Ryan Chell
Staff Reporter
Sometimes you can be so good that a performance others would consider fantastic may not be up to your own expectations.
That would appear to be the picture with the 2009 Green Terror girls lacrosse program, who recently finished their season with a 9-8 record overall and a 5-4 Centennial Conference record, their fourth straight season with that conference record. Riding high after a 15-1 blowout of Bryn Mawr, the team hoped to make an impact in the Centennial Conference playoffs as they had several times over Coach Muffie Bliss’ time on the Hill.
Unfortunately, the Terror’s inconsistency led to an early end to the season, as Dickinson handed McDaniel a 19-11 loss back on April 22. The team alternated wins and losses 7 times in 2009, and Bliss said that some of their mental mistakes is what really hurt them this year.
“In the end, I am really proud of the players,” Bliss said. “They come in and work hard for the entire year, and will go home and bust their butt over the summer to get better. However, I think, as did our players, that we could have done better in the wins column this year. Yes, we had a strong schedule and we competed well, but we just had some mental errors that could have swung our season in a different way had we not made those mistakes.”
And mistakes are something that this squad usually hasn’t made in the past. Despite the loss, Bliss’ five year run here at McDaniel has added up to three straight conference playoff appearances, as well as six of the last seven years. The team actually had kind of an upbeat attitude about their season, but any loss-especially one in the playoffs-can definitely leave a bad taste in your mouth.
“At the end of every not so perfect season, a player always looks back and says ‘What could I have done better’,” senior Lindsey McDonald said. “That is I think what most frustrates me as a senior. Knowing that I do not have another year with those girls to try and improve things is what gets me the most. There are no second chances in this game.”
The second half of the season for the girls’ lacrosse team had its ups and downs, but there were also a lot of times when the girls came together as a team and made a lasting impact on the team.
“I think the Gettysburg game was a defining moment,” said junior Brittany Baer. “Because we finally realized that we can play with the top teams by only losing by 3.”
Coach Bliss had a different game in mind.
“I think that our Washington game was the most memorable for me this season because we played a great team game and everyone played real well together.”
And several members of that team played so well that they drew attention from the other coaches and the administration of the Centennial Conference. Four players from Bliss’ squad were named to the all-conference squad-two of them being named to the 1st team while the other two were honorable mentions.
Baer was upgraded from the second team to the first squad for 2009 from the attack position. Along with being the team leader in goals, her numbers(76) were also a program record and led the Centennial Conference. Senior Michelle Fluty joins Baer on the first team, but as a defender.
McDonald was named as an honorable mention from the attack position, as she also had a record 41 assists for the team this year. And joining Westminster-native Baer on the all-conference team-also from a local school but from Carroll County rival Winters Mill-was junior goalie Leanne Hollinger, who was first in saves in the CC with 169 and was second in save percentage (.494).
“It is a huge honor to be named to the Centennial Conference team,” McDonald said. “I think it is a great for our team to have four members named to the list. It is just a sample of the kind of talent that our team exhibits.”
And the amazing thing is that a lot of this team will be back for next year. McDonald and Fluty will be gone, but other players will be there to fill the void left by the seven seniors graduating. Two girls who caught the attention of her coach were Ceri Miller, who got MVP for her consistent defense along with Steph Nichols, who almost started every game this year. She also expects a lot of senior leadership next year from girls like Baer, Hollinger, Emma Ardolino, and Erin Hopkins, who Bliss expects back next year due to an injury redshirt. Bliss expects a lot out of her squad next year, and hopefully they make a return to normalcy based on their success from year’s past.
But that doesn’t mean Bliss doesn’t expect a few surprises along the way.
“That is what makes the job so much fun and interesting every year.”