(LEBANON, Ill., Feb. 9)--The McKendree University women's lacrosse team will open up the 2017 season at Leemon Field on Friday when it hosts the defending national champions Florida Southern College at noon. The weekend continues as McKendree hosts Rockhurst University on Sunday.
Head coach
Melissa Gyllenborg enters her third season at the helm of the Bearcats. Gyllenborg has lead McKendree to the semifinals of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic (GLIAC) Tournament the past two seasons.
"We are very excited to begin competing this season," said Gyllenborg. "We have the opportunity to face-off against some very successful programs across the nation. With our returning veterans were hoping to make some noise in the conference and on the national scale."
McKendree comes into the 2017 season returning the first team All-Conference attack duo in
Dana DiPasquale (St. Charles, MO/Barat Academy) and
Paige Salthouse (St. Louis, MO/Ursuline Academy). DiPasquale finished seventh in the nation in assists along with leading the GLIAC with 52. Salthouse buried 64 goals on last season's campaign to finish third in the GLIAC.
The Bearcats also return sophomore midfielder
Hannah Sugarman (Holden, MA/Wachusett Regional ) and senior net minder
Amy Porta (Ellisville, MO/Marquette). Porta and Sugarman landed on the GLIAC All-Conference second team last season. Sugarman totaled 30 points, adding 38 groundballs, and forcing 17 turnovers. Porta ranked sixth nationally posting a 10.94 saves per game average.
Bearcat Attack
McKendree returns three of their four starting attack in Salthouse, DiPasquale, and
Bree Suter (Westminster, MD/Winters Mill). Salthouse, DiPasquale, and Suter are coming off career best seasons. Suter posted a 31-goal, six assist campaign last season to finish fourth on the team in points.
Emily Nelson (Deephaven, MN/Holy Family Catholic) will join the Bearcat attack line after providing 19 goals and seven helpers last season.
Bearcat Midfield
Victoria Lelo (Auckland, New Zealand/Westlake) returns to the midfield line after missing last season due to injury. Lelo was an All-Conference selection in 2015 leading the team in goals with 48. Moving to the midfield this season will be
Ola Abdallah (Florissant, MO/Hazelwood West). Abdallah was a first team All-GLIAC member in 2015 as a defender, collecting 28 groundballs. The veteran mix should bolster the production of Sugarman who tallied 26 goals as a freshman.
Bearcat Defense
Porta commands the Bearcat defense from between the pipes and will look to build off her All-Conference season last year.
Morgan Cremen (Manchester, MD/Manchester Valley),
Stacey Wright (Whangarei, New Zealand/Westlake Girls ), and
Franchesca Delrosario (Seaford, DE/Sussex Technical) will all anchor down the McKendree defense. Wright led the bunch with 13 caused turnovers and 21 groundballs. Cremen followed with 18 groundballs and Delrosario caused 10 turnovers.
