Feb. 9, 2017
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The Vanderbilt lacrosse team will be opening the season with a familiar opponent when they take the field this Saturday. The `Dores will take on Kennesaw State for the fourth-straight season at the Vanderbilt Lacrosse Complex this Saturday at 1 pm CT.
Head coach Cathy Swezey will be entering her 20th season at Vanderbilt and even after all this time, she still gets the nerves that come with a new season.
“I will still get the jitters throughout the season and will get amped up and excited on game day,” said Swezey. “I am just excited and I think that the only reason I still do this is because I haven’t lost my competitive edge. I still love doing this and being around those girls everyday.”
Swezey has a lot to be excited about as the Commodores return 22 letterwinners and seven starters from the 2016 squad. The `Dores did lose six seniors from last season but Swezey believes the current senior class is ready to step up to the challenge and lead the team.
“They have been phenomenal, I honestly don’t think they could have done a better job,” Swezey stated. “They have really taken the team under their wing and changed a few things they thought needed changing. I think the team is following them and that is what you want from your leadership.”
The senior class is led by preseason All-BIG EAST Goalkeeper Callahan Kent who had a career year during her junior campaign. She started all 960 minutes in the cage for the Commodores and racked up 156 saves, which ranked fourth in the NCAA last season.
Midfielder Caroline Peters will return to the field this season after missing last year with a torn ACL. She was named to the Irish National team back in December that will be competing in the FIL World Cup this August in England.
Attacker Jill Doherty is another senior that will be making major contributions for the Commodores this year. She has started 46 games throughout her time at Vanderbilt and currently ranks sixth all-time in assists and seventh in draw controls. The Reading, Mass. native led the `Dores in assists (21) and draw controls (36) last season while scoring 15 goals. Doherty is ready to get back on the field and start her final year in a Commodore uniform.
“We are so excited and I think it is about time for us because we are getting tired of playing each other because we are so excited for the season,” said Doherty. “I think this is the fastest we have looked, our offense is moving really fast and our defense is super aggressive so we are really excited.”
The Commodores defense will have a familiar look this season as all four starters will return. The back line of Margaret Fee, Frankie Angeleri, Lexi Smith and Eliza Clemens started every game for the `Dores last year and will bring consistency going into the 2017 season on defense.
Along with having an experienced senior class leading the team, the Commodores also have a group of underclassmen that gained valuable minutes last year.
“Our sophomore class is tremendous,” said Swezey. “They didn’t act like freshman when they stepped on campus and I think they have continued to do that. They have a bit of a chip on their shoulder prior to even losing a game at Vanderbilt, they just have a nice edge to them.”
The sophomore class is led by Julie Blaze and Melanie Becker, who started a combined 22 games last season. Blaze and Becker finished first and second among Commodore freshmen in points and the duo looks to improve this season with a year of experience under their belt.
Fans are encouraged to come out early on Saturday, as the first 250 will receive a free Vanderbilt Lacrosse t-shirt. For fans that will not be able to make the game, it will be broadcast on Facebook Live via the Vanderbilt University Athletics Facebook page. For all things lacrosse, follow @VanderbiltLax on Twitter and Vanderbilt Women’s Lacrosse on Facebook.