Given their success across the board on the field and their strong relationships off the field, it is hard to attribute the team's success to one senior. Each senior is an integral part of the team unit. All seven women start. All contribute to the fast-paced, high-scoring, tight-defense style characteristic of Amherst lacrosse. "When they all can contribute something different, it makes for a pretty dynamic group of leaders as a whole," explained Assistant Coach Carol Knerr. "They are all different and unique in their own way."
Alyssa Briody of Hopewell, N.J., is the most decorated Jeff, earning a slew of awards in her three years at Amherst, including a Second Team All-American nod from IWLCA/U.S. Lacrosse and All-American awards from a variety of lacrosse publications last year. The coaches say the quad-captain is a "very unselfish player" and "a great leader on our attack." Briody's ability to both feed and challenge makes her a double threat. The coaches characterize Briody: "A great player under pressure; she gets the job done when the game is on the line."
Lauren Dudley is considered by the coaches as the team's "true workhorse" and "the glue that holds the midfield together." They say the quad-captain Baltimore, Md., native has improved significantly and is "consistent, smart and a good team leader."
The Jeffs find a highly skilled and competitive attacker who helps lead the attack in Dana Kuper. "Dynamic" is how the coaches characterize the attacker from Denver, Colo. Also from Denver is quad-captain Rachel Lewis. Lewis is known to be "a powerful and fluid midfielder," according to the coaches, "who plays in both the attacking and defensive ends of the field." Her "great heart and hustle" are particularly valued by the team.
Quad-captain Maggie Roth of Berwyn, Pa., is a tough and aggressive defender who leads the team in caused turnovers. Amherst's solid defensive core has the lowest goals against average in the league. Roth is known as a vocal and competitive player.
Emery Sweeney of Darien, Conn. possesses great athleticism and speed. Her "never say die" attitude makes her one of the Jeffs' best defenders, and she is also pivotal to the team's transition game.
Last, but not least is, according to the coaches, "a very smart player in all areas of the field," Liz Wise, a midfielder from Scarsdale, N.Y., is the team's key to possessing the ball in transition.
Whether it is the cold, late-night practices on the UMass turf during preseason or the team's tremendous success that has included trips to the NCAA Tournament in each of the three years the seniors have been on the team, or the heartbreaking losses that have ended phenomenal seasons, the women's lacrosse team is a close-knit group of women. "We're like a family," said Roth.
Dudley explained that the seniors have gone through a lot together and they all know the ins and outs of their styles of play. After playing together for such a long time, the seniors can really trust each other on the field. "We all know each other in a way no one else can no each other, in ways only a teammate can know one another," Lewis said.
Paradis said that this year the seniors have been taking "each day, each game one step at a time," knowing that if they can accomplish the little steps along the way, they will achieve their ultimate goal of a trip to the NCAA Tournament and hopefully the Final Four. "They're doing everything they can," Paradis described, although the women take nothing for granted and have never let the pre-season accolades go to their heads. The women say they want to pass on the legacy of going to the Final Four to the younger players who haven't yet experienced the thrill.
In the meantime, the women are focused on a tough schedule this week that includes a match up against Trinity College today and a highly-anticipated home game against the Jeffs' traditionally most difficult opponent, Middlebury College. The seniors on the team have never beaten Middlebury and hope to end that unfortunate streak this Saturday. "It's a big week for us, but I think we're ready," predicted Paradis.
Win or lose, shot scored or shot scored-on, the Jeffs come together after every goal and put their sticks in the air to unite, collect themselves and go back out, ready to play. Of the distinct tradition, Roth explained, "We're a team. It doesn't matter if we're winning or losing. We're always going to keep our heads up," Under the leadership of one of the deepest senior classes in recent Amherst history, the women lacrosse team is expected to attain great heights this season.