2002 Season Wrap-up
Yellow Jackets Finish Ranked #13 in the Nation; Seniors Riedy and Bisland Named All-Americans
The 2002 season was another impressive campaign for the Randolph-Macon College women's lacrosse team. The Yellow Jackets finished 12-5 overall and 7-1 in the competitive Old Dominion Athletic Conference, winning the ODAC title and advancing to the NCAA Division III tournament for the second time in three years. Randolph-Macon was ranked #13 in the season's final Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) poll and #3 in the Division III South Atlantic Region. Head coach Missy Ackerman finished seven seasons at Randolph-Macon with an overall career record of 73-41 (.640). Next year she will be taking over as the head lacrosse coach at her alma mater, Sweet Briar College.
As a team this season, Randolph-Macon outscored opponents 210-112 in all games, including an impressive 105-35 in ODAC contests. As of May 5, the Yellow Jackets as a team were sixth in NCAA Division III in scoring defense (6.188 goals against per game), 10th in scoring margin (6.38 goals difference per game), and 29th in scoring offense (12.563 goals per game).
Perhaps Randolph-Macon's biggest win of the season was in the ODAC tournament finals against Washington and Lee. Down 11-4 with 7:54 remaining in second half, the Yellow Jackets scored seven straight goals in the final 7:14 of regulation, then added another in overtime for a 12-11 victory.
Just stepping into this job, what more excitement could I have than to follow our women's lacrosse team through the ODAC championship and into the NCAA tournament's final 16, says Randolph-Macon's new Athletics Director, Kevin Eastman. The team proved once again that Randolph-Macon combines a quality education with a successful sports program.
Leading the way for Randolph-Macon this year were two record-setting seniors - midfielder Erin Riedy (Ellicott City, MD/McDonogh) and attacker Angela Bisland (Edgewater, MD/St. Mary's). In their four-year careers, the Yellow Jackets compiled records of 48-21 overall and 29-3 in the ODAC, outscored opponents 845-504, won two ODAC championships in the past three seasons, participated in the NCAA tournament twice, and been ranked in the nation's top 20 every year.
This season Riedy totaled 91 goals and eight assists for 99 total points, plus 42 ground balls, 25 draw controls and 24 caused turnovers. As of May 5, she was third in NCAA Division III in goals and 11th in total points. She was the ODAC's leading goal-scorer, and was third in total points. Riedy was the ODAC Player of the Year, a first-team all-conference selection for the fourth straight season, a IWLCA first-team all-South Atlantic Region performer for the third consecutive year, and a IWLCA/US Lacrosse second-team All-American for the second straight year. She scored multiple goals against the top teams in the nation, including Mary Washington, St. Mary's, Washington and Lee, and Division II Longwood. In the ODAC finals against Washington and Lee, Riedy scored six of Randolph-Macon's last eight goals of regulation, helping to set up the overtime situation.
An ODAC Player of the Week selection once this season and a member of the ODAC all-tournament team, Riedy will participate in the annual IWLCA North/South Senior All-Star Game at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, June 8. She graduates from Randolph-Macon holding the women's lacrosse program's records for career goals (256) and goals in a season (91, this year). Riedy is also third in career total points (298) and points in a season (99, this year).
Erin has ranked in the top five in scoring in the ODAC all four years, says Ackerman. She always drew the opposing team's best defender, and was a great receiving-end finisher. I believe that Erin was one of the best natural cutters and attackers in the nation. Every year there were more and more expectations and pressures placed on her, and she was our most consistent performer over the last four seasons.
Bisland finished this season with 21 goals and 88 assists for 109 total points, plus 41 ground balls, 19 draw controls and 18 caused turnovers. She led both NCAA Division III and the ODAC in assists, was fourth in the NCAA in total points, and was second in the conference in points. Bisland was a first-team all-ODAC pick after being named second-team last year, a IWLCA first-team all-South Atlantic Region selection, and a IWLCA/US Lacrosse third-team All-American. She had multiple assists in games against Mary Washington, St. Mary's, Washington and Lee, and Longwood. In the ODAC championship game against Washington and Lee, Bisland earned assists on four of Randolph-Macon's final seven goals of regulation and also scored one goal in that run, then assisted on the game-winner in overtime.
