Garnet Laxers Up For Challenge
The 2008 Garnet women's lacrosse squad returns a pair of All-Region performers with sights set on challenging for the coveted Centennial Conference championship.
The 2007 Swarthmore completed the season with an overall record of 11-7, 4-5 in the Centennial Conference, just missing its second consecutive Conference playoff berth. Garnet head coach Karen Borbee (15th season) looks to offset the loss of a large collection of graduated attackers: Katie Crawford ’07, Athena Samaras ‘07 and All-Centennial honorable mention Lindsay Roth ‘07 (74 total goals combined in 2007).
Borbee will turn to senior Megan Sanborn (Lewiston, N.Y. / Nichols School) as the catalyst of the new offense. Last season she posted career-highs in points (41), goals (22), and assists (19). The 2007 All-Centennial second-team selection already ranks 10th on the all-time assist list with 33 assists in her first three seasons. Sanborn (right) led the team in five categories: draw controls (50), ground balls (47), caused turnovers (31), assists (33), and game-winning goals (three). Following the season, she was selected to the 2007 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA)/US Lacrosse All-Region team along with junior defender Melissa Grigsby (West Chester, Pa. / West Chester East).
Junior midfielder Marissa Schaffer (Moreland Hill, Ohio / Laurel School) figures to be on the receiving end of Sanborn’s feed, leading Swarthmore in total points (87) and goals (38) in 2007. She started all 18 games for the Garnet last season, posting three consecutive hat tricks. Joining Schaffer on the attack will be sophomore Abbe Muller (West Hartford, Conn. / Conard) who posted 19 goals and eight assists as a first-year.
Speedy sophomore Alex Gilbert-Bono (Wellesley, Mass. / St. Mark’s) looks to be a leader in the midfield. Gilbert-Bono posted 24 points, along with 37 ground balls and 31 draw controls. Also returning in the midfield is junior Anna de Regt (Redmond, Wash. / Overlake School) who finished the 2007 season with 26 goals, 31 points, and 31 ground balls.
The 2008 Garnet defense is lead by Grigsby (left), All-Centennial honorable mention in 2007. She was second on the team with 46 ground balls and 34 draw controls, even racing up into the offensive end at times, adding three assists. Joining her defensively will be junior Kelsey Hatzell (Havertown, Pa. / Haverford) and senior Abbie Fischer (Sudbury, Mass. / Lincoln-Sudbury). Both turned in an outstanding 2007 season and look to do the same in 2008.
Senior goalkeeper Susannah Blair (below) (Princeton, N.J. / Princeton Day) posted one of the two shutouts in the Conference in 2007 and looks forward to an even better 2008. Returning for the Garnet in goal is sophomore Allison Grein (Floral Park, N.Y. / Floral Park).
Swarthmore begins the 2008 season with a three-game road trip to San Antonio,
Texas, for spring break. The Garnet will play the University of Dallas, Drew University and St. Mary’s (Md.) College over the course of the week. Following the spring break trip, the Garnet return home, hosting Gwynedd-Mercy on Saturday, March 15 and then Moravian on Sunday, March 16 as part of the Tri-Co Invitational at Clothier Field. Both Swarthmore games are scheduled to start at 4:00 p.m. Centennial Conference action starts off with three of the top teams in Division III—the Garnet travel to #4 Gettysburg on March 22, then return home to host defending national champion Franklin & Marshall on March 27 at 7:00 p.m. and then conclude the month with a home game versus #17 Dickinson at 1:00 p.m. on March 29.