Lehigh welcomes Navy Saturday for Senior Day
4/20/2012 7:01:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - The Lehigh women's lacrosse team will host the Navy Midshipmen on Saturday in its season finale. Opening draw is set for 1 p.m. at the Ulrich Sports Complex. It's Senior Day as Leigh Ann Torcivia, Lauren Murray and Anna Pierce will be honored prior to their final game in the Brown and White. Lehigh and Navy split a pair of meetings last season.
The Mountain Hawks will look to end the season on a high note after dropping their last two contests, including last Saturday's 10-7 setback against Holy Cross. Trailing by four at the half, Lehigh pulled to within one, but the comeback fell short as the Crusaders scored the game's final two goals. Freshman Carli Sukonik and junior Julie McBrien scored two goals apiece. Junior MaryLeah DiNisco had another solid effort in goal, recording eight saves; she now has 77 saves this season.
Torcivia has continued her stellar play in the Brown and White. She is second on the team in goals (23), points (43) and draw controls (36), and leads the team in assists (20) and groundballs (34). Torcivia ranks third in in the Patriot League in assists per game (1.43) and second in groundballs (2.43). Also a senior, Murray has enjoyed another solid year; she stands fourth on the team in goals (18), assists (5) and points (23) and ranks fifth in shot percentage (.353). Meanwhile, Pierce has made her mark as a line defender, playing in 13 games while posting two groundballs and two caused turnovers.
Navy enters with a 14-2 record, 5-0 in the Patriot League, having clinched the #1 seed and the right to host the entire Patriot League Tournament. Navy's only two losses came at High Point in the season opener and at Northwestern on Mar. 25; it's won four straight since. The Midshipmen dominated American, 19-6, in their most recent outing, which clinched the league's regular season title in the process.
Navy leads the league in goals per game (15.19), points (20.44), and shots (29.88). The Midshipmen have scored at least 18 goals in an impressive seven games this season, which also leads the league. The offense is led by the trio of Jasmine DePompeo (32 goals, 69 points), Lori Generi (48 goals, 55 points) and Kathy Young (45 goals, 49 points). DePompeo has received her share of national and league weekly awards, including being named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List (given to the nation's top player).
Generi was named the Patriot League Rookie of the Week after her seven-goal performance against American. Generi leads the team in draw controls (96) and game-winning goals (4). Generi is tied with Sukonik for the league lead in game-winners. Meanwhile, Elaina Ponchione and Michelle Verbeeck have split time between the pipes; Ponchione has started 14 games, with a 8.78 GAA and 45.8 save percentage while Verbeeck has a 7.58 GAA and 50.0 save percentage.
Lehigh is 4-3 all-time against Navy, a program which began play in 2008. The Mountain Hawks won the first two matchups in 2008 and 09 and the sides have alternated wins over the next five games since.
The Lehigh women's lacrosse senior class has been a key part of the program's transformation into Patriot League powers. They've advanced to the Patriot League Tournament in three out of four years which includes two regular season championships and an appearance in the 2010 Title Game. Lehighsports.com caught up with the three seniors to get some thoughts on their careers in the Brown & White.
Lauren Murray - Attack - Chatham, N.J. - Sociology/Social Psychology
Murray saw action in all 17 games as a freshman (starting six) and has continued to make her mark on the Lehigh women's lacrosse program. Murray has made her impact all over the field, owning 77 career points, 75 groundballs, 80 draw controls and 48 caused turnovers. A quiet leader who leads by example, Murray posted a career-high 30 points as a sophomore while owning 23 this season. She has impressed in big games, including last season's Patriot League Semifinal when she had a goal, three groundballs and three caused turnovers.
What's your favorite Lehigh Women's Lacrosse memory up until this point? Why?
LM: My favorite memory is when we played Navy last year at their stadium and we won. It was such a good feeling to beat a great team like them; it was broadcast on CBS Sports Network, so it was really cool watching the team later on TV and hearing the commentators and everything!
