Jan. 31, 2016
By: Shannon Rostick, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.- With the Penn State Women's Lacrosse upcoming season kicking off this weekend, last year's Big Ten Champions are busy preparing for the 2016 season. With many new rule changes this season, there is going to be a lot of learning to do for the Nittany Lions.
This upcoming season will bring many changes for the team, with many significant rule changes being implemented in the new season. While these rule changes are going to be a challenge to learn and get used to for the team, many of the players agree they will greatly improve the way the game is played
With a new rule that allows quick starts after a foul, a player can now pick up the ball after being fouled and immediately start game play. This change will allow for the game to keep running more smoothly and quickly.
"Usually you have to wait for the referees to set you up and place the defense before you start again," said senior Jenna Mosketti.
Erika Spilker, another senior, said, "game stoppage has been a complaint in women's lacrosse for a long time now, it takes so much time and every little foul is a stop, but now if you get fouled and you can just pick up the ball and start again."
The players also talked about the new three-second rule, this rule allows defenders not marking another player to stand in the 8-meter arc for longer than 3 seconds without penalty.
"With the new rule they don't really call three-seconds unless you are blatantly standing in the middle of the 8-meter," said Spilker.
The players all agreed that this new rule does make it harder for attack players to get through the defense and make a shot on goal, but on the defensive end of things it is good to be able to send more defenders.
With all of these new rules the players said there is going to be a learning curve early on in the season, especially with a couple of the changes being so major.
"The first couple games of the season are going to be a learning lesson for everyone getting used to the new rules," said Spilker.
Aside from working on learning the new rules, the players also talked about how the entire team is working on themselves to improve this season.
"Missy (Head Coach Missy Doherty) has really had us focusing on the mental aspect of our play. She has had us working a lot on believing in ourselves and staying calm under pressure during games," said Ally Heavens.
The players said that working on their mental state during games is going to help them become stronger not only as individual players, but as an entire team. The team has also been working between and during practices to build upon team bonding and keep things fun during the season.
"Every week we have our hard practices and then sometimes during our easier practices we will have competition days," said Spilker.
The players all agreed that these more laid back practices help the team to throw some fun into their practice schedules and allow the team to get refreshed throughout the week.
With all three girls being seniors, their futures in lacrosse are very up in the air. Spilker said she is staying for a fifth year, so she will still be playing in the 2017 season, but Heavens and Mosketti are graduating in the spring. Regardless of their time left with the team all three girls expressed their desire to stick with the sport after graduation.
"I kind of want to coach. I'm still not over lacrosse yet and I'm keeping the door open for anything, but I think my passion is with coaching right now," said Heavens.
These seniors have a promising season ahead of them and they said their goal is to work hard and once again get back to the Big Ten Championship this season
The team kicks off their season at home with an exhibition game at Holuba Hall this Saturday, February 6 at 3 p.m. against the Towson University Tigers.