MARIETTA, Ohio – The Marietta College women's lacrosse team is coming off of a 2022 season in which they got off to a hot start, but struggled through the front half of the Ohio Athletic Conference schedule. Although the Pioneers posted wins in the final two regular season matches, they failed to qualify to play in the postseason.
"Our program was very disappointed when we didn't make the OAC tournament," said Head Coach
Malory Nadrah. "On the other end, though, seeing the inaugural class compete in their senior season and graduate was special. They were the foundation of this program that helped us get to where we are today. I am so proud of them!"
The 2023 team boasts 15 returners from last year's squad and they will help set the tone, doing everything possible to get Marietta back to postseason play and be a successful team. "The returners all felt we had unfinished business," said Coach Nadrah. "That experience has helped us realize we want to be a competitive program. We want to be in playoffs."
Junior
Hope Adams (Delaware, Ohio/Bishop Watterson) returns to lead the Pioneer offensive attack. Last year, she led the team with 42 goals, giving her 52 points in 15 games played. That performance earned her a place on the All-OAC Second Team. Senior
Megan McGriff (Lakewood, Colo./Bear Creek) put together an outstanding 2022 as she collected 26 goals for the year.
Mackenzie Dyott (Easton, Md./Easton) is the only other returner that scored double-digit in goals last season (18).
Natalie Cocco (McMurray, Pa./Peters Township) had an injury-laden 2022 season, but returns healthy to bolster the attack this year. Newcomers
Renee Mulvaney (Midland, Mich./Midland),
Mallory Wiles (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne), and
Kayla Godwin (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) are also planning on making a big impact this year.
"We have a nice blend of experience and fresh faces on attack this year," says Coach Nadrah. "McGriff and Hope come back as our leading scorers from last season. They bring leadership and gained experience from playing our tough OAC schedule. We are also really excited about our first years Mal, Renee, and Kayla (Godwin). They have started to come into their own this preseason and we are eager to see them contribute for us right away."
Kayla Kearns (Preston, Md./Easton),
Megan Marshall (Naples, Fla./Estero),
Casey Roeder (Milford, Ohio/Milford) returns to lead a group of talented midfielders for the Pioneers. These seniors will all play huge roles on defense and are hopeful of getting more offensive output this season. "We have a strong midfield unit who helps us on the draw and especially on all the non-stat things all over the field," said Coach Nadrah. "We are going to push the ball down the field quick and look to Kearns, Marshall, and Casey to make some plays on fast break." Newcomers
Alayna Francis (Irwin, Pa./Norwin) and
Maggie Downard (Canal Fulton, Ohio/Jackson) will also play significant roles in the circle and help the Pioneers in draw controls. "Alayna and Maggie are perfect puzzle pieces to our strong midfield and fit in perfect," said Coach Nadrah
Sophomore
Abby May (Randolph, Ohio/St. Vincent-St. Mary) will fill the cage for the Pioneers this season. She played a substantial number of minutes in goal last year and is ready to shine in 2023. Last year, she had a 44.4 save percentage, notching 52 saves on the season. "Abby enters her second season as a collegiate goalie, but she plays like a senior," say Coach Nadrah. "She works incredibly hard and gives 100% to her team. She is ready to not only be our goalie but also one of the top goalies in the conference."
A trio of juniors will anchor the defensive effort for the Pioneers.
Kyla Andreas (Shirley, N.Y./Longwood),
Jordan Jeffries (Baltimore, Md./Baltimore Polytechnic), and
Marley Phillippe (Easton, Md./Easton) will contribute to arguably Marietta's strongest area on the field. "Our D is solid," adds Coach Nadrah. Andreas earned All-OAC Honorable Mention last season as she caused 16 turnovers, by far tops on the team. Jeffries and Phillippe each caused nine turnovers in 2022. "Marley, JJ, and Kyla have been playing together for two years down there. They work so well together and are a big reason we have such a strong defense. I am excited to see what they do in their 3rd year together." Look for senior
Emily Etheridge (Harrisville, R.I./Burrillville) to make an impression as she has vastly improved in the offseason.
The Pioneers also have a new assistant coach as
Lindsay Reho joins the staff. "Lindsay is exactly the assistant coach we needed," says Coach Nadrah. "With her experience, she has joined us at the perfect time. The team is ready to be pushed, do what it takes to be successful, and Lindsay knows what we need to do to get there. She has taken over the attack for us and I have already seen so much improvement in our production offensively."
The excitement level is high to get this season rolling. "After a great fall ball, the team couldn't wait to get our sticks back in our hands and start working this winter," said Coach Nadrah. "This is a great group who truly enjoys being out there every day. It has been so fun to see them work together and have fun at practice."
The Pioneers will open the season on the road against Westminster College (Pa.), Wednesday (Feb 22) with the game scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. Marietta will play its home opener Sunday (Feb. 26) when they host Saint Vincent College with the game scheduled for 1 p.m.
Fans can follow all of the Pioneer teams all year long at
pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at
facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on Twitter and Instagram.