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
LM: I would like to be remembered as someone who was committed to my teammates. Being on this team for all four years and becoming close with all of my teammates has been an amazing experience and I want to be remembered as someone who really cared about the team and each individual's success.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
LM: It's crazy to think we have been playing together for four years now. I remember when we all first met together on campus that first fall. I have become so close with both Anna and Leigh Ann and we've gone through a lot of ups and downs together. Being a teammate and a friend is a special relationship and something I know will last after we graduate.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
LM: I really can't believe it's here already. This has been an amazing experience and a part of my life I will never forget. I learned so much about myself and others throughout these past couple years. I have grown a lot as a person since freshman year.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Women's Lacrosse?
LM: I will miss my teammates the most and just the feeling of being part of a team. You never realize how much you influence other people around you until you are taken out of that group. I'm sure I'll be a little jealous next year when the team all comes back to campus to start up fall ball together again and I won't be there anymore.
LM: My favorite memory is when we played Navy last year at their stadium and we won. It was such a good feeling to beat a great team like them; it was broadcast on CBS Sports Network, so it was really cool watching the team later on TV and hearing the commentators and everything!
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
LM: I would like to be remembered as someone who was committed to my teammates. Being on this team for all four years and becoming close with all of my teammates has been an amazing experience and I want to be remembered as someone who really cared about the team and each individual's success.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
LM: It's crazy to think we have been playing together for four years now. I remember when we all first met together on campus that first fall. I have become so close with both Anna and Leigh Ann and we've gone through a lot of ups and downs together. Being a teammate and a friend is a special relationship and something I know will last after we graduate.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
LM: I really can't believe it's here already. This has been an amazing experience and a part of my life I will never forget. I learned so much about myself and others throughout these past couple years. I have grown a lot as a person since freshman year.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Women's Lacrosse?
LM: I will miss my teammates the most and just the feeling of being part of a team. You never realize how much you influence other people around you until you are taken out of that group. I'm sure I'll be a little jealous next year when the team all comes back to campus to start up fall ball together again and I won't be there anymore.
What are your postgraduate plans?
LM: After I graduate, I am really hoping for a job in Human Resources at a financial company. I had an internship in that area for the past two summers and I'm really excited to see where this career path will take me.
Anna Pierce - Defense - West Long Branch, N.J. - Accounting
Pierce has continued to improve to where she is today, as a key contributor who's seen significant action at defense. After playing in only 16 games her first two seasons, Pierce played in 16 as a junior serving as a key defender. One of many highlights came in the first week of the 2011 season when she shut down defending MAAC Offensive Player of the Year Kelly Condon, earning Honorable Mention on the Patriot League Weekly Honor Roll. Pierce has continued her strong play, seeing action in 13 games this season with a pair of groundballs and caused turnovers.
What's your favorite Lehigh Women's Lacrosse memory up until this point? Why?
AP: My favorite Lehigh Lacrosse memory was definitely our game versus the University of Florida last year. We had nothing to lose and gave it everything we had for the entire game. Because of our hard work, we ended up playing well and made it a close game against a top five team in the country. I personally had never been so pumped up for any game in my career like I was for that one and it was one of the best experiences of my life to be able to play at that level of lacrosse and never back down against such tough competition.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
AP: My favorite Lehigh Lacrosse memory was definitely our game versus the University of Florida last year. We had nothing to lose and gave it everything we had for the entire game. Because of our hard work, we ended up playing well and made it a close game against a top five team in the country. I personally had never been so pumped up for any game in my career like I was for that one and it was one of the best experiences of my life to be able to play at that level of lacrosse and never back down against such tough competition.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
AP: I would like to be remembered for my work ethic, drive and dedication to the team. I hope my teammates can hold themselves and each other to the same high expectations I have had for myself and my teammates throughout the years.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
AP: Playing together for the past four years and being the only seniors on a team that is mostly underclassman has definitely brought us together and helped form a special relationship among the three of us. On an individual level, I know I can definitely go to either Leigh Ann or Lauren to talk to and get advice from whenever I need it. Leigh Ann and I were actually huge rivals in high school, playing against each other up to four times a season, so it has been really nice to have someone here since the beginning who knows me on the lacrosse field and who can relate to me well. I cannot thank these two enough for the support and memories they have provided me throughout the years.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
AP: Going into senior night, I definitely have a lot of mixed emotions. I am sad, anxious and proud all at the same time. To address the negative emotions, I am definitely disappointed to see our season end so soon without another shot at a Patriot League title. I am anxious and worried about how I am going to fill the void in my life that lacrosse will leave after this game. Even with this inevitable sadness, I can definitely say with confidence that I am proud of the player and the person I have become within the last four years. I have fully committed myself to this team and have never been so invested in anything else in my life. As for the actual game, I want to go out with hustle, pride and relentless drive to end my career the way I want to be remembered.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Women's Lacrosse?
