season on Sunday, Feb. 17, when Cincinnati visits the Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex. The game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. CT.
Head Coach Cathy Swezey’s Commodores are coming off their most successful regular season after winning 11 games in 2007 en route to hosting an NCAA Tournament game for the first time in school history. All-American seniors Sasha Cielak and Margie Curran lead a Vanderbilt team that is looking to build on its growing tradition of excellence.
The Bearcats are setting out to establish a tradition of their own. Cincinnati adopted lacrosse as a varsity sport in the fall of 2006, and is fielding its first squad less than two years later.
Vanderbilt boasts seven seniors and a total of 19 returners from last season’s squad. Curran led the team in scoring last season, becoming only the second Commodore to score 50 goals in a season. She is currently in fifth place on Vanderbilt’s all-time scoring lists for goals and points.
Cielak had another monster year defensively as the Commodores’ top marker. She had team highs a year ago with 43 caused turnovers and 40 ground balls. She anchors a defense that plays in front of senior goalkeeper Brooke Shinaberry.
Shinaberry made the U.S. Developmental team this past summer, spending part of the fall training with the nation’s best lacrosse players. Already a two-year starter for the Commodores, the former U-19 World Cup goalkeeper provides stability for a solid back line.
Vanderbilt will play host to a total of nine home contests this season, including key American Lacrosse Conference matchups with Penn State and Ohio State. Following Sunday’s game, however, the Commodores will make a mid-Atlantic road swing through UMBC (Feb. 22) and Lehigh (Feb. 24).