JEN ISO
Staff Writer
With a record of 5-3, the women of the Pepperdine lacrosse team are fighting to shake last year’s 5-16 record. Throw away last season’s scorecards because the ladies aren’t going down without a fight.
The Four Points by Sheraton LAX Tournament, hosted by Pepperdine, welcomed women lacrosse teams from all over the West March 17 through March 18. Just two goals, in a loss to 22nd ranked Oregon, kept the women from a second-place finish.
“That would have been our first win over a ranked team, but we fell short,” said Head Coach Paul Ramsey.
The women finished with a record of 2-2 defeating Arizona and Northeastern but falling to Oregon and defending champs, Brigham Young.
Close to finishing 3-1, the Waves said their time is coming. The season is in full swing and with the season coming to a close in a month, the women only hope to improve their record.
The women were all smiles as they snagged a win for the season-opener on Feb. 11, beating Occidental 21-9 at Alumni Park. The following week, the team took home a victory, defeating Whittier 13-3 on the road. The squad’s offense proved it would not be reckoned with.
Loyola Marymount took home a win, 20-14 when it defeated Pepperdine on Homecoming weekend. The following Wednesday, the women fell to No.-24 University of Southern California 19-10.
In the past couple weeks the women traveled all over California, facing challenging teams along the West Coast. At Irvine, on March 8, the Waves improved their record 3-2, when they defeated the Anteaters 21-4.
The Waves did not keep a winning record. The women traveled to Santa Barbara on March 11, only to fall in overtime 9-12. The team was facing a Santa Barbara team that is leading the division with a record of 7-0.
Being part of Division II in the Western Women’s Lacrosse League (WWLL), the women face talented teams such as UC Santa Barbara, UC San Diego and Cal Poly, which are ranked in the top 20 in the country.
Nevertheless, the lady Waves are working hard in hopes of winning their division and perhaps moving up to the first division.
For most teams, new faces and a relatively new coaching staff would discourage a squad, but the women of the Pepperdine lacrosse team do not bat an eyelash. Ramsey began coaching the girls in 2005 along with assistant coach Kinsley O’Garrow. It has been a challenging couple of years for the team as players are constantly coming and going.
“We have six players, sophomore-year, abroad, which is a program that I encourage, and we have five returning players from last year,” Ramsey said.
It is hard to find balance and stability on a team when girls are constantly moving, but that is also what makes the team strong.
“We’ve added some recruits and a lot of new players that are learning how to play the game,” Ramsey said. “It’s good to have a mix and some players with experience. The players are all picking it up slowly but surely.”
The women’s lacrosse team is not a NCAA team, making it hard to receive adequate funding and treatment other teams attain. Some perks with becoming a varsity team would include: a better practice facility and game field, medical trainers and support and prior-registration.
Despite the lack of benefits, the team perseveres without complaint. An anonymous donor recently gave $250,000 to the club, and said help will continue to come. Aside from the generous contributor, the Sheraton Hotel sponsors tournaments as well as Brine Lacrosse, a national equipment company, which offers a 25 percent discount for the team.
Ramsey said team bonding has never been an issue, especially after the Hawaii Lacrosse Tournament last semester. The women spent the two-day tournament in Waikiki, playing teams from all over the world including a team from Japan.
He also mentioned that the women were pleased with their performance when they defeated both the University of Arizona (8-4) and the Mekai University of Japan (5-4). With surfing and sun right around the corner, the girls stayed focused and finished the tournament with three wins and one loss. When asked their favorite memory thus far, the women anonymously answered the Hawaii Lacrosse Tournament.
“We won three out of our four games,” co-captain Jenna Chang said. “We lost to a team that was post-collegiate and had US players on it.”
As the only graduating senior, club president Taylor Calley will never forget her trip. “Hawaii was total bonding,” Calley said. “We had a great time.”
According to Ramsey, the womens’ determination and hard work is not only apparent from past games, but in practice as well. Constant encouragement demonstrates how dedicated the players are to one another. With players from different skill levels and playing background, it is exciting to see how well the team works together on and off the field.
“It’s good to get the girls out here and help the new players because I was a new player last year,” said Chang. With only one senior, the girls have a positive outlook on upcoming seasons, giving them a chance to learn how to play together.
“I’m the only one leaving,” Calley said. “I’m not ready to leave the girls.”
As the season progresses, the women hope to see supportive fans cheering them on during games. High-scoring games are just the beginning. The girls are pumped and ready to bring home more wins.
“Our team chemistry is really good, which is crucial to having a successful season,” freshman co-captain Liza Gilmore said.
03-23-2006
