Women's Lacrosse 2004 Season Outlook - Guilford College

Guilford continues to steadily improve in stature and performance in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and NCAA Division III. Coach Tara Caminiti-Raggett begins her fourth season at Guilford looking to continue the improvement displayed by the team in 2003. Eight letter winners return from last year's 5-12 squad (3-5 ODAC), whose sixth-place ODAC finish was the Quakers' best since 1999.

The Quakers bounced back from a winless campaign in 2003 with a respectable conference record. The team's experience improves each year, Caminiti-Raggett says, and the gap between its most-skilled and least-skilled players is closing rapidly. Junior attack Sarah Routhier developed into one of the league's top goal-scorers in 2003. Sophomore defender Jenn Cahill improved throughout her rookie season and joined Routhier on the Second Team All-ODAC unit. Guilford had not placed two players on the all-conference team since 1999.

Caminiti-Raggett looks forward to seeing her team on the field. She has attracted a talented class of recruits and believes each newcomer can start, a first in her tenure.

Here's a look at Guilford's lineup by position:

ATTACK: The coaches expect sophomore Moira Foley to provide an offensive presence to complement Routhier, last year's Most Valuable Offensive Player. Caminiti-Raggett believes an added scoring threat will boost Routhier's production. Senior Lauren Goodwin is the second-leading scorer among returning players. A former goalie and midfielder, she could show marked improvement as she plays on the attack for a second straight season. Three-year starter Katie Rice '03, last year's second-leading scorer, graduated last spring, but remains with the team as an assistant coach.

MIDFIELD: Freshman Kathryn Hyde may provide another much-needed scoring threat. She also gives the Quakers a winning mentality. She played on last year's state-champion lacrosse team at the Waynflete School in Maine. Classmate Billie Pellerito, expected to play as a wing, brings more of the same from her experience as a goalie on East Chapel Hill High School's 2003 North Carolina state titlists. Senior Kristi Herzer and freshman Brenna Powers were singled out by Caminiti-Raggett as players who made great strides during the fall.

DEFENSE: Senior Kate Hardy and Jenn Cahill anchor the defense again in 2004. Sophomore Katie Gilligan also started every game last season and figures prominently on the Quakers' back line. Caminiti-Raggett considers the defense the strength of this team, as it has been for the past several years.

GOALIE: Guilford lost two-year starter Lindsey Kennedy, who will be replaced by senior Brandi Rhoads. This will be Rhoads' first year playing lacrosse. Though Caminiti-Raggett prefers to keep Pellerito in the field, the freshman played goalie in high school and could return if needed.

Guilford plays a challenging schedule, highlighted by games against Division II schools Limestone, Lees-McRae, Queens and St. Andrew's. Preseason ODAC favorite Washington and Lee was ranked 13th in the March 2 IWLCA Division III poll. The Quakers were picked to finish eighth in the ODAC preseason coaches' poll.