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Staten Island, NY - The Wagner women's lacrosse team will kick off the 2012 season on Saturday, February 18 when the Seahawks play host to the Villanova Wildcats of the BIG EAST Conference/
Wagner, under the tutelage of fourth-year head coach Cristina Curiala, a Rutgers graduate who starred for the Scarlet Knights from 2000-2004, boats a host of productive returning players along with seven highly-regarded freshmen.
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The 2012 Seahawks will be led by a quartet of captains, proven veterans who are excited to improve upon last season's 4-12 record. Senior midfielders Carolyn Clark (Syracuse, NY /Westhill) and Lauren Petrik (Baldwinsville, NY/ C.W. Baker), along with senior midfielder Denieda McCullough (Freeport, NY/ Freeport) and junior attacker Erika Bulken (Syracuse, NY/ C.W. Baker) are the four captains charged with leading the way for the 2012 Seahawks.
"Similar to many of their teammates, these captains are true competitors and work with the team to maintain a high level of intensity, teamwork and leadership on and off the field,” said Curiale. “Carolyn, Lauren, Dia and Erika all lead by example. They are truly invested, working with the team to bring out the full potential of every athlete. Their individual dynamics and personalities provide a unique dimension to connect with every member of the team."
Clark been one of the most dangerous scorers in the Northeast Conference (NEC) throughout her highly-productive career. Last season, she paced the Seahawks with 37 points on the strength of a team-high 29 goals to go with eight assists. She also added 28 draw controls, 24 groundballs and nine caused turnovers. Her high-water mark of her season was a sensational five-goal, two-assist outing in a victory over Presbyterian. She also tallied four-goal games vs. LIU, Saint Francis (PA) and Bryant. The crafty Clark enters her senior season tied for sixth on the Wagner all-time career list in goals (96), eighth in total points (113) and eighth in shots (223). She also enters the 2012 campaign tied for fifth in career draw controls (83). A business administration major, Clark has earned a spot on the NEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Petrik is one of the top playmakers in the NEC. Blessed with excellent field visions and instincts, she ranked fourth in the NEC in 2011 with 1.5 assists per game. Her team-high 24 assists last set a Wagner school record. She handed out a career-high five assists vs. LIU and Central Connecticut St. and had four helpers vs. Presbyterian. On the season, she was credited with three or more assists on six occasions. Petrik also found the back of the net 11 times, giving her 35 points on the season, which was second on the team. She also contributed 30 ground balls, 18 draw controls and 18 caused turnovers. She enters her senior season tied for eighth in career assists with 30. A business administration major, Petrik has earned a spot on the NEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
McCullough is an aggressive and hard-nosed competitor. A mainstay in the Seahawk lineup throughout her career, she will look to make the transition from defense to midfield this season. As a junior in 2011, she was second on the team in both ground balls (26) and caused turnovers (25). A versatile performer, McCullough also made her presence felt on the offensive end with 10 points on five goals and five assists. Her two assists at Mount St. Mary's were a career high. She enters her senior season with 52 caused turnovers, which ranks 10th on the all-time Wagner career list. A business administration major, McCullough has earned a spot on the NEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2009, 2010 and 2011.
Bulken made a big splash as a freshman in 2010, recording a team-high 44 draw controls while finishing sixth on the team in scoring with 16 points which came on the strength of 10 goals and six assists. She registered a hat trick vs. LIU and added two-goal outings vs. Bryant and Columbia (4/21). She also dished out a career-high three assists vs. Central Connecticut St. (4/1). Last season, Bulken tallied two goals and five assists over the first four games of the season before suffering an injury that required her to sit out the final 12 games of the season. A business administration major, Bulken earned a spot on the NEC Spring Academic Honor Roll in 2011.
Curiale's Team Overview
“Our big thing this year is focusing on the process. We had a disappointing season last year that we didn't expect but I think we've taken that experience and put it behind us and learned from it. Our biggest goal, our belief is that we want to make the NEC Tournament,” said Curiale. “But in order to achieve that, we have to focus on the process, the little things. Practices have been going great, I really like the atmosphere on the practice field and have been impressed with the mentality of our players. The energy, the commitment, the work ethic, and the dedication is there. It's just a matter of us continuing to connect those practices and eventually bring those into our game opportunities.”
ATTACK
Clark was shifted from midfield to attack late last season and flourished in her new role. Along with Sam Morin (Rockville Centre, NY / South Side), who was named to the All-NEC Rookie team last season, Wagner feels it has one of the most potent offensive tandems in the NEC while Bulken's return adds maturity and even more scoring punch up front. Providing quality depth will be junior Jillian Maloney (Mahopac, NY / Mahopac) along with freshmen Chantal Agnew (Poolesville, MD / Poolesville) and Jessica Mills (Vernon, NJ / Vernon Township).
