The women?s lacrosse program at the College of Notre Dame has never lost a league game playing in the Atlantic Women?s Colleges Conference, and there is a good chance it never will.
When the AWCC disbands after this season, Notre Dame will join the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference. Only today?s regular-season conference game against visiting Hood (3-6, 2-0 AWCC) and two possible tournament games remain for the Gators (11-1, 2-0) in the AWCC. Since joining the conference in 1996, Notre Dame has gone 65-0.
“Nobody wins forever,” Notre Dame coach Melissa Falen said. “But when we found out that we were making this move and realized we could be undefeated in the conference, it has become a neat goal for the kids.”
Falen, in her 18th season at theGators? helm, is looking forward to playing in the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference, which includes 12 full members and 11 varsity lacrosse programs. That number is appealing to Notre Dame, which will finally have the chance to compete for an NCAA tournament automatic qualifier. The AWCC doesn?t have enough teams to qualify for an automatic NCAA berth.
Still, Notre Dame senior defender Catherine Vecchioni is hoping the team receives invitation to the tournament with a possible five additional wins this season.
“We have played a couple teams already this year that are members of the PAC and we have done well against them,” Vecchioni said.
First things first. The Gators are gunning for their 12th AWCC championship.
“We have dominated the AWCC for so long, it is nice to have some different competition,” senior midfielder Tina Money said. “We want to finish it out undefeated for us and the other teams that have gotten us here.”
Money, Notre Dame?s points leader (37 goals, 22 assists), wants to return next year while she attends graduate school at Notre Dame. She is quite aware that things will be much different in the PAC.
“It gives us a challenge in conference play,” Money said.
With 11 new competitors in the PAC, the Gators? streak of undefeated league play could end next year.
“We have not discussed that,” Money said. “But that is what we are nervous for. I think it would be hard if we did lose a league game.”
GO-GO GATORS
» Notre Dame defeated Frostburg for the first time since 1997 this season and also beat Washington College for the first time since 1995.
» Though she plays as a defensive midfielder, Tina Money manages to lead the Gators in overall points. If she returns for a fourth year, Notre Dame will have only lost two players to graduation.
» Midfielder Anne Shippen ranks in the top 10 in Division III with an average of four goals (10th), 5.3 groundballs (fifth), 4.3 caused turnovers (third) and 5.3 draw controls (first) per game.
