CENTER VALLEY, Pa. – Colgate claimed two of the five Patriot League Women’s Lacrosse weekly awards when the first round of honors for the 2020 season was announced by the League office on Monday. Holy Cross, Lehigh and Navy each received one apiece.
Colgate junior midfielder Danielle Van Calcar garnered her second career weekly honor and first Patriot League Midfielder of the Week with a game-high seven points on six goals against Marist. Van Calcar received rookie of the week honors on April 2, 2018. Raiders’ senior goalkeeper Samantha Croston collected her third career weekly honor by claiming Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Week. She made 15 saves in a 14-9 win over Marist.
Holy Cross sophomore Jolie Creo received Patriot League Attacker of the Week after her tallying five points on four goals and one assist in the Crusaders’ 10-8 win over defending MAAC champion Fairfield on Saturday.
Navy sophomore defender Gil Eby was selected as the Patriot League Defensive Player of the Week after picking up five ground balls and causing four turnovers to anchor the Mids’ defense in an overtime loss against No. 8 Virginia. Eby picked up five of Navy’s 12 ground balls during the season opener.
Lehigh freshman Gabby Schneider finished with a team-high five points on two goals and three assists to earn Patriot League Rookie of the Week after the Mountain Hawks 16-5 win over Iona.
Bucknell junior attacker Eve Calabria and sophomore defender Abby Neff, Colgate freshman attacker Eliza Soutter, Holy Cross junior defender Emily DeMaso and sophomore goalkeeper Grace Flink and Lehigh senior midfielder Sondra Dickey all received weekly honorable mentions.
PATRIOT LEAGUE IN THE POLLS
Defending Patriot League champion Loyola Maryland enters the season ranked in three national polls. The Greyhounds are No. 11 in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) and
Inside Lacrosse Preseason Polls in addition to being ranked No. 15 in the US Lacrosse Poll. Navy was ranked No. 15 by the IWLCA, No. 16 by US Lacrosse and No. 17 by
Inside Lacrosse prior to its season opener against No. 8 Virginia.
NEW FACES ON PATRIOT LEAGUE SIDELINES
Four Patriot League programs are playing their first season under the direction of a new head coach. Jackie Dando led Bucknell to an 18-9 victory over Sacred Heart in her debut on Saturday. Colgate Head Coach Kathy Taylor began her tenure in Hamilton, N.Y. with a 14-9 win over Marist. Katie McConnell will make her debut on the Lafayette sideline at Delaware State, and Interim Head Coach Maureen Breslin will lead American at Saint Francis (Pa.), both on Saturday, Feb. 15.
THIS WEEK IN PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S LACROSSE
Upcoming Games (How to Watch)
Tuesday, Feb. 11
Lehigh at UMBC, 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Feb. 12
Marist at Army West Point (PLN), 3 p.m.
Boston College at Boston University (PLN), 4 p.m.
Navy at Saint Joseph’s, 4 p.m.
Bucknell at Binghamton, 4 p.m
Friday, Feb. 14
Niagara at Boston University (PLN), 4 p.m.
Saturday, Feb. 15
Colgate at Vermont, 11:30 a.m.
Johns Hopkins at Loyola Maryland (PLN), Noon
American at Saint Francis (Pa.), 1 p.m.
Army West Point at Columbia, 1 p.m.
Lafayette at Delaware State, 2 p.m.
Bucknell at Hofstra, 2 p.m.
Lehigh at Penn State, 3 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 16
Hartford at Boston University (PLN), Noon
Duke at Navy (PLN), Noon
UMass at Holy Cross, 1 p.m.
PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S LACROSSE ATTAKER OF THE WEEK
Jolie Creo, Holy Cross, So., Attack, Rockville Centre, N.Y./South Side
*Creo tallied a game-high five points on four goals and one assist to lead Holy Cross to a 10-8 victory over defending MAAC champion Fairfield on Saturday.
*The sophomore attacker twice scored to put the Crusaders in front, including a goal at the 23:18 mark in the second half that gave Holy Cross the lead for good.
*Creo also scored Holy Cross’s ninth goal of the game with 15:28 remaining while picking up one ground ball and winning three draw controls.
PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S LACROSSE MIDFIELDER OF THE WEEK
Danielle Van Calcar, Colgate, Jr., Midfielder, Wyckoff, N.J./Ramapo
*Van Calcar finished with a career-high seven points on six goals and one assist to go along with a team-high six draw controls in a 14-9 win over Marist.
