Women's Lacrosse Well Represented on NEWLA All-Conference Team

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team placed six student-athletes on the 2011 New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) All-Conference Team highlighted by NEWLA Defensive Player of the Year, Bethany Bush (Littleton, Mass.), and Goalkeeper of the Year, Katie Weber (Arlington, Mass.).

Joining Bush and Weber on the All-NEWLA First Team are senior attack Jenny Jones (Framingham, Mass.) and senior midfielder Courtney Lennon (Medfield, Mass.).  The Bears' second team selections are senior defender Erin Quimby (Chelmsford, Mass.) and sophomore midfielder Jill Caramello (Duxbury, Mass.).

Sixth-year head coach, Erika Smith, also captured NEWLA Coach of the Year honors as she directed her squad to a program record 17 wins (17-2) in 2011.  Under the guidance of Smith, the Bears won both the NEWLA regular season and tournament titles for the fourth straight season and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament for the second consecutive year.

In her six seasons as the Bears' skipper, Smith has produced an overall record of 74-32 (.698) as she became the program's all-time winningest coach earlier this season.

Bush anchored an outstanding defensive unit which allowed just 8.05 goals and 1.42 free position goals per game.  In 19 games this season, she notched 52 ground balls and 30 caused turnovers to go along with three goals and three assists.

Weber set the BSU single-season goaltending records with 17 wins and an .895 winning percentage.  In 19 starts, the senior netminder posted an impressive 7.86 goals against average as well as 112 saves as she currently ranks 12th in all of Division III in goals against average.  Weber leaves Bridgewater as the Bears' career leader in winning percentage (.852) and is third all-time in wins (23).

Jones, who led the NEWLA in scoring, tallied 73 goals and 26 assists for 99 points.  She presently ranks 12th in all of Division III in goals and 14th in scoring.  Jones wraps up an outstanding career at Bridgewater State as the all-time leader in goals with 290, including a school-record 79 in 2010.  She also ranks second in career scoring with 376 points, third in draw controls (150) and fifth in assists (86).

Lennon put together perhaps her finest season in a BSU uniform as she finished with 52 goals, 31 assists, 83 points and 19 caused turnovers, all career-highs. She wraps up an outstanding four season with the Bears ranking third all-time in assists (111), fourth in both goals (194) and points (305), and fifth in controlled draws (139).

Quimby continued to excel in the defensive zone as she posted 30 ground balls, 27 draws and 12 caused turnovers as well as a pair of goals and nine assists.

Caramello tallied 43 goals and 11 assists in her rookie campaign while leading the team with six game-winners.

Jones is making her fourth straight appearance on the All-NEWLA Team, including three consecutive first team selections.  Quimby has been named to the all-conference team for the third straight year, while Lennon is making her second appearance and first since 2009.