After a program record breaking 13 victories, the Women's Lacrosse team looks to win its first game in the NE-10 tournament. Photo Courtesy of Pace Athletics.
In previous seasons, women’s lacrosse players knew they had one more year. There was always one more year to improve, break records, win playoff games and exceed expectations.
However, there was no more “one more year” this season for the 12 seniors on the roster. The seniors, and the rest of the team, knew they had to make this year the best they could–and they did.
After scoring a program record 26 goals against Franklin Pierce in Saturday’s Senior Day game, the Setters have now won an impressive 13 games this season–the most in the program’s history.
This feat is especially notable for the 2018 senior class, considering most of them have been on the team since the start of the program in 2015 and has seen the team increase its win total each year.
The Setters’ mentality has been to go “all-in” this season, an approach that fits nicely with the system Molfetta brought in this year, along with the new 90-second shot clock rule in college lacrosse.
The 2018 season not only brought in a new coach and system for the Setters, but also the programs first-ever win against a top 5 ranked team, which they did against LIU Post, one of the most formidable programs in the nation.
After being down three goals, the Setters came back and pulled off the upset against the then-ranked No.2 team in Division-II.
If there was one criticism that can be held against the women’s lacrosse program, it would be the lack of postseason success. The team has made the NE-10 tournament the previous two seasons, but have not won a single game.
However, the resiliency the team showed against LIU, along with a new attack approach and the large senior class, is what Perez believes will aid them when the postseason arrives.
The Setters enter the postseason with a single purpose: Win its first NE-10 tournament game and attempt to win it all.
That goal will be more achievable now than ever because the Setters will open the postseason at home–where they are 9-0 this season–against Bentley in the program’s first-ever home playoff game.
Molfetta and the team broke down the season in compartments before the year began: preseason, early non-conference games, March and April conference games and postseason. In the beginning of each compartment, the Setters have the mentality that it is a new season, a strategy they hope will lead to success in the NE-10 tournament.
The Setters will take on No. 19 Bentley this Wednesday night at Pace Stadium in the opening NE-10 tournament game.