Saturday, April 19
Ulrich Sports Complex
1:00 PM

Lehigh University

vs

Holy Cross

Women's Lacrosse Seniors

Lehigh hosts Holy Cross on Senior Day Saturday

4/18/2014 10:37:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse

Watch Live (Free) | Live Stats | Fitzpatrick Feature | Retaleato Feature
 
BETHLEHEM, Pa. - Winners of two of its last three games, the Lehigh women's lacrosse wraps up the regular season by hosting Holy Cross on Saturday at 1 p.m. With a win, the Mountain Hawks would clinch a home game in the Patriot League Quarterfinals next Tuesday. Lehigh will be playing Tuesday regardless, having clinched a league tournament berth, and currently stands tied for third place and could finish anywhere between third and sixth place. Saturday is also Senior Day as the Mountain Hawk seniors will be recognized prior to their final regular season game in the Brown and White.
 
Lehigh is coming off an impressive comeback win over American Sunday, turning a 5-3 halftime deficit into a fairly comfortable 10-6 victory. The Mountain Hawks scored the first seven second-half goals as the Eagles' lone goal came as the clock expired. Freshman Krista Dampman led the offense with a career-high five goals to earn her second Patriot League Rookie of the Week award of the season. Freshmen combined for all 10 goals as Allison LaBeau scored three times and Julianne D'Orazio tallied her first two career goals.
 
The Lehigh defense excelled, keeping American scoreless for a stretch of 30:12 until the goal as time expired. D'Orazio and junior Kelsey Yenco each had three caused turnovers while sophomore Kendall Garden filled up the stat sheet with three groundballs, five draw controls and two caused turnovers.
 
Holy Cross enters with a 3-4 league record and 5-11 overall mark. The Crusaders have defeated Colgate, American and Lafayette, but have lost five straight. Most recently, Holy Cross lost a slim 8-6 final to Navy last weekend. Laura Ryan leads the offense with 32 points behind 22 goals and 10 assists. Kate Martino has 30 (21 goals, nine assists) and Sara Hennessey owns 28 (23 goals, five assists). Ryan also leads the way with 31 groundballs and 20 caused turnovers. Martino has a team-leading 37 draw controls. Sarah Weber has started all 16 games in goal, owning a 9.91 GAA and 41.6 save percentage.
 
Lehigh is 14-9 all-time against Holy Cross, but has lost two straight. The last Mountain Hawks victory came in 2011 by a 15-4 final.
 
Regardless of Saturday's outcome, the Mountain Hawks will play in a Patriot League Quarterfinal game on Tuesday. Check back to Lehighsports.com for complete information on opponent, location and time as Lehigh competes in the postseason for the first time since 2011.
 
Like Lehigh Women's Lacrosse on Facebook and follow on Twitter for exclusive content, team updates and more.
 
 
With Saturday being Senior Day, Lehighsports.com caught up with the senior class for this senior reflection.
 
This senior class has certainly made its impact. As freshmen, they helped lead the Mountain Hawks to the Patriot League Tournament. Things have come full circle this year as these seniors are both enjoying career seasons to help lead the Mountain Hawks back to the Patriot League Tournament which begins next week.

#9 Chelsea Retaleato - Attacker - West Babylon, N.Y. - Global Studies
Chelsea Retaleato
Chelsea Retaleato has contributed from day one, posting seven points as a freshman and improving those numbers each and every year. She finished with nine goals and 10 points as a sophomore, eight goals and 11 points as a junior and currently owns career highs in goals (12) and points (13) in this, her senior season. Retaleato posted her first-career hat trick in the season opener against Mount St. Mary's while scoring a career-high four goals against Bryant. She has played in all 14 games this season and 51 games in her career. In the classroom, Retaleato has earned multiple Faculty Athletics Council Awards for semester GPAs over 3.2.
 
What's your favorite Lehigh Women's Lacrosse memory up until this point? Why?
CR: My favorite memory I would have to say was beating Boston University just a few weeks ago. Beating such a strong team was our team's way of showing what we're truly capable of when we play our best. Also, the chemistry on the field was undeniable. Everyone was working together in a way we hadn't really seen yet; it was a great feeling. 

How special is to make it back to the Patriot League Tournament this season. How excited are you for the upcoming postseason?
CR: Anything can happen in the game of lacrosse. There is always a chance for the underdog to rise to the occasion; upsets happen all the time. Getting into the tournament this year is huge, especially for a team like ours. We're really coming together at the right time. It's really exciting to see how hard we've all worked and to get a chance to play in the Patriot League Tournament this year. 

How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
CR: I would like to be remembered for always giving it my all no matter what my role on the team was. It's easy to lose sight of the big picture when things aren't going the way you anticipated, but for me, it's always been important to do what's best for the team. 

Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
CR: Alex and Julie are honestly two of the most kindhearted human beings I have ever met. Having the two of them by my side has been a blessing these past four years. We've all been through some truly challenging things, but with the support of one another, we've made it through.  

Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
CR: It's surreal. Lacrosse has always been an outlet if I'm having a bad day or am stressed out, there are those few hours of practice where I get to focus on and put all of my energy toward something else. It's been the center of everything I've known for so long. It will be interesting to see what life is like without it.

What will you miss most about Lehigh women's lacrosse?
CR: I'm going to miss every person that is a part of our family. No matter what I'm going through, I know that I have nearly 30 people that I can turn to for guidance and support.

What are your postgraduate plans?
CR: I am still on the job hunt, ultimately looking to work in public relations for a non-profit in New York. Until then, it will be nice to spend the summer on Long Island. 
 
