POUGHKEEPSIE, New York – The Marist women's lacrosse team was in the midst of a five-game homestand, when the COVID-19 outbreak put an abrupt end to a promising season for the Red Foxes.

Marist had won two games in a row, prior to the cancellation of the rest of the 2020 schedule. Samantha Mehalick had scored a combined 13 goals in those two games, and did not show any sign of slowing down. Delaney Galvin racked up 20 saves in Marist's final game, and was one of the hottest goalkeepers in the country, leading the nation in saves per game (13.67). Kelly George was locked in, dishing out nine total assists in her final two games en route to ranking second in the conference in assists on the year. The list of Red Foxes goes on and on, containing players that were in top-form as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference schedule approached.

With such a sudden end to a season that was so promising, it is impossible for anybody from the team to have any closure. Most just have to power through, and shift their focus to the 2021 season, and the long offseason ahead. However, not everyone has that same luxury.

The senior class not only saw their season come to an end, but also had the final chapter of their careers come to a close without a proper finale. This group of incredibly talented, devoted, and hard-working, ladies saw everything they have worked for their entire lives just end in the blink of an eye. No senior night, no conference tournament, It's just…over. A 15-10 victory over UMass Lowell back on Tuesday, March 10 seemed like just a normal victory, with preparations to begin for Vermont on Sunday, March 15. A game which would never come.

Nobody got any of the closure they deserved and worked so hard for throughout their entire lives. "It's very difficult to speak of the seniors in a way of closure, as I know none of them feel as though this journey for them is really over," Head Coach Jessica Wilkinson said. "As their coach, it's hard to imagine that I might not have another opportunity to coach them and even worse, they won't be able to mentor their own teammates on the field.  Quite honestly, I never had to wait until these players were seniors to see their leadership potential. Even as freshmen, they've been such quality examples of players who put the team above all else. They showcase it with action. They say less and do more. They come to work with the intention of improving and winning and they expect that of those around them. They drown out the things that don't matter and they do not complain. I think what's even more apparent is their loyalty to each other as a class. They see the worth in their relationships and they see that the loyalty you earn from your teammate is that of which will eventually help you win, together.  I could go into detail about each of these eight seniors – about their character, their talent (and trust me, there's a lot - I mean best in the program type of talent), their personalities or off-field accomplishments, but it's what they built together as a class that I hope for each of the following classes to take from. I'm so proud of what they built here and I hope they know the program will benefit from their dedication for years to come."
 
The season ending abruptly is nothing but devastating, but in the end, the pandemic cannot let what this senior class accomplished go unnoticed. So instead of thinking about what could have been had the season continued, let's take some time to celebrate everything that the senior class has accomplished:
 

Always together ??????

Senior Spotlight coming soon...#GoRedFoxes pic.twitter.com/jVcVLrWs8L

— Marist College WLax (@MaristWomensLax) March 30, 2020

 

SAMANTHA MEHALICK

Mehalick will be remembered as the greatest scorer the program has ever seen. The five-time MAAC Offensive Player of the Week became the first player in program history, and conference history,  to reach 200 career goals earlier this season. Mehalick ended her career first on the program's all-time goals list with 204, as well as third on the program's all-time points list with 216. She was on pace to become the program's all-time points leader, had the season continued. The senior captain also holds the program (and conference) record for goals in a single game, scoring 11 against Manhattan on April 27, 2019. Her 79 goals in 2019 also set a record for most goals scored in a single season. Besides the 204 career goals, Mehalick also amassed 12 assists, 77 ground balls, 27 caused turnovers, 18 caused turnovers, 68 free-position goals, and 23 man-up goals.  As if that wasn't enough, Mehalick was also a two-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team, and made the ECAC Academic Honor Roll in 2018.

 

ANNIE SHEEHY

Annie Sheehy was one of Marist's top defenders throughout all four years of her career. The senior captain started 39 games the past three years, and was named All-MAAC Second Team Defense following her junior season. This led to the New Hampshire native being named Preseason All-MAAC ahead of this year. Sheehy is also a two-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team, and was named to the ECAC Academic Honor Roll in 2018. She had 42 caused turnovers for her career, and was on pace to pass Wilkinson and crack the program's top-10 list had the season played out. Sheehy was tied for third on the team with four caused turnovers this season, and was second on the team last season in both caused turnovers (17) and ground balls (26).Besides her record pace for caused turnovers, she also totaled 72 ground balls and five draw controls. 

