2015 Season Previews: Part Three

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Independent Conference







Friends (11-4) - Friends had what was quite possibly their best season in school history in 2014. New head coach Jessica Franklin led the Quakers to their first winning season since 2009 after three consecutive seasons of a 6-9 record, and yet came up one spot shy of making their first appearance in the state tournament since 2009.

The Quakers almost ambushed four tournament teams last year, losing by only one goal to Ursuline, Polytech, and Tower Hill (the second time the two teams met), and two goals to Archmere. 2014's squad was very young however, and Friends only graduated one senior from last year's team. Three seniors who all averaged over 40 goals for the season return - Brooke Winfield (51G, 15A), Meryl Gatti (47G, 15A), and Margo Tschantz (46G, 14A). Other key returnees include senior Molly Harper (26G, 15A), and sophomores Blair Atkins (15G, 6A), and Simone Veale (11G, 11A). Junior Demetria Ruhl returns in goal.

2015's squad is laden with experience after returning virtually their entire roster from last season, and with the expansion of the state tournament to a field of 10 teams this year the Quakers looked poised to make their first return to the tournament in six years.




Sanford (3-12) - Sanford has struggled over the years competing in the competitive independent conference; since 2005, the Warriors have only amounted two winning seasons and have compiled a 48-77 record over the last decade. Sanford chooses to play a pretty competitive out-of-conference schedule however, which isn't doing them any favors in the wins department. In addition to having to play all of the independent conference teams twice, in 2014 Sanford also played Caesar Rodney, Archmere, and Caravel - all of whom were tournament teams last year.

The Warriors graduated their leading goal scorer along with their goalie from last season, but bring back seniors Kelsey Mendell (16G, 1A) and Saskia Bollen (11G, 7A), and sophomore Kimberly Riodan (15G, 1A).




St. Andrew's (7-7) - St. Andrew's had an uncharacteristic year for their girls lacrosse team in 2014, resulting in the Cardinals not qualifying for the state tournament for the first time since Delaware started holding a tournament in girl's lacrosse in 1998. Coincidently, last year the girls soccer program at St. Andrew's transitioned over from playing in the fall, to playing their season in the spring along with all of the other girls soccer programs in the state.

Seven seniors graduated from last year's team, including their two highest goal scorers from last year's team, Alyse Saliba (63G, 28A) and Sara Coyne (26G, 6A). Together the two combined to score half of all of the team's goals in 2014.

Senior Elizabeth Wainwright (25G, 12A) should help generate the offense this year, along with juniors Louisa Belk (15G, 4A) and Neely Egan (10G, 4A). Senior Hallie Fausey should earn the starting goalkeeping spot.




Tatnall (6-9) - After three consecutive seasons of going 8-7, Tatnall stumbled a little in 2014. The hornets only lost one senior from 2013, but felt the stung immensely when their two highest goal scorers chose not to play their senior year. Consequently, their offense produced 71 less goals in 2014 than in 2013, while their defense allowed in 12 more.

This year Tatnall once again lost two underclassmen as well as five seniors to graduation - five of whom were responsible for 57 percent of the team's offensive output last season. The hornets do return their highest goal scorer from 2014 however, in senior Margaret Crivelli (55G, 10A). Senior Christina Morgan takes over the goalkeeping duties.




Tower Hill (10-6) - 2014 featured a much younger Tower Hill than the team that reached the state finals in 2013. The Hillers dropped an uncharacteristic five losses in the regular season in 2014 before finding themselves seeded seventh in the tournament -the lowest ranking their team has ever seen in the 16 year history of the state tournament.



This year Tower Hill returns all but two of its starters, many of whom have seen time on the field since they were freshmen. Seniors Sawyer Chilton (39G, 16A), Emma Lynch (22G, 7A), and Madeline Schwartz (12G, 2A) return in the midfield and attack, along with juniors Kiva Walsh (38G, 10A) and Abigail Manning (28G, 18A). Senior Jacqueline Siegfried and sophomore Louise Conaty should anchor the defense.
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