This year Bisland was named the ODAC Player of the Week once and the Warrior/Inside Lacrosse Player of the Week once, and she was also on the ODAC all-tournament team. At Randolph-Macon's Honors Convocation late this spring, she won the Susan Locke deNagy Award, which is presented to a female student who exhibits athletic ability, academic achievement, leadership and sportsmanship. Bisland will also play in the annual IWLCA North/South Senior All-Star Game at Loyola College in Baltimore, Maryland on Saturday, June 8. For her career, she is Randolph-Macon's all-time leader in assists (163), and holds the record for assists in a season for both the school, the ODAC, and NCAA Division III (88, this year). Bisland also holds the Randolph-Macon record for points in a season (109, this year), and is fourth in career total points (234).
Angela worked her way into a starting role as a sophomore, and went on to lead the nation in assists this year, Ackerman comments. There was no better player in the nation than her in terms of assists. Angela was our team's point guard, and the finest passer in the country. Also, this year she took on more of a midfielder's role, as our first line of both attack and defense. Angela was the complete package.
Two juniors had standout seasons for the Yellow Jackets - midfielder Mandy Dougherty (Lutherville, MD/Garrison Forest) and defender Meghan Ayers (Pylesville, MD/North Harford).
Dougherty was second on the team in both goals (34) and assists (22), and was third in total points (56). She led the Yellow Jackets in ground balls with 62, and also totaled 27 caused turnovers and 25 draw controls. Dougherty was tied for fourth in the ODAC in assists, and was a second-team all-conference selection as well as a member of the ODAC all-tournament team. In the ODAC finals against Washington and Lee, she scored two second-half goals, then found the back of the net in overtime for the game-winner.
Ayers was one of Randolph-Macon's defensive leaders, always lmarking the opposing team's toughest offensive player. She also contributed offensively with 29 goals and four assists for 33 total points. She led the team in draw controls (30), and was second in both ground balls (51) and caused turnovers (34). Ayers was named Honorable Mention all-ODAC for the second straight season.
Sophomore goalie Ashley Seal (Richmond, VA/Collegiate) had a fine campaign, making 150 saves and giving up just 112 goals in 1,026 minutes of action, for a save percentage of .573 and a 6.55 goals against average. She was fifth in goals against average and 17th in save percentage in NCAA Division III, and was second in the ODAC in save percentage. Seal was named second-team all-conference and was also on the ODAC all-tournament team.
In her first season playing lacrosse, junior midfielder Allison Picarde (Annapolis, MD/St. Mary's) finished with 11 total points, from five goals and six assists. She also totaled 46 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers.
Two freshman midfielders contributed heavily in their rookie campaigns - Catie Proulx (Concord, NH/Concord) and Lindsey Bowers (Riva, MD/Severn). Proulx totaled 15 goals and two assists for 17 total points, plus 33 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers, and 12 draw controls. Bowers contributed more defensively, with a team-high 37 caused turnovers, plus 29 ground balls and 22 draw controls. She also had five goals and one assist.
Defensively, Randolph-Macon was led by senior Jessica Fleres (Alexandria, VA/The Field School) and junior Robyn Kronthal (Fairfax, VA/W.T. Woodson). Fleres totaled 33 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers, and was named to the ODAC all-tournament team. Kronthal, meanwhile, contributed with 32 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers.
Jessica was one of the most improved players to come through our program, and constantly got better, Ackerman says about her third senior, Fleres. She played in every game the past two seasons, and this year was the anchor of a defense that was ranked sixth in NCAA Division III. Jessica was calm under pressure, and one of our hardest-working players.
Next season, several of the above-mentioned talented players will return to lead the Yellow Jackets. They include: Dougherty, Ayers, Seal, Picarde, Proulx, Bowers, and Kronthal.
Many other members of the team who contributed this year will also be back in 2003. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Brown (Fairfax, VA/Episcopal) had three goals and two assists for five total points this season, plus 33 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Sophomore attacker Rita Mutschler (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin) totaled two goals, one assist, and 30 ground balls. Junior midfielder Rachel Baron (Colmubia, MD/Glenelg Country School) only played in five games due to an injury suffered during field hockey season last fall, but managed to accumulate two goals and one assist. Sophomore midfielder Leanna Van Osten (Winchester, VA/Sherando) finished the campaign with 24 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers, and one goal.