Strength In Numbers for Girls Lacrosse Team

The saying "statistics are for losers" does not apply to the Ledyard High girls’ lacrosse team and coach William Glenn.

Glenn compiles numbers for every aspect of his team's production like a U.S Census enumerator logs data at the doostep of a household. Those statistics, plus his systematic approach to offense and defense, have proven to be a winning formula to a stark two-year turnaround for Ledyard girls' lacrosse.

Glenn took over as coach in 2010 after assisting at East Lyme. In his first season, he led the Colonels to a four-win improvement, making the state tournament at 8-7 and winning a Class S opening round game. It was Ledyard's second state tourney win since its a qualifying round triumph in 2004.

In 2011, Ledyard's data is skyrocketing off the charts with its best season ever. The Colonels are two winnable games away from clinching their first Eastern Connecticut Conference Division title as they stand 9-3 overall (5-1 ECC Small).

"It would mean a lot for us to make the ECC Tournament (top four teams)," Glenn said. "I don't think Ledyard has ever made it. To win the ECC Small would be huge."

Ledyard is one of the latest communities to catch lacrosse fever. Fairfield County is the state forerunner as the crade of lacrosse champions. East Lyme has taken over as southeastern Connecticut's hotbed. Ledyard's youth programs and high school teams have caught on recently as well.

The boys' team reached an apex last year with an undefeated regular season and is enjoying a winning 2011. This year, the Colonel girls have commanded the spotlight for the first time.

"The boys created a lacrosse buzz last year," Glenn said. "We practice next to each other at Ledyard Middle School and the teams root for each other. I recall a road game where we came back home and the girls sprinted off the bus to watch the last 20 minutes of the boys' game."

Ledyard's enthusiasm and numbers add up to a winner. Glenn's strategies and team goals are based on statistical percentages. He and assistants Shern Grills and Tinita Larmann chart every shot, save, interception, ground ball and time of possession.

"Our strengths are speed, tenacity and a will to be successful on the field," Glenn said. "One of the reasons we're doing so well is this group has bought into our concepts well."

Glenn views lacrosse as a complicated game, but his statistical objectives are simple. He wants his attackers and midfielders to score on 60 percent of their shots. He wants his team to possess the ball 60 percent of the time, and he wants his goalkeeper to save 50 percent of opposing shots.

The Colonels are achieving most of those objectives. Leading scorer Cara Lobianco (39 goals) connects on 69.6 percent of her shots, and middie Diane Deschenes (38 goals) clicks on 60 percent. Goalkeeper Colleen Rusk saves 60 percent of opposing shots.

Translation, Ledyard makes the most of its opportunities while opponents come up empty 60 percent of the time.

"We stress shooting percentage," Glenn said. "It's a 100 yard field. When a defense works so hard to get the ball and transition it up field for a shot, it's demoralizing when you get a shot opportunity and don't score because the ball comes back 100 yards down to your net. We've had a great ball possession offense."

Lobianco, a finesse shooter, and Deschenes, a tireless worker who played on the Ledyard co-op boys' ice hockey team, are the team's leaders.

"They are senior leaders and very talented in their own way," Glenn said. "Cara is excellent at making the goalie move and flicking the ball subtly with her wrist for well placed shots. Diane runs all over the field, helps out on defense and goes down on attack."

Aside from the 1-2 punch, Ledyard features deep scoring with Michaela Holland (17 goals, 12 assists), Olivia Klinikowski, Caitlin Larmann (13 goals, 7 assists) and Jillian McCarthy (12 goals, 6 assists).

"What I like is that we have other scoring options other than our two leaders," Glenn said.

Defensively, Ledyard showcases its own stars headed by Rusk, a first-year lacrosse player who is the soccer team's goalkeeper, Klinikowski, a defensive midfielder, and defender Amber Morth.

"Colleen has done a phenomenal job and knows how to cut angles as a soccer goalie," Glenn said. "Saving 50 percent is huge and she's at 60 percent. She has good instincts and is willing to learn."

Glenn has turned the program around, but not without the help of Ledyard youth lacrosse and his assistant coaches Sheryl Grills, the defensive coordinator, and Tinita Larmann.

"East Lyme became a power because of its feeder system and Ledyard rec program has picked it up of late," he said. "We have a simbiotic relationship with the youth program, highlighted by a mentor program where a varsity girl works with a youth team. There are 30 to 40 girls involved in youth lacrosse, which is a positive."

East Lyme, which beat Ledyard 17-4, remains the ECC's most powerful team. The Colonels also lost 12-11 to Fitch and Stonington, but paid back the Bears, 16-7, in a battle for the ECC Small lead. Ledyard looks like a solid bet to make the four-team ECC Tournament next week.

"That would be a huge step for the program," Glenn said. "This group of girls works very hard and grasps our concepts well. Lacrosse is a complicated game if you play it the right way.'

And Ledyard is playing the percentages very well.