Feb. 6, 2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt Lacrosse team begins its 2015-16 season on the road this Sunday at 12:00 pm, taking on the Kennesaw State Owls just a state away in Georgia.
“You know certainly as you prepare for the season you’re always trying to replace seniors and makeup for injuries and things that you didn’t have a year before”, said head coach Cathy Swezey. “We have some key players coming back from injuries and we also lost a key player in the fall in Caroline Peters.”
“Heading into the season you’re trying to work around those things that you can’t control, but one of the things that we’re very excited about is a young group of defenders who came back from last year, learned from some great senior captains, and these guys are just proving to be extremely athletic and I think they’re going to be really good for us this year.”
The Commodores opened up the 2014 season against the Owls with a commanding 24-1 victory at home.
In the process, the Commodores set two standing program records, as the 24 goals were the most in program history. It was also the Commodores’ largest margin victory in program history, eclipsing a 22-2 defeat of Denver on April 16, 2000.
Then-Junior Mallory Schonk led the way against the Owls with a career-high six assists, which is the second-most in a single game in program history.
VU returns several from that squad, including three student- athletes, Jill Doherty, Alexa Kunowsky, and Schonk, who were voted on by league coaches to the Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
And after a phenomenal few months of practice, Swezey and her squad are looking forward to the freshmen class’ debut, as seven fresh faces joined the roster this fall.
“The freshmen class is something special. Certainly they have to learn the X’s and O’s of college lacrosse, so strategy is something they’re working on but in terms of guts, instincts and athleticism they’re just phenomenal. We’re really excited about them!”