On their final game of the season, the Jaspers honored their seniors in a great fashion by earning a 9-8 victory over Marist. Despite their 1-7 record in conference play, it was an important moment for them to hand Marist a loss before the Red Foxes go into the MAAC tournament.

“We struggled a lot this season,” Donna Jo DiNorcia said. “So to pull it all together defensively and offensively was a big thing, especially for the seniors. We proved to the coaches that we really could play with a good team.”

The Jaspers honored seniors Domenica O’Brey, Carly Cappello, DiNorcia, Kaleigh Howe and co-captains Christina Fiorinelli and Caitlin Hynes before their game Wednesday April 22. In net, Fiorinelli had a team-best 60 ground balls and DiNorcia had an impressive game after returning from an injury. She helped lead the Jaspers’ scoring with a hat trick.

“Coming off of an injury, I didn’t even expect to be on the field that long,” DiNorcia said. “Putting in the first goal was enough for me. It was just a great way to go out.”

Even though the team did not have a winning record this season, they have improved greatly over the last few years and they look toward the future to get even better. Junior co-captain Megan Yarusso said that winning on senior day was the team’s best achievement this season.

Still, They have strong numbers to be proud of this season. Yarusso led the team in goals and points with 34 and 45 respectively. Junior co-captain Kaitlyn Cunningham had a team-high 12 assists and seven players finished in double digits in scoring.

“Ending on a high note showed us and the coaches that we are good,” Yarusso said. “It showed that we could hang with or even beat good teams. Finally coming together as a whole was the cherry on top this season.”

Both DiNorcia and Yarusso said that the last few years on the team have been a growing experience and a learning process. After some coaching changes over the past few years, they have found who can help the team reach their goals. Head coach Elizabeth Weber and assistant coach Amanda Trendell have been improving the program in great ways.

“In previous years, we were getting blown out by mediocre teams,” Yarusso said. “This year, we were losing to really good teams by one or two goals.”

A new style of defense has been the key to the Jaspers’ change. Coach Trendell was an impressive player at Rutgers, winning the Midfielder of the Year Award in 2013 as well as being a member of the team when they ranked sixth nationally in defense.

“Our coaches now are really going to take the program in the right direction,” DiNorcia said. “I believe that the seniors helped pave the way for that. We’ve come a long way.”

As DiNorcia finishes her time as a Jasper, she hopes to see the team improve to a winning record in the future. She said that there are different people who can work together and have a connection, which will help the team be successful.

“This whole year was a learning process,” Yarusso said. “Getting that connection should start in the fall. With the incoming class, we should start building that relationship with everyone on the team.

Coming off a tough loss to Sacred Heart on Wednesday March 25, the Jaspers prepared for a visit from MAAC opponent Canisius at Gaelic Park on Saturday.

In Wednesday’s matchup, the Jaspers were leading most of the game. However, Sacred Heart went on a 5-0 run in the last six minutes to take the win from Manhattan with a 9-8 final.

“On the attacking side, communication is key to getting us to come together,” senior Carly Cappello said. “It showed in our game versus Sacred Heart. We communicated and we scored those goals.”

After losing that game, the Jaspers realized that they can’t just be satisfied with the score. It is always hard trying to maintain a lead and Manhattan knows that they want to finish every game knowing that they gave it their all.

“Having a lead, our problem is being complacent,” junior co-captain Megan Yarusso said. “The other team will realize that and capitalize on it. It’s all about composure. We have to focus on the overall result of the game.”

Canisius has been on a streak, winning four of their last five games, going into Saturday’s matchup. Senior Tori Quinn has been leading all season both offensively and defensively, with 20 goals, 11 assists and 18 caused turnovers on the defensive end. She added to her numbers and was a tough obstacle for the Jaspers in their matchup, scoring two goals and three assists in the 10-1 Canisius victory.

“It comes down to execution,” Cappello said, who scored Manhattan’s lone goal against Canisius. “Everyone is excited to be in conference now and it’s about us playing our game. We have to count on each other on the field.”

One of the themes for the Jaspers this season has been questionable refereeing. While it can be tough to deal with, Manhattan has used it to motivate them in each game and their season altogether. They focus on putting it away on the attacking end.

“If you’re not happy with the referees’ calls,” head coach Elizabeth Weber said, “you use it as momentum going forward. It’s about having a great defensive stopper and putting it away in the back of the cage.”

Taking some positives out of the loss, Coach Weber said that the team’s transition game has evolved greatly. It was one of their struggles at the beginning of the season but now they have it figured out. Another aspect of their game that has been improving is their defense, and it showed in their game against Canisius. Goalkeeper Christina Fiorinelli had 13 saves on the 23 shots she faced. Manhattan led with 18 ground balls and only had 16 fouls, compared to the Golden Griffins’ 31.

“At the end of the day, it’s about finishing our shots and being right in the game,” Coach Weber continued. “We’re getting over that hump and we’re right there.”

Having a new assistant coach this season, the team’s focus has been their defense. They have been working since the fall with assistant coach Amanda Trendell, who has brought some great experience to Manhattan. A Rutgers graduate, Trendell received the Midfielder of the Year Award in 2013 and her team ranked sixth nationally defensively.

