For RPI Head Coach Leslie Khachadourian and the women’s lacrosse team, this year will certainly be a test. The Red Hawks lost a few important players to graduation last season including leading scorer Hilary Lahn, a regional All-American, as well as four-year goaltender Megan Gaul. While both are significant losses and key positions to fill, Khachadourian is confident in her team.
“We have a small team this year, with only 17 players on the active roster [12 will be on the field at one time], but I believe this can work out to our advantage,” said Khachadourian. She added, “Because we are small, everyone is responsible to do their part and knows specifically what they need to get done strategically in terms of settling the ball, or when to force the opponent to do so ... I think we are savvy in that aspect of the game.”
While the team’s small size looks to possibly be an advantage, it may also end up being a weakness. It is apparent that if there are any injuries, the versatility in the Red Hawk lineup will be hampered, and the already short-staffed team would be in a hole. The fact that all league games are back-to-back means a wear-and-tear schedule, which potentially poses a problem of durability for Rensselaer over the course of the season.
Competition this year looks to be intense from virtually every team in the Liberty League, which boasts the reputation of the second strongest conference in Division III women’s lacrosse. RPI wasn’t the only school to suffer key losses due to graduation, and as a result, while there may have been some disparity in years past in the strength of the teams across the board, that is not the case this year.
With William Smith already ranked, and Skidmore, Union, and Hamilton undoubtedly able to join them over the course of the season, the Red Hawks will have their work cut out for them, though Khachadourian is confident that her team will be able to compete with the league’s best.
“Every game will be a battle this year, much as it was last year. This past season we lost a lot of close games including some crucial ones down the stretch, but we were there each game and we will be again this year,” said the optimistic coach. And with the way the team has progressed from last year to this season, paired with the leadership of some very talented players, why shouldn’t she be confident?
RPI, as Khacadrouian puts it, had to deal with a lot of mental battles last season in terms of tough situations and tight contests. Expectations were very high, and the team lacked consistency from game to game. But with key players such as junior Michelle Michalenko, an important defensive cog who transferred from the SUNY Albany, sophomore Carly Strife who plays both ends of the field, freshman midfield Kerri Clark, and talented senior Kate Phillips and sophomore Natalie White all primed for making impacts, Rensselaer appears to have many important pieces of their team already established.
Realistic goals for this season as stated by Khachadourian include a winning record, and more importantly, the chance to contend and participate in the Championship Weekend for the Liberty League.
The Red Hawks got off to a good start this season going 2-1 in their first three games. This past week, however, the women scuffled, losing games to Skidmore and Union and dropping their record to 2-3.
In their league opener versus the Thoroughbreds at Skidmore Stadium, RPI lost a tough game 15-4. Skidmore was led by freshman Elise Britt who had four goals and an assist. Goalkeeper Sarah Berheide, one of the Liberty League’s standout players, stopped eight shots and certainly tested the Red Hawks.
Rensselaer was paced by Strife and Clark, both tallying two goals and an assist.
Saturday, RPI was on the road again to take on Union. The Dutchwomen drew first blood with an early score from junior Stephanie Cronan. White would answer back for the Red Hawks seconds later, but Union would retake the lead soon after.
After Clark tied the game back up at two, the Dutchwomen would make a short run and increase the lead to four, 6-2.
Rensselaer, however, was able to take some momentum of their own into the half, scoring three unanswered goals from Clark as well as Phillips and White, making the score 6-5 heading into halftime.
Though it remained close early when play resumed, Union broke the game open with an eight-goal barrage, shutting the door on the Red Hawks and sealing the game as they would go on to win by a score of 14-9.
The Red Hawks return to action next Tuesday when they take on Western New England College, a final matchup on the road before the women return home for a four-game homestand.
