HAVERFORD, Pa. – The Haverford College women's lacrosse team enters the 2016 season hoping to make back-to-back trips to the Centennial Conference tournament for the first time since 2010-11.
The Fords are coming off a successful 2015 season in which they had an overall record of 11-8 and made a trip to the conference semifinals. Their 5-4 conference record placed them fourth in the Centennial standings. The season was highlighted by an 11-10 double overtime win over No. 4 Gettysburg.
Head coach Lauren Wray's team returns eight starters, including four players who started all 19 games.
The list of returners is highlighted by goalie Megan Chenworth, who was named to the 2015 All-Centennial Conference Second Team and the CC Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Chenworth, a senior, made double-digit saves in three games last season and 117 total saves on the year, good for fourth in the conference. The Fords will heavily rely on her to have a repeat performance.
Midfielder Sarina Manetta will look to continue her success after being named honorable mention All-Centennial Conference in 2015. The junior third-year starter has scored at least 20 goals in each of her two seasons with the Fords. Manetta provides all-around ability that will be crucial to Haverford's success.
Sophomore midfielder Molly Lausten will look to build off of an impressive freshman year in which she finished second on the team and top ten in the conference with 42 goals, scoring in 18 of the Fords' 19 games. Lausten ended the season with four consecutive multi-goal outings, including a seven goal outburst at Swarthmore. She also finished third on the team in assists (9), second in shots (100), and fourth in ground balls (27) and turnovers caused (14).
Senior Elyse Adler is coming off of a season in which she set new career highs in goals (15), assists (14), points (29), game-winning goals (2), ground balls (21) and caused turnovers (3). As one of the team captains, Adler is expected to assume a strong leadership role.
Defensively, Haverford will want to see a player to stand out as the team returns only one starter in sophomore Madison Jones. The Fords' youthful defense allows opportunity for new players to contribute on that side of the field.
The team's other impact players are expected to include senior midfielder Christina Gould, sophomore attacker Kate Sollee, senior attacker Annie Kelly, and sophomore defender Alyssa Sherman.
Haverford was selected to finish fourth in the Centennial Conference in the preseason coaches' poll, receiving 52 voting points. Defending conference champion Franklin & Marshall was named the preseason favorite after securing 79 points in the poll, just four points ahead of Gettysburg (75).
The schedule features four games against preseason ranked opponents including No. 6 Gettysburg and No. 3 Franklin & Marshall as well as non-conference games against No. 8 York and No. 16 Washington & Lee.
The Fords' 2016 season is set to begin Saturday at the University of Scranton, beginning at 12 p.m. Their first home game will be against No. 8 York on Saturday, March 5 at 1 p.m.