By Jacob Rzempoluch, Sports Editor
The spring sports season is starting to ramp up, with several teams beginning to see action. The women’s lacrosse team has come out blazing hot, with three straight wins and 57 goals in four games. While an early loss to Marietta mars their record, the Bearcats have shown some serious strength with their aggressive play. Head Coach Jym Walters describes SVC’s style of play as “Fast, Fun & Funky”.
Seven different Bearcats scored in Saint Vincent’s first victory of the season, a 19-13 triumph at Muskingum. Kaylee Bandow, senior psychology major, led the Bearcats with six goals. Bridget Doyle also had a strong performance; the junior history and anthropology major’s four goals and seven assists would contribute to reaching her 100th career point. It seems as if this game allowed the Bearcats to settle into a groove of playing together, because their next two were outstanding.
In the Bearcats’ home opener on March 18, they triumphed over the Lancaster Bible College 16-3 before trouncing the Wilson College Phoenix 18-6 the following day. Goals were scored by ten different Bearcats, showing the deep strength of the team. The most outstanding performance came from Bridget Doyle, with 15 points against the Phoenix. That performance is one of the best in program history. Doyle is currently ranked second nationwide in points per game (5.5) and assists per game (8.75) and was named Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC) Offensive Player of the Week and Bearcat of the Week for her performance.
Saint Vincent’s performance mirrors that of their star, with the Bearcats leading the conference in points per game (23.75) and assists per game (9.5), ranking 21st and sixth in the nation respectively. The depth of the team has been a significant strength so far, with five Bearcats scoring over five goals so far. Freshman philosophy major Carolina Walters was recognized as PAC Rookie of the Week for her 13 points over the week. Many Bearcats have also made an impact beyond the stats sheets. Walters and Doyle recognized freshman biology major Kloe Templeton, freshman accounting major Melanie Seefeldt, and sophomore early childhood education major Addy Carbaugh for their play so far.
“We’re just really fun and we always have a good vibe that I think never really seems to get us down,” Doyle said about the team. “I just love them, they’re like the best group of girls I could ever play with.”
The Bearcats hope to continue their performance into conference play and better their fourth-place finish from last season. Their next home game is against Grove City College on March 28 at 4 p.m. at UPMC Field.
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