Women's Lacrosse Voted First in NEWLA Preseason Poll

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Four-time defending champion Bridgewater State was selected as the preseason favorite in the New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) following a vote conducted by the league's coaches.

The Bears received six first place votes for a total of 75 points. Bridgewater State, one of only two institutions to have won a NEWLA championship since 1998, returns just two starters and will look to replace graduated NEWLA Defender of the Year, Bethany Bush and NEWLA Goalkeeper of the Year, Katie Weber. The Bears also lost their top six point producers including all-time leading goal scorer and four time All-NEWLA selection, Jenny Jones.

Former BSU women's lacrosse standout and 2011 Bridgewater State Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, Paula Habel, returns to her alma mater to take the reins of the Bears' lacrosse program.  Habel comes to Bridgewater after spending two seasons as the head coach at Plymouth State University, three at Allegheny College and, most recently, one year at Emerson College.

Habel will look to senior captain Stephanie Lannon (Swampscott, Mass.) and junior captain Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.) to lead a young squad in 2012.   Farland played in 17 games last season with 16 starts from her defensive position.  She produced 30 ground balls, ten controlled draws and 11 caused turnovers to go along with four goals and an assist.  Lannon, the only senior on the team, tallied eight goals and three assists as well as nine ground balls in 14 games.

Junior midfielder Michelle Navoni (Mansfield, Mass.) is the only returning player to start all 19 games a year ago.  Navoni notched ten goals and six assists in addition to 29 ground balls, 19 controlled draws and 13 caused turnovers last season.  Sophomore midfielder Taylor Clancy (Braintree, Mass.) also played in all 19 games as she registered 24 ground balls, 39 draws and 14 caused turnovers.  Clancy added seven goals and three assists for ten points.

Sophomore netminder Victoria Moore (Duxbury, Mass.) got into four games between the pipes a season ago and posted a 9.11 goals against average and a .417 save percentage in 138 minutes of work (138:16).

Also returning from the 2011 team are sophomore attack Melanie Appleman (Hyannis, Mass.), junior attack Sammi Salverio (Hanson, Mass.) and sophomore defender Braylan Wenzel (Buzzards Bay, Mass.). Appleman recorded six goals and two assists in nine games, while Salverio netted six goals to go along with three assists in 13 games. Wenzel appeared in 15 games with two starts and accumulated seven ground balls, five draws and six caused turnovers.

The Bear will open the season on March 7th as they will take on Vassar College in Lake Lytal, Florida.  Bridgewater begins NEWLA play on March 31st on the road at Fitchburg State.

Fitchburg placed second in the poll with two first place votes and 70 points. The Falcons return six starters and will be led offensively by senior attacker Amanda Burns who led all players last season with 30 goals during conference play.

Westfield State received one first place vote and 68 points placing third. The Owls are bringing back eight starters including two-time first team all-conference selection Carly Keeley.

The NEWLA welcomes new members Salem State and Massachusetts Maritime in what will be the last season of NEWLA competition. Following the 2012 season, the nine members will begin play within their primary conferences. Seven will play as part of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) and two will compete within the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC).