William Smith College first-year
Lucy Johnson was named the Liberty League Women’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Year today, and was one of six Herons selected to the all-conference teams. The Liberty League’s annual postseason awards are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Johnson, along with senior
Torie Allen and junior
Molly Fitzgerald, earned a spot on the All-Liberty League first team, seniors
Becky Josefiak and
Karin LeBlanc garnered second team recognition, and senior
Michaela Parnell received honorable mention.
Johnson leads the Herons in assists (13) and shares the team lead in points (50). She ranks second on the team in goals (37), game-winning goals (3), ground balls (35), and draws (26). Johnson ranks eighth in the Liberty League in points per game (3.57) and assists per game (0.93), and ninth in goals per game (2.64). She recorded a season-high seven points (6g, 1a) at Clarkson on April 4, and was tabbed the league's Rookie of the Week four times this season.
Only three Herons have recorded more points (Amy Hoover 72 in ’92; Megan Shea 60 in ’00; Heather Dwinell 60 in ’87) or scored more goals (Dwinell 54 in ’87; Hoover 39 in ’92; Shea 39 in ’00) in their first season. Johnson also ranks among the most successful first-years in draw controls, needing six more to match teammate
Sarah Goodkind’s 2007 standard (32).
Allen is William Smith’s top defender. She leads the team in draws (48), ground balls (52), and caused turnovers (27). Allen is second in the conference in both draws per game (3.43) and ground balls per game (3.71) and third in caused turnovers (1.93). Her single game highs in ground balls (8 at Hamilton), draws (6 vs. Messiah & Ithaca), and caused turnovers (4 vs. Vassar) are the most by a Heron this season.
A two-time All-Liberty League first team pick, Allen holds the William Smith career record for draws (121) and ranks second in caused turnovers (81) and ninth in ground balls (162).
Fitzgerald sports a team-high 40 goals and shares the points lead with Johnson. She notched a career-high seven goals and eight points against Brockport this season. Only seven Herons have scored more goals in a game. Fitzgerald has 111 career goals and 41 career assists for 152 points. She was named the Liberty League Offensive Performer of the Week twice this season.
Making her third straight appearance on the All-Liberty League teams, Fitzgerald moved up to the first team following back-to-back second team recognition. She has also earned all-region honors in each of the past two seasons.
Josefiak has played every minute in goal this season. She leads the conference and ranks eighth in the nation in save percentage (.541) and is third in the league and 19th in the nation in goals against average (8.72). She made a career-high 17 saves at Hamilton earlier this month. Josefiak was tabbed the Liberty League Defensive Performer of the Week twice this season. A 2007 second team All-Liberty League pick as well, she has 323 career saves, a 9.22 career GAA, a .522 career save percentage, and a 24-6 record.
A starter on defense in all 14 games this season, LeBlanc earned her first all-conference recognition after registering 28 ground balls, 12 caused turnovers, five draws, a goal and an assist. She collected a season-high five ground balls against St. John Fisher and caused a season-high three turnovers against Vassar. A two-year starter, LeBlanc has two goals, two assists, 104 ground balls, 38 caused turnovers, and 10 draws in 60 career games.
Also a first time all-conference honoree, Parnell is fourth on the team in goals (24) and points (31) and sixth in draws (15) this season. She matched her career-high with five goals at Skidmore. A four-year starter, Parnell has amassed 76 goals, 22 assists, 69 ground balls, 41 draws, and 22 caused turnovers in 63 career games.
William Smith is ranked 13th in the nation in the latest coaches poll. The Herons (11-3) are back in action on May 1, when they square off against No. 8 Hamilton (12-2) in the semifinals of the Liberty League Tournament in Schenectady, N.Y. The winner will advance to the conference championship game at 2 p.m. on May 2.
Fans can follow the Herons’ quest for their third Liberty League Tournament title on
WHWS-FM (105.7) and on the
tournament Web site with Live Stats and streaming video.