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Siena Water Polo: A New Beginning
Jan. 21, 2008
As head coach Ellen Howe put it, "we're not trying to focus on the past, we've got a good group of freshmen and we're going to move forward" even after a sub par finish in 2007. The Saints lost nine of their final 10 matches and a head coach in the process. The Siena women's water polo team plans to rebound sturdily this season provided they spark good chemistry between the competition savvy veterans captained by Lisa Reilly and Caitlin Smith and a talented freshman pool the likes of which Siena has never seen. Head coach Ellen Howe and Hurricane Siena are poised to mangle the MAAC and come home with a championship in 2008. GOALIE The Saints were anchored in net last season by senior Kaedy Graves. Compiling a spectacular 170 save season, Graves moves into the records book as the player with the most career saves at 567; she is an astounding 464 saves ahead of the second player all time. Starting in 20 of 24 games, Graves posted a 5.33 goals against average. In those matches she tallied 12 assists and set a program record 18 saves in a Saints win against the Oregon Ducks on February 24. The senior earned MAAC Defensive Player of the Week award twice during the 2007 season. A two-sport athlete, Graves is used to dealing with a copious amount of teammates' personalities and what they bring to water polo and swimming & diving. "Kaedy athleticism gives her strengths both offensively and defensively and this season she will see more time in the field for us," says coach Howe.Taking the reins in net is senior co-captain Lisa Reilly. A junior college transfer out of Mt. San Antonio, Reilly took to the pool in her first season with the Saints, finishing with surprising results. Starting six of 12 games she saw action in, Reilly compiled 88 saves with a 6.05 goals against average, putting her behind Jeanine Gunta and leader Kaedy Graves on the Most Career Saves list. Reilly's season high included a 15 save losing effort against California Baptist on February 27. In the offseason, Reilly showed a lot of progress and improvement defensively coming from a successful JuCo program and will be called upon by Coach Howe to be the starting goalie for the Saints.
Freshman Lynh Nguyen starts her tenure with the Saints this season as a viable backup to both Graves and Reilly in the net. The athletic first-year from Kentwood, Michigan transferred from Ferris State University and will be a valuable asset as she develops in the MAAC. CENTER Though co-captain Caitlin Smith had offseason shoulder surgery, she has come into the 2008 season looking great, feeling great and ready for competition. The women's water polo all-time leading scorer with 238 goals, Smith is back in action to be a prolific offensive producer for the Saints in the center position. The senior from Miami started in all 21 games for the Saints last season and ranked second on the team with 42 goals. She earned MAAC Offensive Player of the Week honors on March 27 and was named to the second team All-MAAC Tournament Siena Invite. Smith will be looked upon as a learned veteran who will not only provide game winning goals, but also vocal leadership and a positive influence on the underclassmen.Lauren Biehle will be used as an essential offensive producer for Siena at the center position. The junior from Visalia, California supplied the Saints with 40 goals in 22 games started. With her invaluable experience, Coach Howe is pleased to know that two of her best offensive capable players will be showcasing their abilities to put balls in the net this season. Freshman Jackie Crosby beings her campaign at Siena and proves to be a vital backup to Smith and Biehle. The first-year Californian, Crosby will be looking to prove herself in the pool and earn playing time by showing her acute sense of the game and offensive capability early in the season. UTILITY The utility players are a mixture of crafty veterans and freshmen talent for the Saints this season. Junior Lauren Garrigan will see a hefty bulk of playing time seeing as she is coming off two fantastic seasons at Siena. Garrigan has the makeup to be one of the best all-around players Siena water polo has ever produced. As a second-year, Garrigan was pre-season All-MAAC team selection, a Chapman Invitiational All-Tournament team and the Siena Invite All-Tournament First Team selection. She was the top offensive product for the Saints scoring a team-high 50 goals off 130 shots with 36 assists. She also compiled 55 steals