March 28, 2014
Swezey Interview | Duckenfield Interview
After two tough losses last week, the Vanderbilt lacrosse team had nearly a week to regroup.
Now the Commodores’ unyielding schedule continues.
Vanderbilt hosts undefeated and No. 9 Johns Hopkins at noon on Saturday at the VU Lacrosse Complex. The Commodores (3-6, 0-1) jump back into American Lacrosse Conference play and hope to snap a four-game losing streak. They wrap up a four-game homestand after coming up short in losses to Louisville (18-14, OT) and No. 12 Penn (11-10) last week.
This marks VU’s sixth game against a ranked opponent, with previous bouts against No. 1 North Carolina, No. 11 Penn State, No. 12 Penn, No. 13 UMass and No. 13 Stanford. The Commodores have also played two teams – Denver and Louisville – who have received votes in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll.
“I’ve always done it this way. I don’t know any other way than to challenge my team (with a tough schedule),” coach Cathy Swezey said. “We’ve always played one of the toughest strengths of schedule in the country. I believe you have to test your team and I think you should step on the field ready to play the toughest opponents at all times.”
The Commodores lead the series 9-6. Seven of those wins have come in the past six seasons. But Johns Hopkins (10-0, 1-0) snapped a seven-game losing streak to Vanderbilt with a 12-11 victory in overtime last year. Taylor D’Amore scored from the eight-meter line with five seconds left in overtime to lift the Blue Jays to victory, a moment Swezey has reminded her team of this week in practice.
D’Amore, a senior, ranks second in the nation with 26 assists and is tied for third with 53 points. She also has 27 goals, just one behind teammate Dene’ DiMartino (28) and three ahead of Jen Cook (24).
John Hopkins ranks third in the country in scoring defense (5.50 goals allowed) and 11th in scoring offense (14.60 goals scored).
“They’re definitely a great opponent; they’re really tough,” junior defender Alex Duckenfield said. “We’ve had a big rivalry with them for a while. It is always a close game. They have a really dynamic offense. Our defense has been getting prepared. We’re talking. We’re crashing. And I think our attack is going to be successful against them.”
Though the Commodores have lost four in a row, they came against No. 11 Penn State and No. 12 Penn and Denver and Louisville – both teams on the cusp of cracking the national rankings.
Aside from a slow start against Penn State, the Commodores have been in every game during the tough stretch. They led late against Denver before the Pioneers rallied for a 10-8 victory. VU stormed back against Louisville to force overtime. Most recently, the Commodores put together another late surge only to come up one goal short against Penn.
“If you’re playing the easy games you’re not getting better,” Duckenfield said. “I think we have definitely been getting better each week playing these ranked teams. You can see it in our play. We keep improving. We’re still ready to win and our confidence is still really high.”
CHANDLER HEATING UP
Sophomore Kelly Chandler has strung together the best three-game stretch of the season. The midfielder from Salisbury, Md., has scored 12 times in the past three games.
Her torrid tear began against No. 11 Penn State when she tied a career high with four goals. The next game, against Louisville, she notched a career high with five goals and added an assist for a personal-best six points. On Sunday against No. 12 Penn, she notched a hat trick for her team-high sixth multi-goal game of the season and fifth game with at least three goals.
She leads the team with 21 goals – one ahead of senior Abby Wheeler – and also has a team-best 34 draw controls. She has won four draw controls or more in every game except one and twice tied her career high with five. Her eight caused turnovers are also the most on the team.
“Kelly is a competitor,” Swezey said. “She is a great athlete, great lacrosse player – all those things. But when it comes down to it, she is just the ultimate competitor. That’s what gives her the edge over so many people.”
DYNAMIC DOHERTY
Freshman Jill Doherty is also riding a hot streak.
She has scored six goals in the past four games, with two goals each against Denver, Louisville and Penn. On Sunday against Penn, she sparked a late rally by winning two draw controls and scoring twice in a span of 23 seconds to cut the deficit to 11-10 with less than three minutes left. She also had two assists.
She has four multi-goal games, including a career-high, three-goal game against Liberty on Feb. 15.
The midfielder from Reading, Mass., leads all freshmen with nine goals, eight assists and 17 points. Her eight assists are second on the team to sophomore Mallory Schonk (20). She has won 11 draw controls – third-most on the team.
DOLING OUT THE ASSISTS
Sophomore Mallory Schonk plays the role of top distributor well for the Commodores.
The midfielder from Perry Hall, Md., leads the team with 20 assists and ranks third in the ALC and tied for 12th in the nation. She has dished out an assist in seven of nine games and twice has recorded a career-high five assists.