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Blue Devils open ambitious 2017 campaign today in Granville, Ohio

Fredonia women’s lacrosse receives the distinction of being the first Blue Devil spring team in action when it opens its season today against Denison at Granville, Ohio.The swing through Ohio also includes a stop in Alliance for a Sunday afternoon meeting with the Mount Union Purple Raiders.

Head coach Amy Simon brings the Blue Devils into the new season off a 7-10 mark in 2016. Nine players return, including seven starters. Here’s a breakdown heading into the 2017 season:

GOALKEEPERS

For the last two seasons, it’s been all Nicole Burrows. She enters her junior season with a two-year record of 24-14, including a stellar freshman campaign as part of Fredonia’s run to the NCAA Division III quarterfinal round. While her goals-against average increased by just over one goal per game in 2016, her save percentage improved — from 46.1 percent in 2015 to 47.4 percent last year. Her next career save will be her 300th and only two other Fredonia keepers have had more. Burrows, however, will have back-up this season in freshman Lauren Spencer.

DEFENDERS

Three players return, yet just one starter: senior Joelle Kadi. Kadi collected 11 ground balls in 14 games last season, her first at Fredonia after transferring from Erie Community College. Kirsten Green, a senior who took up the sport last spring, appeared in just three games and Olivia Miller, a sophomore, appeared in just one game last season. So it stands to reason there will be playing time available for one or more of the freshman newcomers, which includes Paige Bauch, Kaycie Malyk and Joshua Hosein-Brzoza.

MIDFIELDERS

Audrey Yokopovich is one of two returning All-SUNYAC players on this year’s team. A junior, Yokopovich was named to the All-SUNYAC Third Team after tying with Kristie Kleine for the lead in points at 46. She had 31 goals — four of which were game-winners — and 15 assists.

Yokopovich was second on the team to Burrows (46) in ground balls with 42, and like Burrows, she has been a starter for the Blue Devils since her freshman campaign, appearing in 48 games over that time span. Her two-year total of 62 goals ties her for 20th on the Fredonia career list while her 80 career points is just short of cracking the program’s Top 20.

Rejoining Yokopovich in the midfield is sophomore Samantha Spiess, who put up solid numbers as a freshmen (15 goals, five assists, 22 draws). Another sophomore, Jade Williams, started most of last season as an attacker, where she chipped in with 20 goals, yet she will likely see time in the midfield this spring.

Karly Torppey, another sophomore and two-year women’s soccer veteran, and freshmen Laurel Becker and Madeline Haney will see their playing time increase as they learn to adjust to playing both ends of the field.

ATTACKERS

Katie Miller is the other all-conference returnee. Entering her senior season, Miller had 32 goals last season — doubling her total from the previous season — and accumulated 40 points and 28 draw controls, totals that put her among the Blue Devils’ team leaders. An accurate shooter, Miller has connected on 45.3 percent of her total shots in her two seasons in a Blue Devil uniform. Joining her is the seventh returning starter, sophomore Monica Van Donsel, who authored nine goals in 17 games as a freshmen. Haney, and sophomores Tara Keohane and Jen Kershner are the newcomers.

KEY LOSSES

Three players graduated, including defender Jessica Tuttle, who remains with the program as an assistant coach. Also not back is All-SUNYAC selection Kristie Kleine, who chose not to return for her senior season.

STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE

The schedule is ambitious. Starting with both teams this weekend, the Blue Devils play eight 2016 NCAA Tournament teams. Franklin & Marshall and perennial SUNYAC champ Cortland advanced to last year’s semifinal round. Gettysburg made it to the quarterfinals. Denison has won the North Coast Athletic Conference four years running while Mount Union is seeking its fourth-straight Ohio Athletic Conference flag. Roger Williams is picked to win the Commonwealth Coast Conference title and St. John Fisher and Brockport were 2016 NCAA teams and are nationally ranked in this year’s pre-season polls. In fact, the Blue Devils play four of the top six and five of the top nine in the IWLCA rankings.

SIMON SAYS

The third-year coach and former Blue Devil standout could face another transition year, the second straight in the wake of 2014’s record-setting campaign, which included a 17-4 overall record, a SUNYAC semifinal win, and two NCAA Tournament wins.

“We’re very young this year with only five upperclassmen,” Simon said. “But the new players are adjusting rather well and the younger girls from last year have brought their game to the next level. With their skill improvement and the experience they have playing at the college level, it should bring a new look for us this year. We have a lot more versatility this year … it allows me to shift players around and make adjustments without throwing us off balance.”

Swimming & Diving

Bartlett, Carlson qualify for NCAA meet

ITHACA — Two Fredonia divers have qualified for the NCAA Division III meet as a result of their scores Friday at the Region 4 meet.

Arron Carlson won the men’s 1-meter with 550.35 points. It is an event in which he finished second last year at the NCAA meet.

Meghan Bartlett finished second in the women’s 3-meter with an 11-dive score of 489.40 points. She trailed only Ithaca’s Nickie Griesemen, who posted 495.85 points.

Bartlett finished third last year in the NCAA 3-meter.

The Region 4 competition resumes today with the women’s 1-meter and the men’s 3-meter beginning at noon.

The meet is being held at Ithaca College.

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