Lady Generals Won't Be Pushovers on Lacrosse Field

The girls lacrosse team’s 3-12 campaign last year can be attributed to many factors. But inexperience – so much that many of the Generals had never even picked up a stick before spring 2011 – most likely was the main culprit.

It’s a new year and a new season for Hamilton-Wenham.

Not only will all but five players suit up with regular season minutes under their belt, but coach Amanda Chase is also a veteran in her second year.

“Overall, we have a lot of experienced players,” she explained. “We maybe have one or two kids who never played the sport. Last year we had numerous. We don’t have to take time teaching the basics. We got to jump right in with game stuff instead of teaching fundamentals.”

The experience should help turn around some of the close games that resulted in losses.

“We feel we will be (in every game) and Hamilton-Wenham won’t be a walk-over,” Chase said. “Last year we’d be in a game and then after halftime we’d fall apart. I’m not sure if it was because we got down a few goals and we’d get flustered. Our mental toughness is a lot stronger (this year).”

Expected to lead the Generals this season, which begins Tuesday with , are senior co-captains Abby Hughes and Bailey Grinnell, both midfielders.

“(Abby and Bailey) run up and down the field, start our transition game…and are both going to be impact players,” Chase added.

All but one of the rest of the seniors, totaling nine in all, are returning from last year’s team: Maddie Maccurrach (D/MF), Skye Bellenis (attack), Lauren Bukkhegyi (attack), Emma Clay (attack), April Dupee (attack) and Caitlin Passaretti (D). Senior defenseman Stephanie Biancucci took the year off last year.

Emily Gaucher, one of the top scorers last year from her midfield spot, leads the six juniors. Franny Ambrose (attack), Julia Ferreira (MF), Morgan Kimball (goalie) and Anna Rourke all played on varsity while Catherine Martin moves up from junior varsity and will probably see time at midfield and defense.

Sophomore defenders Marie Morency and Hannah Johnson return, while Catherine Ecker (sophomore MF, up from JV), and freshmen Kendall Santin (D), Pheobe Shaw (various) and Eliza Roberts (D) round out the roster.

With Kimball seeing much of the time in goal last year, the Generals should be in most games.

“She shared the time with a senior last year but she was kind of the No. 1,” Chase said. “She’s been great (in preseason). I can’t say enough about her work ethic. I think she’s come pretty far even though she had good season last year.”

Overall Chase is optimistic about the season.

“I think we’ll definitely be better than we were last season,” Chase said. “We were playing teams with players going to play in college. Now I think we have players who could play in college. I think overall our experience will help us out. I think we will be in every game.”