Curiale on the Seahawks' Attack:
“Moving Carolyn (Clark) to attack towards the end of last season enabled her to save some energy and be full strength at all times. She's really taken ownership of the position this spring and has become a more multidimensional threat. She has changed her style of game and has now built up a huge repertoire of moves and different aspects of what she can do on the field. Sam (Morin) knows there's a target on her back coming off a great freshman campaign. Towards the end of last season she really proved her strength. In last shot of the game situations last year, where you usually want an upperclassmen, we had Sam (Morin) in this role as a freshman which put some pressure on her but she really came through. Erika (Bulken) is back from her injury, she's full force, ready to go. She's also trying to be more multidimensional. The whole attack is working together as a unit as opposed to waiting for one person to score. On any given day, I am confident that every single person that's within our attacking unit, our midfield and, for that matter, even some people in our defense can put the numbers up and our two freshmen, Chantal (Agnew) and Jessica (Mills) will also be in the mix.”
MIDFIELD
Wagner features a trio of experienced and talented senior midfielders in Petrik, McCollough and Melanie Garces (San Diego, CA/ Westview). Supplying depth in this critical area will be sophomore Michela Galante (Maplewood, NJ / Columbia) and freshman Jackie Kennedy (Massapequa, NY / Massapequa),
Curiale on the Seahawks' Midfield:
“The biggest change in our midfield this year is the move of senior captain Denieda McCullough to midfield from defense, where she has excelled the past three seasons. 'Dia 'is a big team player and will put her body through anything to help the team. Our rationale as a coaching staff in making this move is that she is, if not the fastest, certainly among the fastest players on our team. We've definitely built up our team speed overall which is nice. We'll see her on the defensive end, we'll see her in the midfield, a good balance between both of them, wherever we need her. She's been a scoring threat, scoring a couple goals the past few seasons. She's a complete, overall player. Lauren (Petrik) has a great game sense. Last year, when Erika (Bulken) was lost for the season in the fourth game, we needed for someone to step up in that playmaking role and she did it naturally. I think she surprised herself, I'm not sure she knew she had it in even though we as a coaching staff knew. Lauren (Petrik) and Melanie Garces are a good combination. “Mel” does all of the little things on the field and I think she's going to have a breakout year. We've seen her a lot within our attack being a true finisher but she also grinds it out within our draw controls and ground balls. Between the both of them, I see them as that similar type of player. Michela (Galante) picked up valuable experience last year and Jackie (Kennedy) is a promising player.”
DEFENSE
The backbone of the Seahawks defense figures to be the senior tandem of Casey Lindine (Easton, CT / Joel Barlow) and Chanel Briggins (Freeport, NY / Freeport) who stand 5-8 and 5-7, respectively and combined for 39 ground balls and 24 caused turnovers in 2011. Sophomores Katy Bender (Cherry Hill, NJ / Cherry Hill West) and Caitlin Daly (Ridgewood, NJ / Ridgewood) made their presence felt as freshmen a year ago. They will be joined on the back line by a trio of competitive freshmen in # Megan Sardella# (Liverpool, NY / Liverpool), Shelby Steadma (Burlington, NJ / Holy Cross) and Nicole Thom (Emmitsburg, MD / Catoctin).
Curiale on the Seahawks' Defense:
“Our defense is definitely a strong point as we like to build from our back. Overall, they work as a unit. Opposing offenses will really have to claw their way to beat our defense. Their strength is their unity and their teamwork and knowing where each other is on the field. Chanel (Briggins) and Casey (Lindine) are experienced, seasoned veterans. Caitlin (Daly) and Katy (Bender) logged quality minutes last season and our freshmen (Megan Sardella, Shelby Steadman, Nicole Thom) will compete for playing time as well.”
GOALIE
The Seahawks are young at goalie spot with sophomore Morgan Roach (Syracuse, NY / Westhill) looking to nail down starting spot while freshman Shannon Sweeney (Madison, NJ / Madison) is providing stiff competition following an All-Star high school career.
Roach is coming off a productive freshman season. Seeing action in 15 games with 10 starts, Roach recorded 136 saves on the season, including a career-high 17 in her first collegiate game vs. Saint Joseph's (2/26). She also had 12-save games vs. Siena (3/20), UC Davis (3/22), Bryant (4/21), and 11-save outings vs. Saint Francis (PA) (4/10) and Central Connecticut State (11) (4/23)
Curiale on the Seahawks' Goalies:
"Morgan (Roach) and Shannon (Sweeney) have a good camaraderie between each other. They both want to push each other and get better. With each of them, they know they are the backbone of our defense. It's nice to have Morgan coming in who played a lot of minutes as a freshman but it's also nice to have Shannon (Sweeney) coming in as a freshman, it keeps that pressure on. It's a nice battle, they're both poised and if they can continue to build upon what they're doing right now and take those little steps and I think both will be very valuable in their positions.”