in the 26 games she started, putting her atop the most career steals column with 122 in just three seasons. At the end of the season, the Hawaiian native garnered an All-MAAC second team selection representing the Green and Gold. "Lauren is a great defensive player who makes play on offense," says head coach Ellen Howe. She will be looked upon to continue her success in the pool and lead the team.Continuing the utility duties in the pool, Garrigan is complimented by lone sophomore Gina Guevara. The scrappy second-year Floridian will be looked upon to continue her dominance in the pool and providing a positive example for the freshman at what a hard work ethic can generate. Guevara had an outstanding freshman season as she started all 26 games, finishing the season with a team-high 50 assists, 17 goals, and 45 steals. In her efforts, Guevara was named MAAC Rookie of the Week twice in her first season with the Saints. Coach Howe will look to Guevara to display her consistency and endurance in the pool throughout the entire season. Newcomers to the Green and Gold include Alex Vespremi, Camille Norman and Nicole Hagi. Coach Howe is excited about their potential and looks for them to transition quickly from high school to a faster paced collegiate water polo setting. As they continue to develop over the season, each will look to find time off the bench and be an integral part to the Saints' success. ATTACKER Junior Erin Clune takes the plunge in the Marcelle Athletic Complex for the Saints this season as another key returner of the team. Proving to be a stable attacker, Clune saw time in 25 games in 2007. She put 17 balls in the back of the net and compiled a team high 58.06 shot percentage with 10 steals. Coach Howe will look to Clune to continue her output for the Saints putting in valuable minutes in the pool and use her experience and leadership for the underclassmen vying for playing time.The Saints welcome Molly Chamberlain and Devan Ragg to the program as the two start their Siena careers at the attacker position. Chamberlain, a native of Kingston, Pennsylvania is a hard worker who will be looked upon for her quickness and high energy in the pool. She will see time off the bench and develop quickly in water polo play. Ragg comes to Loudonville from Ann Arbor, Michigan and will be looked upon to draw ejections and set up plays for Siena in her first year. Coach Howe expects Ragg, along with Chamberlain, to transition nicely into collegiate play and compete for valuable playing time. SCHEDULE Siena begins its admittedly difficult schedule as they travel to Princeton, New Jersey for the Princeton Invitational. They will play Bucknell University, the Maryland Terrapins, George Washington University and the Princeton Tigers in the two day tournament on February 16 and 17.The Saints continue on the road as they travel to Eerie to take on the Pennsylvanian trio of Penn State Behrund, Gannon University and Mercyhurst College schedule for February 23. Siena kicks off the beginning of March sponsoring the two day Siena Invitational tournament on the first and second of the month, which is their only time in the Marcelle Athletic Complex this season. On March 8, the Saints are on the round again as they travel up to Oneonta, N.Y. for the Hartwick Invitational. After a day full of games, the Saints continue on to Utica for another tournament. March 15 marks the beginning of the Claremont Convergence in Claremont, California as they Saints compete in the three day tournament. Siena next match is back on the east coast as they take on Connecticut College on the road in New London, C.T. on March 30. The Saints have a brief siesta until they travel to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. to take on Marist and Wagner on April 5 to kick-start MAAC play. The team then travels to New Rochelle, N.Y. the next day to take on conference contenders St. Francis (N.Y.) and Iona in more doubleheader fashion. The Saints end the season with conference twin bills as they take on Villanova and Iona in Philadelphia, P.A. on April 12, Wagner and Marist in Brooklyn, N.Y. on April 19 and Villanova and St. Francis (N.Y.) in Staten Island, N.Y. on April 20. Says Coach Howe: "our ultimate goal is to win a MAAC Championship, but I expect this group to have a good year. We'll take our bumps along the way. Although we're young, hopefully we can get to where we can to be by the MAAC season." The 2008 women's water polo MAAC Championships are scheduled to begin on April 26 through the 27 at Marist's home pool in Poughkeepsie. |
