Katerina Lopez ’16
Contributing Writer
The Smith College lacrosse team hosted Wheaton this past weekend as it honored the dedication of its four exiting members. Adrienne Horne ’14 joined tri-captain Kate Detrick ’14 and goalie Merric Kallfelz ’14 on the field as well as team manager Sato Sabuchi ’15 before the opening whistle.
Going into the April 18 game, Wheaton had already cinched the NEWMAC regular season title, but the Pioneers were bringing a full field to the game – an uncommon occurrence this season with multiple injured players. Smith brought their customary high energy and managed to keep the game scoreless for nearly five minutes. Despite Wheaton collecting the first two points, tri-captain Jessica Lillquist ’15 responded with a quick free position goal to the bottom corner, which would prove to be the Wheaton goalie’s weak spot. Lillquist found the same corner of the net five minutes later, and was soon joined in the score sheet by fellow tri-captain Rachel Silveria ’16 who, after finding a defensive hole and sprinting for it, scored her first goal of the day with less than five minutes left in the first. Smith went into half-time down 3-6, yet this was a major victory considering that it was their lowest scoring first half to date.
After the break, Petru Bester ’15 supplied Smith with her first of two assists to Lillquist off of her free-position. Bester’s second helper of the day was part of one of the most exciting points of the day. Silveria, after winning the draw, ran into offensive play then made the pass to Bester. Bester, upon seeing the scoring opportunity, passed the ball back to Silveria who made the over-the-shoulder turn to score her second goal of the day. Afterwards, tri-captain Detrick punctuated her collegiate career with a hard bounce into the net for her sole goal of the game. Silveria would once again find the bottom right corner of the net courtesy of a free position shot to end the Pioneer season with a 7-14 loss to Wheaton.
After the game, there was an abundance of pride in what the team had achieved. Nearly every lacrosse fan interviewed commented that “for such a small team, they have big hearts.” Gail and Rich Silveria, Silveria’s parents, agreed that the team was incredibly supportive and “always smiling.” The collaborative team dynamic was obvious at the post-game barbecue where Coach Jen Nardi grilled burgers as fans, teammates, and parents mingled.
The Pioneer positivity has only augmented the achievements of individual athletes. Lillquist led this season’s scorers with 43 goals and 6 assists. This brings her further into the record books where she is currently sixth in points at 137 and fourth in goals at 120. Sophomore classmates Olivia Timmins and Silveria matched each other for 24 points, while rookie Anne Zawacki ’17 was close behind with 22 points. Silveria managed to eclipse Jenny Estes ’15 in total season draw controls 41-38, however, Estes is currently third for career draw controls and, if a similar season follows next spring, is likely to become the all-time leader in this category. Goalkeeper Kallfelz logged a hearty 168 saves resulting in a number one NEWMAC ranking and number 8 DIII ranking. The Smith lacrosse team has a promising future, with a young and talented team that’s defined by its love and commitment to the game.