#17 Alexandra Fitzpatrick - Goalkeeper - Yorktown Heights, N.Y. - Marketing
Alex Fitzpatrick save
Alex Fitzpatrick has enjoyed a strong career, highlighted by her freshman and senior seasons, posting save percentages over 50 percent on both occasions. Fitzpatrick was the first team All-Patriot League goalie as a freshman, owning an 8.66 GAA and 50.6 save percentage. After a strong start in 2012, Fitzpatrick suffered a season-ending injury but has worked her way back to tip-top form. An up-and-down junior year saw her fair share of highlights, but Alex is back better than ever this season. Fitzpatrick currently owns an 8.08 GAA and a 51.7 save percentage which is third best in the nation. She posted a career-high 17 saves in the Patriot League opener against Bucknell which has helped spark the Mountain Hawks towards their second league tournament berth in Fitzpatrick's tenure. Alex has made her mark in the classroom and in Student-Athlete Council as well, playing an integral role in the Lehigh student-athlete experience, community service opportunities and more.
 
What's your favorite Lehigh Women's Lacrosse memory up until this point? Why?
AF: At the beginning of the month, when we beat Boston University in triple overtime. Besides the fact we were their (BU's) first Patriot League loss since they joined the league, the trip itself was one for the record books.

How special is to make it back to the Patriot League Tournament this season. How excited are you for the upcoming postseason?
AF: It's definitely so rewarding to make it back to the tournament this season. This team is capable of playing great lacrosse and I'm excited to have the opportunity to keep our season going with this family a little longer.
 
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
AF: I would like to be remembered as a passionate hard worker. If you have an optimistic outlook and the drive to do whatever it takes, no outcome will be too big to reach.
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
AF: Chelsea and Julie have not only been great teammates, but they're also both my best friends. The three of us have experienced so much together that I could not be more thankful to have them both by my side.

Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
AF: I can't believe Senior Day is actually here. We all joke about our final days of playing lacrosse and I'm shocked at how fast these past four years have gone by. It's weird to think that these will be final days playing the sport that I love.
 
What will you miss most about Lehigh women's lacrosse?
AF: 100% my teammates. These girls have become sisters to me, it's going to be weird not being with them all the time.

What are your postgraduate plans?
AF: I plan on returning to my internship at Merrill Lynch from last summer and actually take time for myself to enjoy all that summer has to offer.
 
#12 Julie Tatios - Attacker - West Chester, Pa. - Journalism and Communications
Julie Tatios
Julie Tatios has not seen action this season, but has continued to play a role in the program's success. A Journalism and Communications major, she has been an announcer for all of this season's home games on the Patriot League Network. On the field, Tatios played in 13 games as a freshman (with seven starts), scoring 10 goals while adding four assists as the Mountain Hawks advanced to the league semifinals. She then played 15 games (starting six) as a sophomore while scoring five goals. Julie added two goals in her junior year as well. She has also posted 23 groundballs and 20 draw controls in her career.
 
What's your favorite Lehigh Women's Lacrosse memory up until this point? Why?
JT: I'll never forget beating Navy down in Annapolis at the end of our regular season in the spring of 2011. Being a freshman, it was really exciting to be a part of the win and really get a taste of what it was like to compete at the DI collegiate level. Plus, it was televised on CBS Sports Network so that made it extra AWESOME, and super exciting. 
 
How special is to make it back to the Patriot League Tournament this season. How excited are you for the upcoming postseason?
JT: I'm so proud of the girls for making it to the PLT this season. I miss being out on the field playing with them, but I think they're doing a wonderful job and if they continue to play with the same intensity that I've watched recently (against BU, Navy and American), I think they can be the Patriot League Champions. Loyola and Navy will be tough to beat, but I think they have the talent and will to do it. 
 
How would you like to be remembered? What legacy would you like to leave at Lehigh?
JT: My collegiate lacrosse career ended differently than I had planned, but I hope I'm remembered as a proud supporter of the team that did everything in my power to contribute to their success. 
 
Describe the relationship with your fellow seniors.
JT: Chelsea and Alex have been and will always be two of my closest friends. I'm so proud of them for their success over the last four years. Alex has blown me away with her ability to perform at the level that she does day in and day out. Chelsea's a fighter and doesn't know how to give up; she's been an essential attacker on the team and I couldn't be happier for her and her success this season. I love the two of them to death and feel fortunate to celebrate their senior day with them. 
 
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you're nearing the end of your collegiate career?
JT: The beginning of college seems like a lifetime ago, and I wouldn't trade the last four years for anything. I've learned so much about myself both academically and personally, and I'm excited for new beginnings in my post college life. I'm really thankful for all of the experiences that LU Women's Lacrosse has provided for me. 
 
What will you miss most about Lehigh women's lacrosse?
JT: I'll miss the competitiveness and camaraderie associated with the team. There's something about being a part of something bigger than yourself that's really fulfilling and it'll certainly be tough to replace. 
 
What are your postgraduate plans? 
JT: I'll graduate with a BA in Journalism and Business minor. I'm pursuing a career in public relations. I interned for QVC Inc. last summer and will hopefully receive a job offer from them in the near future. 
 

Players Mentioned

M
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
GK
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
M
/ Women's Lacrosse
2025 Lehigh Women's Lacrosse Season Preview
Thursday, February 13
Lehigh Sports Central: Women's Lacrosse 2022
Monday, April 01
Lehigh Sports Central: Women's Lacrosse
Wednesday, March 13