2008 Women's Lacrosse Outlook

Preseason Interview with Head Coach Matthew Grosso

Head coach Matthew Grosso begins his fourth year at the helm of the Quakers after the school’s most successful women's lacrosse season in nearly a decade. The Quakers finished 4-4 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) and earned a second straight trip to the six-team conference tournament. Guilford’s up-tempo offense was third in the ODAC in 2007 with 11.88 goals per game. Grosso and third-year assistant Susanna Young look to improve on last year’s 8-9 record with 13 returning letter winners. Seven newcomers join the Quakers and give the team a strong blend of talent, depth and experience.

Here’s a preview of the 2008 Quakers by position:

ATTACK: Guilford returns three of its top-four attackers from 2007. Senior Jordan Clodfelter, a three-time All-ODAC selection, highlights the attacking unit. She is joined by classmate Caryn Washington and sophomore Ellie Merritt. The trio accounted for 72 goals and 17 assists in 2007. Freshman Hannah Merrell had a strong fall season and may make an immediate contribution.

MIDFIELD: Guilford’s midfield lines feature depth, experience and all-conference student-athletes on attack and defense. Senior Mary Hutchins and junior Jennifer Abelin, both 2007 First Team All-ODAC honorees, returns as the Quakers’ top midfielders. Hutchins led Guilford in scoring for the third straight year, while Abelin, a defensive specialist, led the team in ground balls and caused turnovers. Sophomore Carrie Ernst begins her second season as the team’s primary center after leading the team in draw controls in 2007.  Classmate Shelly Nogueira moves from attack to midfield to better take advantage of her athleticism on offense and defense. The midfield unit also welcomes back redshirt-senior Billie Pellerito and junior Carolyn Rodda. Pellerito, lost after five games in 2007 to injury, finished among the Quakers’ leaders in both ground balls and caused turnovers in 2006. Rodda was the team’s 2006 Rookie of the Year. Freshmen Meaghan Dill and Alex Tarnow, a Guilford soccer player, add to the Quakers’ midfield speed and depth.

DEFENSE: Guilford looks to field its most experience defensive unit in recent memory in 2008.  The Quakers return three of four starting defenders, including All-ODAC selections Kelly Gonzalez (2007) and Jennifer Maynard (2006). Leah Stettner stepped up in the final 12 games of 2007 after Pellerito’s injury and anchored the low-defensive unit. Junior transfer Erin Baker, who helped Anne Arundel Community College win back-to-back national titles, junior Grace Fletcher and freshman Kaitlin Feeney round out the defense.  Baker and Fletcher also played soccer for Guilford.

GOALIE: Sophomore Alyzza-May Callahan returns as the only experienced goalie for the Quakers. She is joined by freshman Erin Hoerner. Callahan appeared in 10 games for Guilford in 2007, starting two, and recorded 33 saves. Hoerner, a three-year goalie at Princeton (N.J.) High School, played well in the fall and will compete for the starting job.

Guilford begins its spring competitions Feb. 9 in the Quakers' Lacrosse Challenge. Six teams will participate in round-robin scrimmages, including Anne Arundel, Christopher Newport University and NCAA Division II members: Queens University, Pfeiffer University and St. Andrews Presbyterian College. The Quakers open their season by hosting two-time defending USA-South Athletic Conference champion Christopher Newport. Guilford once again plays a difficult non-conference schedule that includes games with perennial power University of Mary Washington along with matches against Catholic University, Goucher College and cross-town rival Greensboro College.