M OR N IN GS ID E C O L L E G E
M ATC H DAY - SU N DAY, FE B . 28 , 2 0 2 1
MUSTANG LACROSSE Head coach Caitlyn St. Marie and the Morningside College women’s lacrosse program make history this afternoon at Tom Rosen Field. The Mustangs play their first official match on their home FieldTurf, welcoming National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III foe Cornell College of Mount Vernon in non-conference play.
MATCH UP St. Marie and her team are looking forward to getting into competition. “I see a lot of potential,” Mside’s head coach noted. “We’ve come from losing a season to working hard in the fall and then seeing a preseason where we’ve been able to get our skills down. The team is itching to play, excited to get out there and show people what they’ve been doing throughout the year. One of the many things I’m very proud of with this group is that we’ve genuinely been working as one unit,” she added. “The student-athletes encourage and support each other. It’s been a collaboration throughout.” The clash with the Rams is the program’s second match ever. They battled fellow Kansas College Athletic Conference foe Ottawa University last March before the COVID-19 pandemic shut everything down for the 2020 season. Two current team members played vital roles in the 25-1 loss to the Braves, as sophomore midfielder/attacker Courtney Bokemper notched the first goal for the program, and junior midfielder/ attacker Ashley Wilcox joined Bokemper with four ground balls and led the way with two shot attempts and three draw control victories. St. Marie has been reminding them that a new chapter is ready to be written today despite that previous contest. “I’m trying to pump them up --- get them excited,” she said. “It’s our first-ever home match --- their names can be permanently in the record books. This is something to be proud of. We are and can be competitive. I know we will be.” Morningside’s home schedule continues Saturday, March 6, as the 2021 KCAC slate opens with Ottawa University’s northeastern trek to Sioux City for a men’s and women’s doubleheader.
ABOUT THE RAMS Head coach Meredith Merce’s team was picked fifth on the Midwest Women’s Lacrosse Conference’s coaches preseason poll. This afternoon’s meeting with the Mustangs is part of a full week’s schedule, as Cornell was at Augustana College of Illinois midweek. The Rams finished the shortened 2020 season at 2-2. Senior midfielder Emily Beehler was the top goal scorer last spring, tallying eight, while junior attacker Nina Deer finished with six tallies. Beehler was also first in assists (two), points (10), and shots (30). Junior goalkeeper Maddie Althoff guided the defense with 23 saves and both victories in net.