By: Athletic Communications Student Intern Joe Huff '21
BEREA, Ohio – After the COVID-19 pandemic shortened the 2020 season, the Baldwin Wallace University women's lacrosse team is focused on being atop the Ohio Athletic Conference standings in 2021.
Head Coach Nicolle Shoger, who enters her fourth season, returns 12 letterwinners, one All-Ohio Athletic Conference players and one Academic All-OAC performers from last year's squad that posted a 2-5 record before the 2020 season was cut short. In addition, BW welcomes 12 new faces, including two transfers, that look to have a major impact this season.
On the attack, the Yellow Jackets will be led by senior Alexis O'Neill (Westlake). The two-year letterwinner is coming off a 2020 season in which she started all seven games and had a career year. O'Neill finished with 10 goals and a career-best four assists, for a career-best 14 points. She was second on the team in assists and third in goals. She also finished with one free position goal, seven ground balls, and caused two turnovers. The attack will get added punch from sophomore Abby Rosen (Medina), and freshmen Tara Martin (Brunswick), Lexy Conway (Wooster), Maddie Macron (Medina), Grace Hyppa (Olmsted Falls) and Sophia Caito (Solon).
In the middle, BW will be guided by senior Maddie Ray (Cuyahoga Falls/Richfield Revere) and junior Sid Chamberlin (Wooster). Ray returns as the team leader in goals with 15 and total points with 18. She also tallied a career-best-tying nine draw controls, seven ground balls, three assists and caused two turnovers. Chamberlin, who started all seven games a year ago, scored three goals and had a career-best-tying one assist.
The midfield will be bolstered by sophomores Kaitlyn Hradek (Olmsted Township/Olmsted Falls) and Nagi Reed (Bluffton, S.C.). The Yellow Jackets will get added depth from sophomore transfers Sophia Leuma (Bloomington, MN/Thomas Jefferson) and Lily Polen (Canfield) as well as Deanna Loukas (Tucahoe, NY/Eastchester) and Tia Reed (Bluffton, S.C.)
On the back end, BW will be piloted by seniors Christina Roskoph (Strongsville) and Cassidy Prather (Penn Yan, N.Y./Penn Yan Academy). Roskoph, a two-time Academic All-OAC selection, collected 11 ground balls and caused five turnovers in 2020. Prather finished third on the team with 12 ground balls and caused four turnovers.
The defense will also feature junior Taylor Nadal (Dublin/Scioto), sophomore Taylor Beretich (Hutto, Texas/Pickerington North) and freshman Avri DeBevoise (Avon Lake), Vivian Somes (Trafford, Pa./ Penn Trafford), and Neveah Tshiwala (Stow/Stow-Munroe Falls).
In the cage, the Yellow Jackets will rely on senior All-OAC goalkeeper Ashleigh Hildreth (North Tonawanda, NY/Sweet Home). Hildreth led the team and OAC last season with 60 saves and the led the squad with 21 ground balls. Also looking to get in on the action, will be sophomore Kyle Bliss (Fenton, Mich.).
BW opens the 2021 season with its home opener on Saturday, February 20, as it hosts Otterbein University in a OAC matchup on the Tressel Field inside George Finnie Stadium at 1 p.m.
