2012 Season Outlook

First-year head coach Lauren Wray returns an experienced squad that finished in a tie for third place within the league standings last spring and will rely, partly, on a pair of decorated seniors in their last go-round with the Fords.

Josie Ferri earned a third-team Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-American selection in 2011 and led the Centennial in game-winning goals with six during the season.

Ferri was an IWLCA All-Metro Region player (first team) along with goalie Leah Hammerschlag (second team) whose goals against average of 8.73 per game was fifth-best in the league.

On the Attack
Ferri is joined on a dynamic attack by fellow seniors Alexa Pesce, Jen Schmidt and Alexis Bond. Though Ferri led the team in points, goals and assists last season, Wray will be looking for a well-balanced offense in 2012, one that gains contributions from several players in the attacking end. The unpredictability of where the offense is generated from should make the Fords more difficult to defend.

In the bridge from defense to offense, midfielder Perrin Downing will be looked upon for both her poise and leadership, as well as for her transitional speed and skills.

On defense
Hammerschlag, an all-conference selection in 2011, will anchor the defense this spring and she will need to be vocal with several new faces popping up on the last line of defense in front of her cage.

Junior Grace Stockbower and sophomore Anne Cullen are back again in front of Hammerschlag, and the defensive duo will be looked toward to keep a young -- but quick and energetic -- unit cohesive while also building momentum and experience throughout the schedule.

What the 2012 schedule brings
On the slate this spring is a line-up dotted with experienced and nationally-ranked squads.

Following a season opener (Wednesday, Feb. 29, 4 p.m.) against a seasoned University of Scranton squad, the Fords' non-conference slate also includes preseason No. 11 Catholic University, No. 13 Washington & Lee College and No. 20 Elizabethtown College.

Within the conference, Haverford has the good fortune of squaring off at home against the three Centennial teams in the preseason top-20 -- No. 1 and defending national champion Gettysburg College, No. 6 Franklin & Marshall College and No. 19 Dickinson College.

What to expect in 2012
Don't look for the Fords to slow the pace down much this spring. Wray plans for the balanced attack to generate quick-scoring strikes, often off a fast transition game keyed by midfielders such as Perrin. The speed in the offensive end should also be evident in an aggressive style the defense will exhibit, sparking the transition game.

2011 Season Review

Signature Win: Haverford’s 8-7 win over McDaniel on March 26 was its first in 10 tries. The Fords scored the game’s last four goals to overcome a three-goal deficit in the final 12:20. Previously, the Fords’ last win over the Green Terror was in 2001 (11-9 at Haverford) when McDaniel was known as Western Maryland.

Season Notes: The Fords went 10-7 overall and made the Centennial Conference tournament for the second straight season.  Josie Ferri ranked in the Centennial Conference’s top-five in five different categories: game-winning goals (first-six), goals (third-51), points (third-73), caused turnovers (third-34) and free-position goals (fourth-13). Leah Hammerschlag was fourth in the conference in saves (107), sixth in goals against average (8.73) and seventh in save percentage (.446). `

Postseason Awards: All-Centennial Conference: Josie Ferri (first team), Kristin Sockett (second team), Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds (second team), Leah Hammerschlag (second team), Alexa Pesce (honorable mention). Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll: Perrin Downing, Josie Ferri, Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds, Molly Jordan, Caroline Malapero, Liz Mayell, Kristin Sockett.

Looking Ahead: The scoring punch of the Fords will remain mostly in-tact with the return of Ferri, Perrin Downing (24 goals, eight assists) and Alexa Pesce (18 goals, 17 assists). Haverford will lose Kayleigh Herrick-Reynolds to graduation. She recorded 25 goals and 12 assists in her senior season. Hammerschlag will be under more pressure in goal in 2010 as Haverford graduates its entire back line of Molly Jordan, Liz Mayell, Kristin Sockett and Caroline Malapero. Mayell, Sockett and Malapero started in all 17 games in 2011 and Jordan was in the starting line-up 15 times.