FEBRUARY 21, 2018

KING'S WOMEN'S LACROSSE TEAM OPENS SEASON TODAY

WILKES-BARRE -- The King's College women's lacrosse team will make its 2018 season debut today when the Lady Monarchs travel to Gwynedd Valley to face Gwynedd Mercy University in a 4:00 PM non-conference matchup. Led by second-year coach Ashley Stevens, King's is looking to improve upon last season's 8-9 record in which the Lady Monarchs reached the semi-finals of the MAC Freedom Conference Tournament.

King's returns nine players from that squad and welcome a freshman class of nine players who will be counted on to immediately contribute.

Heading the list of veteran players in senior midfielder Anastasia Araviakis. The Baltimore, Md. native is in the final year of what has been an outstanding career at King's where she has earned three straight All-Freedom Conference honors. Last season Araviakis registered 50 points on 37 goals, 13 assists while adding 49 draws with career-highs of 68 ground balls and 45 caused turnovers. Over the course of her career she has accumulated 174 career points on 122 goals and 52 assists with 182 ground balls and 119 caused turnovers.

Also back is junior attack Amanda Carroll who was  third on the team in scoring last season with 44 points on 30 goals and 14 assists with 25 ground balls and 36 draws. In two years with the program Carroll has totaled 89 points on 69 goals and 20 assists with 66 ground balls and 70 draws. She is also a two-time All-Freedom Conference squad.

After rebounding from an injury that cost her all but one game in 2016, Kendra McCoy made her return to the field last season where she had a solid campaign with 32 points on 15 goals and a team-high 17 assists. Now a senior, McCoy is even healthier and ready to put together her finest season to date. In her two full seasons with the Lady Monarchs, Kendra has posted 61 points on 39 goals and 22 assists.

Anchoring King's defense will be senior Megan O'Brien. Entering her fourth year as a starter, O'Brien has been steady and consistent throughout her career.  A 2016 All-Freedom Conference selection, O'Brien has 134 ground balls in her career and caused 75 turnovers. She has also chipped in offensively with 22 points on 13 goals and nine assists.

Senior midfielder Sarah Almony brings a wealth of experience to the team as she has played in 43 games in her career with 28 starts.  Almony enters her final season with 621 points on 54 goals and seven assists with 43 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers.

Sophomore Kelly Pierce is back to help anchor the King's defense after starting all 17 games as a freshman where she posted 44 ground balls and caused 19 turnovers while winning six draws. Sophomore Mia Dardanelli returns to the King's defense after starting all 17 games as a freshman. She had 23 ground balls and caused seven turnovers while winning five draws. She also chipped in with an assist.

Sophomore Jennifer Smalley also returns to the King's defense after starting all 17 games as a rookie where she posted 11 ground balls and caused seven turnovers. Junior Kathleen McIntosh adds experience to the King's defense after playing in 19 games her first two seasons.

Several freshman will also look to make an immediate impact on the team.

Freshman goalie Orla Cottell will be thrown right into the fire as the only net-minder on the team. Other newcomers looking to contribute include attacker/midfielders Kaitlyn Campbell, Caitlin Butchko, Emma Lehman, Lauren Nocotra, and Katie Strohl.  Helen Zaremba will look to work her way into the line-up on defense.

King's will play a 17-game schedule, including its final seven regular-season games against MAC Freedom Conference opponents.  The Lady Monarchs make their home debut February 24 against Potsdam State and will make a Spring Break Trip to play three games in Virginia and North Carolina.

King's opening day opponent, Gwynedd was 3-12 last season. The teams last played in 2015 with King's winning 18-10.