Women's lacrosse poised for run at SCIAC crown

ORANGE, Calif. – The Chapman University women's lacrosse program may only be a "toddler" in terms of Division III age and experience, but the Panthers have their eyes set on a SCIAC championship in 2014, a year after coming up just short in their NCAA debut season.

Chapman opens Year Two on Saturday night as it hosts Occidental College on Wilson Field at 7 p.m. in a rematch of last April's SCIAC Championships semifinal game in which the Panthers defeated the Tigers 13-10.

That victory was the climactic win in a year that served as a coming out party for Chapman women's lacrosse, which had experienced a great deal of success at the club level, but was unproven amongst NCAA Division III competition. The Panthers were more than just fine, posting a record of 14-6 and reaching the SCIAC Championship game.

This season, Chapman will have a bit different look without its top two goal-scorers from a year ago and having lost goalie Anjali Thota and top defender Gabby David to graduation. However, the Panthers appear reloaded and poised to compete for the top spot in the SCIAC once again.

Leading the Panthers this season will be seniors Allie Kontny, Lauren Mah and Kara Podesta – three of six remaining members of Chapman's club national championship in 2011. Kontny, who was the MVP of that championship run as a freshman, will lead the offense after totaling 53 points (38 goals, 15 assists) last year. Mah will anchor the midfield, having led Chapman in draw controls in 2013 and adding 15 goals. And Podesta was a perfect 4-0 in goal last season with a 46.5 save percentage in 241 minutes and will carry the load in goal this year.

Junior attacker Abbey Messmer also returns with her 48 points (29 goals, 19 assists) from last season.

Besides Occidental, who will prove to be a worthy opponent in a crowded top half of the conference's elite, Redlands and Claremont will prove formidable once again this season. After opening at home on Saturday night, the Panthers travel to Whittier and then get a taste of defending SCIAC champion Redlands on the road on Feb. 15.

by Doug Aiken
Sports Information Director

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