AP: I will definitely miss my teammates the most. The relationships I have formed within this team have gotten me through these past four years.
What are your postgraduate plans?
AP: I have an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers this summer and plan on going to graduate school to get my Master's in Accounting this upcoming school year.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
AP: Going into senior night, I definitely have a lot of mixed emotions. I am sad, anxious and proud all at the same time. To address the negative emotions, I am definitely disappointed to see our season end so soon without another shot at a Patriot League title. I am anxious and worried about how I am going to fill the void in my life that lacrosse will leave after this game. Even with this inevitable sadness, I can definitely say with confidence that I am proud of the player and the person I have become within the last four years. I have fully committed myself to this team and have never been so invested in anything else in my life. As for the actual game, I want to go out with hustle, pride and relentless drive to end my career the way I want to be remembered.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Women's Lacrosse?
AP: I will definitely miss my teammates the most. The relationships I have formed within this team have gotten me through these past four years.
What are your postgraduate plans?
AP: I have an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers this summer and plan on going to graduate school to get my Master's in Accounting this upcoming school year.
Leigh Ann Torcivia - Midfield - Rumson, N.J. - Psychology
Torcivia has excelled from the get-go, earning All-Patriot League honors in each of her first three seasons. The former walk-on has posted 41 groundballs and 37 draw controls right away as a freshman. The success continued into sophomore year when she garnered First Team All-Patriot League. She earned IWLCA Second Team All-Region for the first time last year. In total, Torcivia has garnered five Patriot League weekly awards - Defensive Player of the Week four times and Midfielder of the Week once. Also strong in the classroom, Torcivia was named the team's Scholar-Athlete Award winner last season while earning a spot on the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll in 2010 and 11.
What's your favorite Lehigh Women's Lacrosse memory up until this point? Why?
LAT: Hosting the tournament my sophomore year was definitely one of the highlights of my career here. Unfortunately, we did not win, but that's the farthest we have ever gotten.
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
LAT: I want to be remembered as someone that was dedicated to the team and our success as a whole unit. Focusing on individual success is great, but it can only get you so far. I think having players that will do anything to help their teammates and be dedicated to the team goals will be the key to success for future teams.
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
LAT: Anna and I were rivals in high school, so it's been a fun experience to play on the same team as her for the past four years. Sometimes, we will poke fun at the one another's high schools but at the end of the day, we grew very close as teammates and the rivalry is now just something to laugh at.
Lauren and I did not know each other before we came to college, but I've loved playing with her at Lehigh. She is a very talented player and an even better teammate. She is the one I go to if anything is bothering me and she is always there to listen. I don't know how I would have made it through this year without her.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Night. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
LAT: I honestly cannot believe this is the end. Sports have been a huge part of my life for so long, so it will be very hard to walk off that field on Saturday knowing that is the last time I'll ever play. It's going to be a bittersweet day for sure.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Women's Lacrosse?
LAT: Mainly the friendships and close-knit nature of the team. For anyone that has been on a team, they know that the close bonds that are formed are irreplaceable. That is what I will miss the most.
What are your postgraduate plans?
LAT: I am staying at Lehigh to get my Master's in Education. Then, hopefully I will get a job teaching at an elementary school.
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