March 25, 2015
Photo by Leigh Ernst Friestedt
Game Notes|Hopkins Video Stream
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The brutal stretch that is the month of March comes to an end this week for the Vanderbilt lacrosse team.
Vanderbilt wraps up a string of seven straight games against ranked opponents at 3 p.m. on Wednesday against No. 20 Johns Hopkins (6-2) in Baltimore. The Commodores (3-6) are trying to snap out of a six-game losing streak, which began on Feb. 23 against then No. 20 Denver. Since then VU has also played No. 12 Penn, No. 11 Stanford, No. 9 Penn State, No. 10 Louisville and No. 6 Florida.
According to laxpower.com, Vanderbilt’s strength of schedule ranks 17th in the country.
“We don’t make a schedule to be easy. We make it so we have a chance to compete and make great things happen,” Vanderbilt coach Cathy Swezey said. “I think our kids are playing hard and they’re together. We just have to put a win together… Hopkins and Georgetown (Vanderbilt’s opponent on Saturday) are both tough opponents, though. It is not going to be easy.”
On Wednesday, Vanderbilt will play Hopkins in Baltimore for its final non-conference game of the season. The teams were charter members of the American Lacrosse Conference, which dissolved after last season. The Commodores hold a 10-6 edge in the series and have won eight of nine, including a 12-11 upset of No. 9 JHU. The Blue Jays, whose two losses have come to No. 2 Boston College and No. 16 Loyola University of Maryland, are riding a four-game winning streak.
On Saturday, the Commodores step back into the first season of BIG EAST Conference play and take on Georgetown (1-6) in Washington, D.C. Georgetown holds a 6-0 lead in the series but the teams haven’t met since 2002. The Hoyas have lost four straight, and have also endured a tough schedule, playing four ranked foes.
MARYLAND HOMECOMING
Ten players are headed back home this weekend on the trip to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Maryland has the largest representation of any state on the roster with nine players — Eliza Clemens (Ruxton), Meggie Ramzy (Lutherville), Mallory Schonk (Perry Hall), Kelly Chandler (Salisbury) Alexa Kunowsky (Severna Park), MacKenzie Lange (Sparks), twin sisters Kayla and Leah Peterson (Hagerstown) and Caroline Peters (Rockville). In addition, Sarah Wilcox will close to home on Saturday in D.C., as she hails from nearby Alexandria, Va.
SCORING TRIO
Juniors Mallory Schonk (22 goals) and Alexa Kunowsky (19) and sophomore Jill Doherty (15) have been a prolific scoring trio with a combined 56 goals. Schonk ranks second in the BIG EAST with 34 points and Doherty is fourth with 31. Doherty’s 14 assists are second-most in the league. All three rank in the top 10 in goals per game. Schonk and Kunwosky are tied for the team lead with seven multi-goal games.
PETERSON WINS SECOND WEEKLY HONOR
For the second straight week, freshman Kayla Peterson was named the BIG EAST Rookie of the Week on March 24. The midfielder scored three goals, had an assist, three draw controls and two ground balls in games against No. 10 Louisville and No. 6 Florida. In her last four games, she has nine goals, eight draw controls, four assists and 13 points. Sophomore midfielder Caroline Peters was named to the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll after scoring five goals and grabbing eight draw controls in two games.
THWARTING THE ATTACK
Goalkeepers Callahan Kent and Maddie Kratz have combined for 81 saves to lead the BIG EAST with 9.00 saves a game. Kent has made 51 saves in eight games and six starts, including two 10-plus save efforts. Kratz has 30 saves in five games, including 10 saves against Penn in the snow and sleet.
TOUGH SCHEDULE
The gauntlet that was the month of March ends on Wednesday against No. 20 Johns Hopkins — VU’s seventh and final game against a ranked team. All seven have come in succession, beginning with then-No. 20 Denver on Feb. 23.Sunday’s game against No. 6 Florida was the team’s third straight against a Top 10 team.
VU is in a stretch of eight games against teams that made the NCAA Tournament last year and started the season ranked — Denver, Penn, Stanford, Penn State, Louisville, Florida, Johns Hopkins and Georgetown. The ‘Dores’ strength of schedule ranks 17th in the country, according to laxpower.com.