Keating, Perticone, Carroll Ready to Lead Women’s Lacrosse

With the conference playoffs of winter sports coming to a close, spring sports practices are well underway. Although the crisp Vermont weather may not be ready for women’s lacrosse to get on the outdoor turf, the Panthers are ready to dive into another season. After losing in the NCAA Regional Final against The College of New Jersey last year, they are ready to avenge their defeat and get another NCAA ring for their collection, after taking the sixth national title in 2016.

Middlebury loses four players from last season’s team that finished second in the Nescac and lost in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament.

“We lost four key teammates to graduation, but gained eight incredible first years and have twenty-four uniquely excellent returners on the 2018 squad,” said Evie Keating ’18, one of Middlebury’s three team captains. “We’re lucky to have such a wide range of skill sets and personalities on our team and to have so many great leaders within each class. Definitely don’t sleep on the first-years. We have the best 2021s out there! Each one of them has so much to offer to the team both on and off the field. They will certainly be large contributors to the team’s success this year.”

Kate Livesay, a former Middlebury defender, enters her third season as head coach of the Panthers. The four-time Nescac Coach of the Year, she coached Trinity before returning to her alma mater, and two-time national champion will attempt to push her team towards another championship season.

Katie Ritter ’15 is Livesay’s newest assistant coach. During her playing career at Middlebury, Ritter was a two-time All-American. Ritter knows the ins and outs of Panther lacrosse, in addition to being a Middlebury native, and the girls are thrilled to have her on the coaching staff.

Hayden Garrett ’20, who had been sidelined with an ACL injury for first season, commented on Katie Ritter joining the coaching staff.

“Katie Ritter has been an amazing addition to our coaching staff this season and she brings excitement and enthusiasm to our team, as well as a deep knowledge of the game,” said Hayden Garrett ’20. “One of my favorite things about our coaching staff is that both grew up in the town, graduated from Middlebury, and have so many personal connections to the community.”

The team has been training hard over the course of the last few months to get ready for their first matchups in the following weeks. They worked to get their fitness back and on more technical skills.

Middlebury returns its second and third leading scorers from last season, Emma McDonagh ’19 and Hollis Perticone ’18. Perticone was the 2017 Nescac Player of the Year, and scored 33 goals, along with assisting on 11 more. McDonagh tallied 40 goals and 15 assists, and Georgia Carroll ’18 scored 9 goals and assisted on 14 more in only 13 games.

Sara DiCenso ’19 returns in the midfield after starting all 21 games last season. Keating and Alex White ’19 will bolster the Middlebury defense.

The Panther’s opening day will be on Saturday, March 3 on the road against Bates followed by a matchup against Springfield on Sunday, March 4.