Story Links
March 13, 2001
CHARLOTTESVILLE
Feb. 21 One week before the first game! Today we had a scrimmage–10v10. As soon as we saw that clock on the field, we knew. So the first 45 minutes were spent in a warm-up and then we took the field in a Blue vs White. And then after the scrimmage, we had a couple game-like situations with time on the clock and scores. We must have played four overtimes! But it was good to take the field not as a practice but as a game-like situation. It certainly was a break from the same practice-type stuff that we do regularly. Not that practice isn’t good!! It was just nice for a change.
Feb. 22 Back to practice! Today we worked on our triangle defense. I’m not going to say exactly what that is, but suffice it to say that it was a big part of our practice. I’m glad that I am going to be involved more in the defensive part of the team this year. As a fourth-year it’s myresponsibility to be a leader on and off the field, and I’ve been on the field a lot. A big part of game-day tactics is having the game-day experience on the field. I’ve been fortunate to start since my first year, and now it is my time to carry on the tradition of Virginia lacrosse.
Feb. 23 Fun Fridays are back! Normally on Fridays we go late after the guys, but because they have a scrimmage tonight we had the early slot, and it meant we had to be off the field by 5. Today was a fun practice. We started out with an optional practice before three, and it turned from ashooting drill to a pickup game. Naturally, it got pretty intense! Practice was pretty simple. We broke up into both halves of the field and the core four (our defensive unit) worked out at one end while the rest of us did shooting practices and walked through all of our offenses. Relaxed and fun, but a good learning day for us.
Feb. 24 Saturday practice! It’s over, and so here it is 4 p.m. and I’m done for the day. Actually we were done at 10 because the guys had to be on the field then, and I hung around to go to the guys’ game against Towson. I’m glad that Julie moved the practice to the morning, even if it was 8 a.m. because it meant that we were done by 10 and we didn’t have to stick around and then have practice at 4. Normally I would be on the field right now! It was basically a light practice today. We pretty much went through game-day situations with the clock and talked about all of our defenses today—when we would go into them, what they meant, etc.
Feb. 25 Game day! OK, well, not really an official game but at least we get to take the field against someone other than ourselves. And I am excited about going back to Baltimore. It’s cold and rainy, not ideal lacrosse weather. Getting to U-Hall at 8 in the morning is a bit much on a Saturday, but we’ve had early morning practice the last couple of Saturdays so it’snot that much different. I’m on the bus now, and pretty much everyone is either napping or reading/doing homework. We’ve had a couple of scrimmages against ourselves, and sometimes we’ve had some alums come and play with us to even out the numbers. But today will be nice to be on a field with other teams, trying out stuff offensively and defensively that the other team doesn’t know for the first time. Sometimes it’s tough to play “dummy” defense when you’re normally the one on attack that does the plays!
Feb. 26 A day off. Finally! And wouldn’t you know it, the weather isn’t bad. But it’s a day to catch up on work after a long week of practices and of course the scrimmage yesterday. Unfortunately, it’s also a school day. Yesterday gets a mixed report card. We played well for the most part, but it was important to get that game under our belts because there are some kinks to work out. I think most of it was the fact that we were on the field against someone else for the first time. We defintely got better as the day went on. But the games were short ones, which meant we had to learn quickly about what we wanted to do and what we could do against each of the teams.
Feb. 27 It’s the day before the William & Mary game, the first one of the 2001 slate. I’m excited to be playing against one opponent in a full game finally, but somewhat sad in that I know it’s the start of my last season. I’ve been preparing for that for all of fall ball, but today it hit me really hard for some reason. I’ve had so many great times with some great friends, and I know we’re going to have a lot of fun this season–and long after. But enough sentimentality. I’ve got to focus on William & Mary.
Feb. 28 GAME DAY! It’s time for the trip to Williamsburg and the opener. This is an important game for us to open up with. Chip [Rogers] says that it’s a great game with them every year, just two years ago we battled them to the final 30 seconds until we pulled out the win. “They’re so firedup to play us,” he said. Well, I’m fired up to play them too. We all are. I’m on the bus again on the road to W&M. I’m thinking about what we’ve been working on at practice–being patient in the attack, settling when we need to settle, forcing the tempo on fast breaks. Fighting through the ground balls. Competing on ground balls. “Don’t be afraid to get knocked down,” said Heather (Dow). I’m not. None of us are. The mood is good on the team, and we are all ready to play the Tribe today.
March 1 Wow. Yesterday was a really really tough pill to swallow. I can’t believe we were up by four and couldn’t close it out. I know I’m not very happy with my own performance, as a senior captain I need to step it up a notch. I’m glad that I have Syracuse on Saturday to get a second chance. Enough for today.
March 2 Today was a long and fun day. It’s great traveling charter to Syracuse, and it was good traveling with the boys. But man that flight! At one point I thought I was on a roller coaster. Lauren Aumiller was yelling like it was a roller coaster. We were laughing when the flight attendant was trying to serve the fruit and trying to balance the try in one hand while being whipped around by the turbulence, and the pilot saying “Flight attendants please return to your seats.” Unloading the plane was an adventure, because our gear and the guys’ gear were stowed in the same section. The fact that it was snowing and cold didn’t help. We got the hotel and hung aorund for about an hour before we left for the Dome. Of course, they weren’t ready for us there. After finally getting to the Dome and getting into the locker room, it was time for practice. Molly (Cangemi) and Jill (Hansen) must have run 20 70-yard sprints in the role of the leading attacker and the trailing defender. I was tired just watching them!! Afterwards we went to the Olive Garden! Yeah! We had a section of the restaurant to ourselves and it was fun hanging there together as a team. it was really funny when the guys at a table nearby came and offered a toast. They had told the waitress that they were five single men and to let us know that. HA! C’mon guys you have to do better than that! Tomorrow, a chance to get back to Virginia lacrosse! Oh yeah–HAPPY BIRTHDAY GINA!!
March 3 Virginia 12-10. A great game. We were up early, 4-0, and were up 6-4 at halftime. Syracuse battled back to take the lead at 9-8, and twice they had the ball with under five minutes to play in our defensive end. Both times our defense held strong. We lost the ball in our attacking end near the end, but we forced a turnover and we got an easy goal to go ahead with just over a minute to play. We then won the draw and wanted to run out the clock, but I was fouled right in front of the cage with 30 seconds to play, and I added an insurance goal. Maybe not the smartest thing to do–they could have scored two goals in 30 seconds, but it worked out OK.We won! Afterwards we had a great tailgate with our parents and the guys’ team. I wish they could have won, that would have made the celebration a lot nicer. But I really want to thank the parents for organizing the tailgate, it was really very nice.