An experienced New Egypt High School girls lacrosse team is seeking a third straight trip to the NJSIAA state tournament. In a recent game against Red Bank Catholic in Plumsted Township, Bridgette Buckalew (left, above) battles RBC’s Erin Pace. Below, New Egypt’s Nicole Miller scoops up a loose ball. The visiting Caseys won the game, 9-5. PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff A n experienced and deep New Egypt High School girls lacrosse team is off to a 4-2 start in 2011 as it seeks a third straight trip to the NJSIAA state tournament. Two years ago the Warriors won their first state tournament game.
“It’s going well. We could be 6-0,” said coach Katie Nicholson, whose team returned all but one starter from 2010. “What’s making us pretty successful is this is the strongest bench we’ve ever had.”
The Warriors beat Holy Cross, 14-8, for the first time in five seasons in their season opener. New Egypt traveled to Holy Cross for a rematch on April 27 and has a nonconference game against formidable Lenape on April 29.
“We have a lot of speed,” said Nicholson. “The juniors and seniors have played with me the last two seasons and mesh well with a ton of experience. They know where each other will be and the others’ tendencies. That makes it easier for me.”
The Warriors also own a 13-8 victory over Delran. The losses were to Rancocas Valley, 9-8, and to Red Bank Catholic, 9-5, when the team was shorthanded because some student-athletes were on a class trip to Washington, D.C.
Captains Nicole Coyne, a senior center, and Cortney Natalicchio, a junior attack wing, are the big scorers again this year for a team that has been in double figures in goals in half of its games. Seniors Karly Ossowski, a low defender, and Gianna Andreula, a center, are the other captains.
“Goals are coming from everywhere and we’ve had a lot of assisted goals,” said Nicholson, who noted that Ossowski has moved up to score two goals from her deep defender position. “Lacrosse can be a runand gun game, but we try to have a lot of assists. It makes us harder to defend.”
As for the Warriors’ defense and goalkeeping, Nicholson said, “it has been excellent. We have very disciplined defenders, which is hard [to enforce] in lacrosse because there is more scoring than in any other sport. They have done a great job communicating.”
Seniors Kaileen Waldron and Christine Peacock are sharing time as goalkeepers and refining their skills under the coaching of assistant Patti Nicholson, Katie’s mom and New Egypt’s former head coach.
Katie Nicholson said both players work hard and are pushing to reach the next level.
Waldron started for most of last season as a junior and Peacock started for most of her first two years, including her sophomore year when New Egypt recorded its first state tournament victory over Camden Catholic, 14-13, and lost in the second round to Chatham in an 8-7 season.
“At this point we should make [the state tournament]. You don’t need a .500 record anymore, but we should have it. Last year we lost in the first round and this year we hope to get past the first round,” said Nicholson. “We’re in a tough division [of the Burlington County Scholastic League], but the teams in the state tournament can be even tougher with programs in North Jersey that have been [playing] for a long time and we’ve had only 10 years of athletics.”
Along with Ossowski, the Warriors’ defense has been bolstered by senior Tracy Ludwigson, juniors Julie Ciak and Cassandra Stillwell, and freshman Bridgette Buckalew.
The other starters at the home positions are senior Catelyn Bushoff, junior Shelby Brevogel, and Dani Andreula, a sophomore and Gianna’s younger sister.
But many of the contributions go beyond those starters. Nicholson said senior Jamie Kischardt is improving every day and senior Vicki Hurley is fighting for a spot, both on defense.
Junior Danielle Solinski has shown versatility to fill in at many positions where needed. Sophomore Nicole Miller continues to improve in her second year of playing lacrosse, and freshman Mackenzie Magnotta has earned playing time on the attack.