New Egypt High School’s girls lacrosse team feels that once the new players blend with the returning ones, the Warriors can have another season like last spring, when they went 12-6 and made it to the second round of the NJSIAA Central Jersey Group I tournament.
Four seniors graduated from last season, and five seniors are playing key roles this year. Returning seniors include midfielders Dani Andreula, Courtney Stillwell and Nicole Miller, as well as attack Emma Bunce. Andreula is the team captain. Another senior, Alexis Marangoni, is expected to contribute in the midfield.
Sophomore Faith Schuetz is back in goal, while freshman Alexa Natalicchio is the backup.
They’ll look to fill the void left by Cortney Natalicchio, who set school scoring marks in lacrosse and field hockey before embarking on a college career at the College of New Jersey, where she has scored two goals in nine games — one as a starter — for the 8-3 Lions, ranked No. 7 in NCAA Division III. Also sorely missed are defenders Julie Ciak and Kassandra Stillwell, as well as goalie Danielle Solinski.
As in past seasons, many of the returning players on this year’s team also played field hockey for head coach Katie Sawicki in the fall.
Other experienced players expected to contribute heavily this season are junior defenders Makenzie Magnotta and Brianne Lammerding, and sophomores Jessica Andreula on defense and Brooke Gatyas at attack.
New Egypt is 0-3 this season following losses to Delran High School, 10-8, Maple Shade High School 13-12, and Cinnaminson High School, 20-11.
“They are young. We need to work on meshing the new [players] with the old,” Sawicki said.
Varsity newcomers expecting to play key roles are juniors Jenna Curran as an attacker and Kristi Pannone as a defender, sophomores Sarah Hammer as an attacker and Danielle Swift as a defender, and freshmen Alexa Hladick and Alexys Moeller in the midfield.