Girls lacrosse tops Pirates
By Justin Feil, Assistant Sports Editor
From terrified to terrific, it’s been a whirlwind year for Julia Tampellini.
The West Windsor-Plainsboro North sophomore never anticipated she’d make the varsity girls lacrosse team last year, but the Senior Trip opened an opportunity. Now in her second year, she’s one of the more experienced returners for the Knights.
”She’s an amazing athlete,” said Knights head coach Beth Serughetti of Tampellini, who plays soccer and basketball as well. “She just understands game sense. She’s a true and natural competitor. Those things are almost God-given.
”What she didn’t have last year is great stick skills. She has worked so hard. Her stick skills are so much better. She has more confidence. Last year, I felt more confident in her on the defensive end. This year, offense, defense, midfield, she can do it all.”
Tampellini made her presence felt in the midfield as the Knights snapped their winless start with a 12-7 win over rival West Windsor-Plainsboro South last Wednesday. Ana Dellien led the Knights with six goals, including the 100th of her career. Olivia Harpel had four goals and Devin Brakel added the other two goals. Tampellini had the only assist for the Knights, who improved to 1-2, and have still permitted just one Pirates win in the last 12 years of the series.
”It was really exciting,” Tampellini said. “We were really excited after losing to them last year. We were fired up and we gelled and it worked out for us.”
Alexa L’Insalata made 14 saves to help the Knights sustain the 9-5 lead they built at halftime. Katelyn Salerno made six saves for the Pirates, who dropped to 1-1. Rachel Salerno had two goals for WW-P South, but they never got closer than 11-7 late.
”In the beginning of the season that was a main goal for everyone – to beat South,” Tampellini said. “We all wanted it really bad.”
Tampellini is happy to be in a bigger role this year, and she feels readier to take it on despite still not having as much overall lacrosse experience as many of her teammates. She tried out for the freshman team last year, but when the Knights lost most of their seniors for the annual Senior Trip, she was one of the players brought up to fill in the holes.
”It was terrifying,” Tampellini said. “I was terrified. I never played before. A lot of other girls had played before.”
Tampellini had never played for the Lightning youth program, and played one year of midfield in middle school just so she could play a sport with her friends. To go from middle school to varsity in one year was a bit of a shock.
”The pace is definitely a lot quicker,” she said. “You have to think about a lot of things at once. You don’t have as much time.”
She figured out how to contribute through the season, though Serughetti didn’t try to give her too much responsibility. With plenty of weapons on offense, Tampellini could focus more on defense. This year, Tampellini is all over the field, and trying to boost the offensive attack.
”She was a D wing that would stay behind the restraining line last year,” Serughetti said. “She understands offense better. She knows how to cut through the seams and she can definitely score.”
The Knights will need some help for proven scorers like Dellien and Harpel. They can’t be asked to do everything. WW-P North has already gotten stiff tests in losses to Allentown and Princeton before picking up the win over the Pirates.
”I’m really proud of the girls,” Serughetti said. “Whether it’s South or another team, it’s important that we learn through our mistakes and be able to clinch the win. It was sweet to be able to do it against South.
”The main difference between Allentown, Princeton and playing South, is we actually played as a team. We played as a team, we played together, we were hustling all over the field, every single person. We weren’t on a delay against South. The last two games, we weren’t necessarily in sync.”
If it was a slow start for the Knights, it was predictable. WW-P North graduated 12 seniors, and Serughetti says that all of them were contributors.
”Most of the team is not veteran,” Serughetti said, “most of the team is young and inexperienced. Hopefully we’re on track. We’re working on skills every single day and hoping to improve and come together as a unit.”
Eight seniors were regular starters last year, and there was a completely new feeling to the team from the start to this season.
”It felt empty at first without them,” Tampellini said. “Everyone has definitely stepped up. We definitely miss the seniors, but it’s a good year for us because everyone is stepping up in different positions.”
Tampellini isn’t afraid of her increased role. She feels ready to be a bigger part of the Knights, and after a year, she’s more comfortable with what she’s capable of doing.
”She’s giving me more responsibility,” Tampellini said. “It’s fun. I’ve definitely improved a lot from last year. We have a lot of really strong players to help.
”In the offseason, I tried to work on my stick skills. Coach Serughetti, Olivia Harpel and Ana, they’ve taught me a lot too. They have such strong stick skills. I’ve learned a lot from them. And I think I have better game sense. I’m more aware of what I’m supposed to do.”
Tampellini may still be young. She’s part of a solid group of sophomores that includes Harpel, defender Giovanna Bonafede and defender Morgan Magid. They may be young, but they know the program standards that they have to play up to after last year’s team went 15-4 and reached the Mercer County Tournament final. Now, they’re putting all their efforts into creating another big finish.
”I owed it to my coach for taking a chance and putting me on varsity,” Tampellini said. “I owed it to her and our seniors to work hard.”