April 11, 2015
Swezey Interview | Nesi Interview
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt lacrosse team appears to be hitting its stride at the most ideal time with just three games remaining in the regular season.
However, coach Cathy Swezey believes the Commodores still have yet to show their full potential.
Vanderbilt hopes to put together a complete effort in a pivotal matchup against BIG EAST Conference rival Connecticut at 1 p.m. on Sunday on Senior Day at the VU Lacrosse Complex.
The Commodores (5-8, 2-2) are riding some momentum after winning their last two games. But a win over the Huskies would go a long way as Vanderbilt vies one of the four spots in the BIG EAST Tournament at the end of the month. VU sits in fifth place.
“I still feel like some of our best lacrosse is being played in practice, so we want to see our girls be even better than they are. But winning games is huge. It is doing a lot for our confidence. I know the girls know they’re getting better and that’s the key.”
The Huskies (8-4, 3-0) roll into the contest having won four straight and seven of eight. They sit atop the BIG EAST standings with Florida. UConn boasts a prolific scoring offense that ranks second in the conference with 12.42 goals a game — just ahead of Vanderbilt’s 12 goals a game. Six players have scored at least 17 goals, led by Katherine Finkelston’s 26.
The Commodores lead the all-time series 2-1, with the teams last meeting in 2003. “I think they are going to be a great challenge,” coach Cathy Swezey said. “I think they’re doing really well and I think they have answers at every angle of the ball. They draw well. Their defense has a different look to them that we’re preparing for. Then of course offensively they’ve got all that movement. They have a lot of good scorers. They have six prolific scorers. It is a lot to prepare for.”
The Commodores will honor six seniors as part of Senior Day. The pre-game ceremony will begin at 12:40 p.m. to recognize seniors Alex Duckenfield, Maggie Forker, Maddie Kratz, Gabby Nesi, Meggie Ramzy and Rebecca Ryan.
“Their leadership this year has been different than some leadership styles we’ve had in the past,” Swezey said. “I think the team has really embraced it. I think they are telling the team how to be, how to act, really showing a different level of toughness, too. I think they are really walking it as well as talking it. They’ve been great. Of course, they’re all playing really well, too. So that’s been nice.”
HIGH SCORING QUARTET
Vanderbilt is on pace to have four 20-goal scorers, and the team is already three quarters of the way there. Mallory Schonk (28 goals), Jill Doherty (23) and Alexa Kunowsky (22) are the top scoring trio in the BIG EAST with 73 combined goals. Caroline Peters is not far behind with 19 goals.
Schonk, Doherty and Kunowsky rank sixth, ninth and 10th, respectively, in the conference in goals. Schonk (44 points) and Doherty (42) are second and third in the league in points.
KRATZ ON A ROLL
Senior Maddie Kratz has been put up a wall in goal the last five games, making 49 saves. That stretch includes two 11-plus save performances, with a career-high 13 saves against Johns Hopkins on March 25. She has allowed just eight goals the last two games — the team’s second-fewest goals against in a game this year. Her 7.78 saves are the third-most in the BIG EAST and her save percentage of .449 ranks fifth.
QUICK ON THE DRAW
Emma Dagres has emerged as a strength in the circle.
The junior midfielder matched a career-high with four draw controls in back-to-back wins against Temple and Cincinnati. She has 28 for the season, which is tied for the most on the team with Kelly Chandler, who tore her ACL after just five games. Dagres has been filling a void left by Chandler, who ranks sixth all-time in program history with 100 career draw controls.
TRIO PICKS UP BIG EAST HONORS
Three Commodores earned accolades from the BIG EAST on Tuesday when the weekly awards were handed out.
Sophomore Caroline Peters was named Attacker of the Week, senior captain Alex Duckenfield was picked as the Defensive Player of the Week and Emma was tabbed to the Weekly Honor Roll. Peters tied career-highs with three goals (on only three shots), two assists and five points, and also won two draw controls. Duckenfield also set a personal-best with five caused turnovers while tying a career-high with five ground balls. Dagres had a goal, two assists and a career-high four draw controls. She also held the BIG EAST’s fourth leading scorer, Nicole Tiernan, to just two goals on nine shots.