 

JANA ROTHMAN

The third of three senior captains, Jana Rothman was looked to as a leader both on and off the field. Also a two-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team, Rothman was named to the ECAC President's Honor Roll in 2018. Rothman was on pace for a career year, as she was second on the team with five caused turnovers, and fourth on the team with nine ground balls. She also had three goals, an assist, and two draw controls in 2020. She appeared in 51 games in her career, making 28 starts, and scored nine goals and dished out six assists.

 

JESSICA LASAPONARA

Jessica Lasaponara has been a key piece of Marist's midfield for all four years of her career. She has appeared in 44 games in her career, making 33 starts, and has scored 13 goals and dished out three assists, to go along with 18 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers. She was off to a good start in 2020, and was stepping up in the draw circle to fill in for the graduated Hailey Wagner. Lasaponara picked up a career-high three draw controls against Binghamton, and had five for the season. She was on pace to shatter her career-best mark of nine draw controls which she set in 2019.

 

JULIA LUFF

Julia Luff has had a stellar four-year career as a Red Fox. She played in all 19 games her freshman season, and had a career-best 19 ground balls to go with five caused turnovers en route to being selected to the MAAC All-Rookie Team. She earned MAAC All-Academic Team honors in both 2018 and 2019, and made the ECAC President's Honor Roll in 2018. She was also off to a solid start in 2020, also helping to make up for the loss of Wagner. Luff was fourth on the team with nine draw controls for the season, and totaling a career-high four against Army.

 

CARLY GRANT

Carly Grant appeared in 41 games throughout her four-year stint with Marist. She scored 17 goals in her career, and was on pace for a career-year in 2020. The senior attack scored a career-high four goals in Marist's victory over Binghamton, including the game winner which was the first of her career. Her previous career-high was seven goals, which she scored in 2019, and she already had six in 2020. He was on pace to shatter her previous career-high in goals had the season continued. Grant was also a two-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team and a member of the ECAC Academic Honor Roll in 2018.

 

ELLIE PETRACCIONE

Ellie Petraccione appeared in seven games off the bench throughout her four years with the Red Foxes, but her major impact was seen off the field. She was a leader, a mentor, and a role model. She was a two-time member of the MAAC All-Academic Team, and was named to the ECAC President's Honor Roll in 2018. Also an honors student, Petraccione excelled in the class room for the school of sciences. Her honors thesis "The Causes and Impacts of Harmful Algal Blooms in Our Local Waters," is a masterpiece, and helps bring to light the effects that climate change are having on the beautiful Hudson River. Marist College did a spotlight on Petraccione, and here honors theses, which can be found HERE.

 

EMMA LeMAY

Emma LeMay, the first walk-on under Head Coach Wilkinson's tenure, appeared in two games for the Red Foxes throughout her four years with the team. She joined the program for the 2018 season, after spending her freshman year on the Marist campus in Florence, Italy. She was a beloved member of the team through her three years, and a crucial leader both on and off the field. She made the MAAC All-Academic Team in both 2018 and 2019, and was also a member of the ECAC President's Honor Roll in 2018. She was also a Yeardley Reynolds Love Unsung Hero Award Finalist in 2018. A prominent award in the lacrosse community, the award recognizes an athlete who makes a significant contribution to their teams and communities in ways that may not be measured in goals or saves. The winner is awarded a sum of money from the One Love Foundation to be given to their favorite charity. She has been an active member of the community throughout her time at Marist, participating in the Friends of Jaclyn Walk, Make a Difference Day Walk and Girl Scout Sports Sampler, as well as teaching Italian elementary students English once a week while studying abroad.

 

WHAT'S NEXT

Although much uncertainty remains with the women's lacrosse class of 2020 as they embark on completing their colleges educations online today, one thing is for sure: Lacrosse brought this group together, and helped build an unbreakable bond for an incredibly talented group of young women. COVID-19 will not define this group of seniors, their accomplishments will. And they will forever be remembered for the impact they had on the program throughout their careers. Whatever journey they move on to following their time at Marist, they will always have each other. And their legacy will be imprinted on generations of future Red Foxes.
 
Each week, the Marist Athletics Department will spotlight the Class of 2020 from the spring sports whose seasons ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 outbreak. To learn more about these seniors, check back on GoRedFoxes.com, and follow Marist Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Senior Spotlights: Women's Tennis (March 23) | Men's Tennis (March 25) | Baseball | Water Polo | Softball | Women's Track and Field | Men's Rowing | Women's Rowing | Men's Lacrosse | Men's Track and Field