A Year Wiser, Sophomores Ready To Bring ‘A’ Game

The Harvard women’s lacrosse class of 2013 arrived on campus last fall with high expectations.

From game one, four players from Crimson coach Lisa Miller’s second recruiting class were featured in the starting lineup and were expected to put up numbers.

The group did not disappoint.

By the season’s end, the Harvard rookies combined for 112 of the Crimson’s 176 goals—good for 64 percent. Two Crimson freshmen picked up all-Ivy honors, while Jennifer VanderMeulen earned the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award.

But entering the 2011 season, expectations are even higher for Harvard’s class of 2013.

If the Crimson is to qualify for the Ivy League playoffs—something it fell one game short of doing in 2010—and to make a run at the conference title, it will need its sophomores to not only produce on the field, but also to step into new leadership roles.

“I think with the task that we were given freshman year, we stepped up to the challenge,” said VanderMeulen, who notched a league-leading 56 goals during her rookie campaign. “I think we’re ready to step up as leaders ourselves and take control.”

Part of taking on new leadership responsibilities has meant guiding the Crimson’s latest crop of 11 freshmen, helping them adjust to college lacrosse, and teaching them Harvard’s system.

“I think [the sophomores] are talking a lot more,” tri-captain Sam McMahon said. “In the huddles, they’ll say, ‘No, you’re supposed to be there’—they’ll cold call people.”

But according to junior tri-captain Melanie Baskind, the legacy left by the group has been almost as valuable as its words.

“The freshmen last year definitely set the example in terms of [showing that] everyone on this team is the same grade once you get on the field,” Baskind said. “If anything, it’s setting the tone for every class to come. I think the freshmen this year have certainly seen how that happened last year and the potential role that there is to play.”

And on the field, Harvard’s sophomores could be even more dangerous than a season ago.

VanderMeulen, a 5’8” lefty attacker, spent the summer and preseason developing her right hand in anticipation of new defensive strategies that she expects opposing coaches to throw at her.

“[Being left-handed] was definitely to my advantage last year because people generally didn’t know me, so I could go left every time,” VanderMeulen said. “I’ve definitely been working a lot on my right hand.”

But even with her improved skill set, VanderMeulen understands that she might not be able to post 56 goals again this season, given the expected return of junior attacker Jess Halpern, who suffered a season-ending knee injury a year ago, and the addition of talented freshman attacker Jenn Leffew.

According to VanderMeulen, that is not a problem.

“Last year, I was definitely lacking in my assist column. I don’t like that. I like team offense,” said VanderMeulen, who finished 2010 with 10 assists. “[If] instead of having 56 goals, I have 30 goals and 20 assists, I would much rather prefer that.”

Micaela Cyr and Danielle Tetreault are two of VanderMeulen’s classmates who should reap the benefits of the attacker’s focus on distributing the ball.

Last season, Cyr—a 5’6” midfielder—got off to a slow start but ended the year with a bang, notching 11 goals in the Crimson’s final five contests. Cyr finished the season third on the Harvard squad in scoring with 19 goals and first in draw controls with 36. For her strong finish, Cyr received an All-Ivy honorable mention.

Tetreault also had a solid rookie campaign, totaling 20 goals and 10 assists.

But both Tetreault and Cyr’s numbers could see a bump this season.

“Everyone has stepped up so much. Danielle and Micaela come to mind at the moment, because they’re not afraid to go to goal,” VanderMeulen said. “I think our season last year gave them so much more confidence.”

But Tetreault, Cyr, and VanderMeulen aren’t the only three sophomores expected to make a major impact for the Crimson this year.

Nina Kucharczyk, who entered the starting lineup midway through the 2010 season, should see increased playing time at midfield from game one this spring.

“Nina is one of the fastest people I know,” Tetreault said. “No one can catch her when she decides to go to goal.”

If the Crimson is to improve on last year’s 3-4 conference record, it will need its talented sophomore class to step up—whether on the field or in a leadership role.

“We took it pretty hard on ourselves to lose...big games or make rookie mistakes [last year],” VanderMeulen said. “We’re not going to make the same mistakes this year. We’ve been through a season, and we know what it’s like. We don’t want to play the youth card anymore.”

—Staff writer Martin Kessler can be reached at martin.kessler@college.harvard.edu.