Season in Review: WPU Begins Women’s Lacrosse Era
Oskaloosa–The William Penn women’s lacrosse team is hoping for great things in the future after finding success in its first season in program history.
Head Coach Corrine Smeak and her all-freshman cast displayed great promise after a 2-4 campaign which came to an abrupt ending due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The Statesmen kicked off the season with a road matchup against #8 Marian (Ind.) on February 21. MacKenzie Petersen (Fr., Albertville, Minn., General Accounting) and Grace Dempsey (Fr., Appleton, Wis., Mechanical Engineering) split the first goals in program history.
“I am incredibly proud of our team and how they played,” Smeak said after the game. “I cannot wait to see what the season brings and how they develop as a group.”
The very next match, the Statesmen dominated en route to the team’s first win in program history, defeating Marian (Wis.) 15-1. Six Statesmen contributed goals in the match with Petersen tallying a team-high five. Hallie Clark (Fr., Centerville, Utah, Undecided) and Mia Arnone (Fr., St. Louis, Mo., Digital Communication) added three apiece, while Bailee Royal (Fr., Hallsville, Texas, Sports Management) scored twice. Petersen and Jillian Chierici (Fr., Santa Barbara, Calif., Nursing) tallied one goal apiece in the victory.
“This is a huge win for our team,” Smeak said after the game. “Words cannot express how excited I am for this team and the rest of the season.”
The Statesmen went 1-3 over the next four games during their spring break trip, beginning with a 9-5 loss to Madonna. The team also fell to a pair of ranked powerhouses, succumbing 25-2 to #9 Life and 20-1 to #5 Lawrence Tech.
WPU closed out its trip and its season by defeating Brenau 12-9. Clark, with four goals, led the team in scoring. Petersen was next with three scores, while Arnone and Melanie Sanchez (Fr., Simi Valley, Calif., Sociology) contributed two each.
Although the season ended short due to COVID-19, hindering the Statesmen from any Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference games, much was still discovered about the team in just six outings.
“I had the pleasure of watching 15 young women grow on and off the field,” Smeak said. “Even though the scoreboard did not always reflect the hard work the ladies put in, they continued to crush their team and individual goals. They all grew with their skills and I am excited to see what next year brings.”
“We know we have unfinished business to complete when we get back on the field,” Smeak added. “We are bringing in some great additions to our family and I am eager to get everyone on campus.”
