Women’s Lacrosse: Ohio State uses new and returning players as momentum into the season

Michaela Belkin
Thu, 09 Feb 2023 02:12:51 +0000
Instagram Page, Lacrosse, News, Sports, Amani Kimball-McKavish, Amy Bokker, Annie Hargraves, Annika Spoor, Ashley Turner, Ava Keethler, Brooke Papenfuss, Brooke Vinson, Bryce Pfundstein, Brynn Ammerman, Buckeyes, Caly OBrien, Casey Roberts, Chelsea Debevec, Chloe Johnson, Claire Morris, Darrien Furiness, Emily Magalotti, Emily Rezabek, Emma Blloshmi, Erin O’Neil, Gabby Capuzzi Solomon, Izze Gill, Jamie Lasda, Jamie Level, Katie Chisholm, Katie Kaucheck, Kiana Perez [and 22 more]

Ohio State women’s lacrosse opens their season Friday in Columbus. Credit: Katie Good | Asst. Photo Editor

With a new season of Ohio State women’s lacrosse on the horizon, the Buckeyes anticipate what’s ahead of them as they prepare for their home opener against Robert Morris Friday at 3 p.m.

After a three-game losing streak to end last year’s season at 9-7 and 2-4 in the Big Ten, head coach Amy Bokker has worked on getting over the hump and taking the next step for its program. Bokker said the depth of the 2022-23 roster meets the requirements necessary to compete in the Big Ten against the best teams in the country.

“I think we’re a good mix of experience and young talent,” Bokker said. “Our team has put a lot of energy into their fitness and being able to get up and down the field, which is something I’ve been working towards since I was named the coach here.”

Senior attacker and second-year captain Nicole Ferrara said she feels the team is stronger than ever. The squad has taken their competitive nature in practice to a new level, and she can’t wait for the season to begin.

Ferrara has also taken a greater leadership role being a second-year captain. Last year as a junior, she said she learned from the older players and is now leading and mentoring the captains, graduate defender Ava Keethler and junior goalie Regan Alexander.??

“Now I’m able to step up into bigger roles that I kind of took the backseat on last year and just be a role model for people that I had before me,” Ferrara said. “I had role models that I followed, and now I want to be like those people.”

With 10 freshmen joining the team this year, strong leadership is important in maintaining stability amongst turnover. Several of the freshmen have already made an impact, and Bokker said they will be rotating in through the lineup.

“Specifically in the midfield, we’ve had some great talent in [freshmen midfielder] Casey Roberts and [defender] Amani Kimball-McKavish. [Freshman attacker] Zoe Coleman has been a force for us offensively, and she’s a local product from Washington High School,” Bokker said.

“[Freshman defender] Katie Kaucheck won a state championship at New Albany last year, and she has great basketball IQ that translates to her defense on the lacrosse field.”

These new players already influenced the team during practice and hope to continue this when game time comes, and Keethler said the younger class is extremely competitive and has lit a fire for the whole team.

Roberts, a freshman midfielder, is a player Keethler has taken under her wing along with the other new midfielders.

“I would say our midfielders are young and are showing really promising futures in their next four years,” Keethler said. “Roberts is someone who’s highly competitive on the field, and she brings that competitive nature that we need in practice. I’m really excited to see how she can contribute to the midfield this year.”

The Buckeyes open the 2023 season in the newly built Ohio State Lacrosse Stadium against Robert Morris Friday at 3 p.m.