Girls Lacrosse Season Preview

The girls lacrosse team's season kicks off today against Exeter. This season, the Lady Rams have one thing in mind: sticking together.

"Our main focus for this year is together," said head coach Amy Short. "We win together. We are trying to avoid any individuals out on the team. I just think that helps with motivation and the spirit of the team. We're trying to keep that up right now."

Short returned as the head coach of the team in 2011 after a five-year break from coaching at Spring-Ford. She coached the girls for 10 years prior to that.

In her first season back, Short led the girls to an 11-8 overall record. They went 9-4 in PAC-10, losing only to the strong force that is Boyertown, as well as Methacton - both two times.

The last time the Rams faced off against the Bears and Warriors, they lost 10-9 to both teams, after holding leads earlier in each game. Those weren't the only two disappointments for the girls.

"We always have our own ghosts," said Short. "We get in our own heads sometimes, especially in the big games. We crumble sometimes under pressure, so we hope to get over that. Putting them in more pressure situations in practice. We still talk about 10-9. We lost four games in a row, 10-9 and we were winning all four of them and then they came back to beat us in all four. That sort of sticks in the back of our heads too."

As for 2012, the girls hope to be competitive in the league, yet again. The 2011 team graduated six girls, but a strong core of starters return to the team, including senior leader and center Maddie Ward, who will play at the University of Massachusettes next year. Ward made First Team All-League the past two seasons. Goalie Cassidy Novotny is going to Lock Haven next year, and should be a driving force for the girls. She also made First Team All-League last year.

Junior defender Erin Mensch joined Ward and Novotny on First Team All-League in 2011 and returns to the lineup this year. Sophomore Kira Gensler got honorable mention in the PAC-10 for her efforts in 2011.

There are also a few promising youngers on this year's squad.

"We're looking to a couple of the returning starters from last year," Short said. "We'll be looking for Sasha Wozniak and Leann Shaw to step up and do a lot for us this year. Madison Dishman and Juliana Radzinski are also promising sophomores."

Short is joined by assistant coaches Elaine Ruppert and Eileen Sanderson, all three are science teachers. Sanderson substitutes in the district, so it was only natural for Short to plug Sanderson's teaching skills. Additionally, the staff is experienced and has history with their Spring-Ford team. Short and Sanderson both are alumni.

Although Boyertown and Methacton are on the girls' radar, Short said there's only one game the girls are looking forward to.

"The next one," Short said. "I can't really say one, just because I'd like to win them all. We're going to focus on Exeter and then Boyertown on Monday. I would hope we could go all the way. That's our goal obviously, but we'll keep it one game at a time and take it from there. Our first week is hard."

Girls Lacrosse 2012 Schedule

• 3/23 - vs. Exeter (7:30 p.m.)
• 3/26 - vs. Boyertown (7:30 p.m.)
• 3/28 - vs. Methacton (3:00 p.m.)
• 3/29 - vs. Great Valley (7:30 p.m.)
• 3/30 - @ Henderson (3:45 p.m.)
• 4/2 - vs. Owen J. Roberts (6:00 p.m.)
• 4/4 - @ Perkiomen Valley (3:45 p.m.)
• 4/11 - vs. Pottsgrove (7:45 p.m.)
• 4/13 - @ Upper Perkiomen (3:45 p.m.)
• 4/16 - vs. Phoenixville (7:30 p.m.)
• 4/19 - vs. Pope John Paul II (7:30 p.m.)
• 4/23 - @ Pottstown (3:45 p.m.)
• 4/25 - @ Boyertown (3:45 p.m.)
• 4/26 - @ Methacton (3:45 p.m.)
• 4/28 - vs. North Penn (10:00 a.m.)
• 5/2 - @ Owen J. Roberts (7:30 p.m.)
• 5/4 - vs. Perkiomen Valley (7:30 p.m.)