Assistant Sports Editor
Replacing your top scorer is never easy, but it is a reality of college sports. After years of paying dues, a senior will step up and take on a bigger responsibility.
This is something that the women’s lacrosse team will have to deal with this year as they look to replace last year’s leading scorer, Meagan Dobson. Fortunately, it looks as though that player may have been ready a year early.
Senior midfielder Jackie Moscardelli is coming off her best season, having led the team in goals with 48 while finishing with 61 points, good for second on the team. Moscardelli, who hit the 100 goal mark last season, is 55 goals shy of the career record.
However, if she can manage just five goals, she will pass former Springfield player and current head coach, Kristen Mullady for eighth on the all-time goals scored list. In just her third season, Mullady has taken this program to two-consectutive NEWMAC Championship games.
Junior Meg Flanagan believes that is where they are headed once again.
“We’re looking pretty good right now, so NEWMAC finals without question [are our goal],” said Flanagan. “We have a huge midfield, and that’s going to make a big difference with subs and transitioning down the field.”
Mullady has been conditioning her team hard this offseason with the goal of finally getting over the hump and beating Babson, who has defeated the Pride in the NEWMAC tournament each of the past two seasons.
The Pride return four players who notched at least 20 points last season in Moscardelli, Flanagan, junior Allie Davis and sophomore Kelly Gallo. They also return goalkeeper Anne Versprille, who had a great season last year and started every game.
New assistant coach Allie Duclos has also had an impact on this team, working a lot with the defense and improving their technique.
The Pride open their season on March 1 with an away game against Western New England, before returning home March 7, where they open play on Stagg Field against Plymouth State.