The William Smith College lacrosse team will open the 2010 season this Sat., Mar. 6, when the Herons host Nazareth on McCooey Field at 2 p.m. William Smith began the year ranked 14th in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association's (IWLCA) preseason poll, after posting an 11-4 overall record in 2009.

Offensively, the Herons lost only one major contributor to graduation from last year's team, fourth-leading scorer Michaela Parnell '09 (25 goals-7 assists-32 points), but the defensive end of the field is a different story. William Smith will miss starting defenders womenslacrosse.com All-American Torie Allen '09 (56 ground balls, 51 draw controls, 30 caused turnovers) and All-Liberty League pick Karin LeBlanc '09 (32 GB, 13 CT), as well as all-conference goalkeeper Becky Josefiak '09, who led the league with a .532 save percentage last spring.

The good news is the Herons return eight of their top-9 scorers from last spring. Three-time All-Liberty League and all-region selection, senior attacker Molly Fitzgerald, and reigning Liberty League Rookie of the Year, sophomore midfielder Lucy Johnson, headline the group. They paced the offense last year with 52 and 50 points, respectively, combining for more than one-third of William Smith's goals, and seven of its 11 game-winners. 

Here's a position-by-position look at the 2010 Herons:

Attack:

Senior Sarah Goodkind and junior Cassie Findlay both started all 15 games last season and return to join Fitzgerald as the Herons' top attackers. Goodkind shared the team lead with Johnson in assists (13), and ranked third on the team in goals (30) and points (43), while Findlay finished with 16 goals and five helpers.

Sophomores Rosie Scheibel, Katherine Vesce, and Christine Abramo also return to the offensive third of the field. Scheibel, who was selected to the 2009 Liberty League All-Tournament Team, will challenge for a spot in the starting lineup this year after tallying 18 goals and three assists in 12 games as a rookie, while the offseason improvement of Vesce (2-2-4) and Abramo will earn them both more time on the field. Last year they saw action in seven and six games, respectively.

First-year Emily Leahy will add depth to the low attack. Look for her to be an impact player as she gains experience and consistency.

Midfield:

Returning with Johnson to lead a deep and talented group of midfielders is senior Brittany Callaghan, who ranked fifth on the team in points (26) after tallying 17 goals and nine assists in 2009. Juniors Kara Grogan and Lexi Walston, and sophomores Callie Frelinghuysen and Kathryn Gillan, are also experienced midfielders returning to the fold. Grogan contributed eight goals and three helpers last spring, while Frelinghuysen will look to pick up where she left off after starting 13 games and notching nine goals and 11 assists. Gillan (0-1-1) and Walston (2-1-3) played in 10 and six games, respectively. Both play with control and experience, and should step into larger roles on the field this season.

First-years Katherine Dexter, Marissa Potter, Kathleen Ragan, and Liz Seidel will bolster the midfield. Dexter is a quiet, consistent player who can play both offense and defense, while Potter, a great ball handler, will provide depth at center and attack. Ragan is an aggressive, quick scorer who will challenge for time, and Seidel is working her way back to full strength after being setback by injury in the preseason. She'll add depth as a defensive midfielder. All four are talented and getting stronger everyday.

Defense:

On defense, sophomore Megan Brophy is the lone returning starter. Senior Katie Harrington and junior Francesca DeLuca are the only other experienced defenders returning to the unit. Brophy started all 14 games she played in, collecting 20 ground balls, six draw controls, and nine caused turnovers, while Harrington (4 GB, 3 DC, 3 CT) started five of the eight games she played in. DeLuca saw action in four contests.

First-years Megan Marra and Mary Kate Renehan will also vie to fill the holes left by Allen and LeBlanc. Marra is a very fluid player with great stick skills, while Renehan is a vocal low-line defender who has already shown great leadership skills.

In goal, first-year Jesse Wilson will immediately step into a starting role. Athletic and tenacious on the field, Wilson has taken the step from high school to college in stride. The composure and poise she's shown in preseason action will only improve over the course of the season.

The Herons' 2010 schedule features four opponents that were ranked in the IWLCA's preseason poll. William Smith will host Liberty League rivals No. 4 Hamilton (April 17) and No. 9 Union (April 30), as well as non-conference foe No. 13 Cortland (April 14). The Herons will also travel to No. 18 St. John Fisher on March 23.