Women's Lax Drops Opener Against Babson

COURTESY PHOTO

It was the perfect learning experience for the Plymouth State Women’s Lacrosse team last Sunday afternoon. The Panthers were defeated in their season opener by a very talented team in Babson College.

Regardless of the 10-8 final score, the Panthers were able to keep the score relatively close throughout the afternoon and even showcased a few possible chances to pull even with the Beavers. At first, it seemed like Babson had the controlling upper hand when they scored 3 times in less than 10 minutes to start the game. Senior Veronyca Daniels (Concord, N.H.) scored to get the Panthers on the board with the first goal of the 2019 season for Plymouth, and then assisted on Junior Sydney Dubois’ (Goffstown, N.H.) first of three goals a few seconds later to cut the lead to one.

The Panthers would have a stronger second half, posting 6 goals to only 5 from Babson. “Sunday's game was a great opportunity to get outside for the first time and really test our skills to mesh as a team. Babson is a great team and it was a real challenge to play against them”, said Senior Kimberly Zuccaro (Townsend, Mass.), “Our team showcased our hard work both in the offseason and during the past month of preseason with some really great sets on both ends. Playing teams with high competition will only help us be more prepared for conference play and really test our skills by working hard and always being hungry for the win”.

Zuccaro was everywhere on Sunday, posting a goal on a free position opportunity, two assists, and four ground balls. Zuccaro’s two feeds were to Daniels on the first Plymouth goal of the afternoon and to Senior Samantha Fiore (Merrimac, Mass.). For her efforts, she was awarded the LEC Defensive Player of the Week Award. “Earning the LEC defensive player of the week means a lot to me because I see my efforts having an effect to motivate myself and others to play with a high intensity each game. Getting Plymouth on the board for weekly awards also sets the tone for conference play to prove we mean business as two-time defending LEC champs”, Zuccaro said on what the honor means, “Every game I go in with the mindset to get the job done. A midfielder’s job is to get the ball, no matter where it is, and help the offense score. This is how I try to play every game by attacking the play at 212% (a team motivational energy level) and making plays to set my teammates up for success.

In goal, sophomore Meaghan Allard (Amherst, N.H.) made 10 saves on 20 shots. This was her first career start and she kept the Panthers within striking distance. “Meg is a great goalie and she posted a great game Sunday. As a team, we try and motivate each other on the field to play our best and her performance definitely kept us pumped up the whole time. Positive energy flows fast so once one player makes a great play, it influences others to work just as hard. This happened many times during the game when she would make a great stop, making us push hard to get the ball to our attacking end” Zuccaro said.

At the time of the conclusion of the Babson game, The Panthers had exactly two weeks until their next game against Bates College. That game will be played on March 10th at 1pm. That game will be located at Bates’ historic Garcelon Field in Lewiston, Maine.

“The next two weeks will be about digging deep and preparing for the difficult teams ahead. We have one game under our belts and can only get better from here. Watching film and dissecting our mistakes and turning them into better plays will help us grow as a team. We know what we need to work on and improve in order to be successful this upcoming season”.