Post Classifieds
Team reloads after key departures
By Leif Reigstad
On February 27, 2013
Despite losing several key players to graduation from last year's NCAA tournament
squad, the Buffalo State women's lacrosse team is looking to reload, rather than rebuild,
in 2013.
According to head coach Meg Stevens, the new-look Bengals are heading into this spring
with the same mantra - and the same high expectations - as last year.
The Bengals will have to make do without Division III's all-time leading goal scorer,
Karen Shaddock - an Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches All-American as a
senior last season - and Kendyl Clarkson, who led Division III in assists as a senior last
year. The two co-piloted a 14-7 campaign that ended with a loss in the second round of
the NCAA tournament to eventual national champion Trinity (CT) College.
"This year is about change," Stevens said. "This year is about looking a little different,
playing a little different, having a different mentality and some philosophies on the field
than maybe we have in the past, and it's exciting."
Junior attack Becca Martinez also highlighted change as a theme for this year.
"We're trying new things," Martinez said. "We're taking a whole new approach to our
offense and our defense because we lost so many seniors. We do need to change how we
look at things and how we do things, but it's not so significant a change that we can't do
it."
While the losses of Shaddock and Clarkson mean the Bengals must adapt the way they
play on the field, their trademark team-first approach remains unchanged.
"For me, it's a team sport," Stevens said. "This is a true team, a true family. They are all
going to have to put it together on the field, both offensively and defensively. They are
going to have to put it together as a unit to win big games."
There will be plenty of big games for the Bengals this season, but one to circle on the
calendar is an April 13 matchup at Coyer Field against Cortland. The Red Dragons,
ranked No. 3 in the preseason IWLCA poll, beat Buffalo State in the SUNYAC
championship game last year before advancing to the Final Four.
The preseason IWLCA poll shows Buffalo State receiving votes, but landing just outside
the top 20.
"My expectations are that we're going to contend to be one of the best lacrosse teams in
the country," Stevens said. "I like to set the bar high. It doesn't change from any other
year - we want to win the SUNYAC championship. We want to compete for a national
title.
"We'd like to be in the tournament again, we'd like to do well, and we've got some good
goals set - goals that are lofty, but good."
Last season, the Bengals relied on seven seniors, notably Shaddock and Clarkson, to
reach their goals. But this season, the first step toward achieving those goals must be
taken as a team. Martinez believes Buffalo State is ready for the challenge.
"By losing them [Shaddock and Clarkson], it's making our now juniors and seniors step
up," Martinez said. "It's not a big loss anymore. At first people thought it would be, but
we have so many threats on offense now that it's not a big deal anymore.
"People think this is a rebuilding year, but I think we're going to come out and prove
people wrong, show them that we aren't rebuilding. We're going to do big things."
The Bengals start the season on the road this Friday at William and Jefferson before
returning for the home opener against Elmira 4 p.m. Tuesday. They follow those with
six more non-league affairs, three of which are at the USA National Training Center in
Clermont, Fla., before turning their attention to league games.
SUNYAC play starts Saturday, March 30, at New Paltz.
Leif Reigstad can be reached by email at reigstad.record@live.com and on Twitter
@LeifReigstad.
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