*The junior midfielder also picked up three ground balls and had one caused turnover.
*Van Calcar scored five of her six goals after halftime, including the go-ahead goal at the 25:20 mark in the second half to help the Raiders comeback from a three-goal deficit.
PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S LACROSSE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Gil Eby, Navy, So., Defender, Towson, Md./Notre Dame Prep
*Eby led Navy with a career- and game-high of five ground balls and four caused turnovers in an overtime loss to No. 8 Virginia on Saturday.
*The sophomore defender picked up five of the Mids’ 12 ground balls throughout the game against the Cavaliers.
*Eby, the Mids’ lone returning starter on defense from 2019, helped the squad convert 15 of 18 clear attempts while holding Virginia’s offense to 14 goals.
PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S LACROSSE GOALKEEPER OF THE WEEK
Samantha Croston, Colgate, Sr., Goalkeeper, Mount Sinai, N.Y./Mount Sinai
*Croston recorded 15 saves, one shy of her career-high while allowing nine goals in a 14-9 win over Marist on Saturday.
*The senior goalkeeper made seven saves and allowed just one goal in a decisive second half to help the Raiders erase a three-goal deficit.
*Croston posted a League-best .625 save percentage while holding the Red Foxes scoreless for the final 15 minutes of the game.
PATRIOT LEAGUE WOMEN’S LACROSSE ROOKIE OF THE WEEK
Gabby Schneider, Lehigh, Fr., Attack, Smithtown, N.Y./Smithtown East
*Schneider finished with a game-high five points on two goals and three assists in Lehigh’s 16-5 win over Iona.
*The freshman attacker also had one ground ball and two caused turnovers in her collegiate debut.
*Schneider had a hand in two of Lehigh’s first five goals in a game-opening 5-1 run for the Mountain Hawks.
HONORABLE MENTION
Eve Calabria, Bucknell, Jr., Attacker, Ronkonkoma, N.Y./Sachem North
*Calabria finished with a career-high seven points on four goals and three assists to lead Bucknell to an 18-9 victory over Sacred Heart on Sunday.
Abby Neff, Bucknell, So., Defender, Darnestown, Md./Good Counsel
*Neff led an impressive Bucknell defensive effort with seven ground balls and five caused turnovers in an 18-9 victory over Sacred Heart on Saturday. Her seven ground balls were one shy of tying a program record.
Eliza Soutter, Colgate, Fr., Attacker, McLean, Va./The Potomac School
*Soutter scored four goals in her collegiate debut to help Colgate defeat Marist 14-9.
*Three of her goals came during a 7-0 Raiders’ run between the first and second half that erased a two-goal deficit.
Emily DeMaso, Holy Cross, Jr., Defender, Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe
*DeMaso picked up four ground balls and caused three turnovers while helping the Crusaders hold the defending MAAC champion Fairfield to eight goals in a 10-8 win.
Grace Flink, Holy Cross, So., Goalkeeper, Fairfield, Conn./Fairfield Ludlowe
*Flink made 10 saves, including six in the second half to lead the Crusaders to a 10-8 victory over defending MAAC champion Fairfield on Saturday.
Sondra Dickey, Lehigh, Sr., Midfielder, Paoli, Pa./Conestoga
*Dickey posted game-highs in goals (4), draw controls (4), caused turnovers (4) and ground balls (3) in Lehigh’s 16-5 victory over Iona on Friday.
*The senior midfielder also became Lehigh’s career leader in draw controls, currently with 173.
Attacker of the Week
2.10 – Jolie Creo, Holy Cross, So., A
Midfielder of the Week
2.10 – Danielle Van Calcar, Colgate, Jr. M
Defensive Player of the Week
2.10 – Gil Eby, Navy, So., D
Goalkeeper of the Week
2.10 – Samantha Croston, Colgate, Sr., GK
Rookie of the Week
2.10 – Gabby Schneider, Lehigh, Fr., A
ABOUT THE PATRIOT LEAGUE
The Patriot League is in its fourth decade of academic and athletic achievement, continually demonstrating that student-athletes can excel at both academics and athletics without sacrificing high standards. The Patriot League’s athletic success is achieved while its member institutions remain committed to its founding principle of admitting and graduating student-athletes that are academically representative of their class. Participation in athletics at Patriot League institutions is viewed as an important component of a well-rounded education.