“It’s a learning experience,” Yarusso said. “We’re still trying to figure each other out. Communication is the number one thing and we are learning that together.”

Not letting this loss get to them, the Jaspers are ready for their next game, against MAAC opponent Siena next week. They are taking the positives from this matchup and going to use that as momentum in preparation of getting their first conference win. In addition to Siena, they play Quinnipiac next week as well.

“When we stick to our game plan, we can beat any team,” Yarusso said. “It’s just about us executing it.”

Midfielder Brianna Rickert is one of the five seniors set to play in their last game at Gaelic Park on Saturday April 19^th. Photo courtesy of GoJaspers.com

 

After a 13-8 loss to the first-place Marist Red Foxes on Wednesday, the Jaspers are looking toward their last home game of the season for their first conference win. Manhattan is currently 2-12 on the season and 0-6 versus MAAC opponents. Giving the team even more momentum to come out with a win against Niagara on Saturday is that it is Senior Night.

The Jaspers will lose five players after the season ends. Maria Toscano, Clare Kerrisk, Brianna Rickert and co-captains Kelsey Rehain and Carly Eskenazi will be honored for their achievements at Manhattan before the start of Saturday’s game.

“It’s been great having our teammates all four years,” Rehain said. “It’s been a tough four years. We’ve had about nine to 11 coaches come in and out. Through the periods we don’t have coaches, that’s when the leaders have to step up and guide the team.”

Head coach Elizabeth Weber is almost through her first season at Manhattan. Along with a new head coach comes a new coaching system and that is not something to get used to overnight. This season has been one of learning and reconstruction.

“Though our record didn’t show how hard we tried all season and the improvements we’ve made on and off the field, we’ve come a long way, sophomore Casey Silvestri said. “We worked hard but we didn’t get the exact results that we wanted.”

“This year has been a rebuilding year,” said sophomore Megan Yarusso. “I think that next year we will be able to prove to everyone through our record that we are improving and we are ready to win.”

Despite their MAAC record, the team has had strong progress. This season, they have played teams and have a good chance against them when last year they would lose games by 10 goals or more. They’ve had close games brought into overtime, sometimes even double overtime, and have goal deficits of 5 or less.

“We do have our ups and downs but we learn from each mistake and we try not to take a step backwards,” Yarusso said.

Manhattan has some team goals for the rest of the season and one of them is getting a win in the MAAC. They have one more chance to obtain that goal at home. With it being Senior Night, it gives them extra momentum but it doesn’t change their attitude toward the game. In addition, they want to learn from each game and use it for the future.

“No matter what game it is, we all go out and play for each other. Senior Night just has a title on it and we will play even harder,” Yarusso said. “Playing with the seniors will be emotional. We look up to them and they have all made an impact on this team.”

“You’re never going to have an experience like Gaelic,” Rehain said. “There’s nothing like it. We have a little community here and it’s going to be hard to leave.”

 

In a Saturday afternoon game on March 15, the Manhattan College women’s lacrosse team came out strong against Delaware State to win their second straight game. The Jaspers scored the first three goals of the game. Two of those were from senior co-captain Carly Eskenazi, which set the tone for the Jaspers.

These two goals were Eskenazi’s first of the season, along with her three assists she had by the end of the game. She led the team with five points on the day. Manhattan won with a score of 18-2 over the Hornets.

“It was good to see her get on the board,” Elizabeth Weber, Manhattan head coach, said, “and the team followed. She was the spark that we needed.”

Eskenazi was named co-captain her junior year and is returning to her captaincy this year, along with senior Kelsey Rehain. The mid-fielder has been an important player for the team. She was tied her junior year with a team-high 25 points. She led the team with 22 goals and was a member of the MAAC All-Academic Team.

Playing for about 10 years, Eskenazi has had some good memories.

“We’ve had some close games here,” she said about her time at Manhattan. “Conference games, Marist and Siena are always good games to win.”

One personal goal of hers is to beat Iona, as the Jaspers haven’t in her four years.

“There are no different responsibilities,” she said on being captain. “Everyone is there to motivate each other. Everyone tries to be there for people.” Being a senior, she says that she tries to be someone to look up to, because she has been through it before.

With a new coaching staff this season, things look to be improving. The players have more motivation and they are playing like a team who wants to win, according to Eskenazi. She is setting some goals for the team this season.

“We are getting better and improving each game and day of practice,” she said. “Each non-MAAC game will help us prepare.”

“Definitely make it to MAACs since we haven’t made it in a while,”she said on what the team’s main goal is for the season, “and hopefully win. I think we have a lot of potential this season.”

Eskenazi and Rehain have been essential in helping the team and the new coaching staff this season. Coach Weber is in her first season at Manhattan, in addition to new assistant coach Carly DeVito.

“This coach cares more than any coach we’ve had,” Eskenazi said. “So it’s a really good change for our program.”

According to Weber, both captains have a distinctive style of leadership that they bring to the team. They were able to make the transition easier for the coaching staff and the players getting used to each other and the new system overall.

“Carly is a vocal leader,” Weber said. “She’s a returning captain and we were looking for her leadership. She filled the role.”