Westfield State Picked To Win Conference; Framingham State 3rd in Preseason Poll

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WESTFIELD – Reigning Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference regular season and tournament champions Westfield State has been selected by the eight coaches around the conference to win the 2022 MASCAC Women’s Lacrosse Championship. 

The Owls earned seven first place votes for 49 points in this year’s poll and were regular season champs with Framingham State and Worcester State in 2021 after going 3-1 in MASCAC play. Back in goal is Kara Banagan who in her first season with the team was 5-1 with a 53.2 save percentage, 8.87 GAA and 59 saves on her way to All-Conference honors. 

Sitting in second place is Worcester State with the final first place vote for 41 points. The Lancers finished 3-1 during the conference schedule last season. Reigning MASCAC Co-Rookie of the Year Lily Gendron scored 22 goals and added five assists with 27 ground balls, draw controls and 11 caused turnovers to also earn a spot on the All-Conference team. 

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Framingham State is in the third spot with 36 points. The Rams shared the regular season title after going 3-1 in league play. All-Conference attack Tara Palermo returns for the Rams after netting 29 goals with five assists for 34 points while collecting 31 draw controls, 13 ground balls and causing six turnovers. 

Grabbing the fourth spot with 34 total points is Bridgewater State. The Bears look to All-Conference returner Katherine Tracy this season after she had 21 goals and four assists for 25 points while grabbing 14 ground balls, 13 draw controls and causing five turnovers in 2021. 

Next in fifth and sixth are Massachusetts Maritime and Fitchburg State with 25 points and 17 points, respectively. The Buccaneers return Alyssa DiScipio this season after she logged 14 goals and nine assists for 23 points while grabbing 14 draw controls, seven ground balls and three caused turnovers. For the Falcons, Francesca Reyes is back after leading the league in saves with 120 while registering a 42.7 save percentage over nine games.

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Rounding out the 2022 poll in seventh and eighth are Salem State and MCLA with 15 and seven points, respectively. The Vikings midfielder Mackenzie Schmink returns after netting two goals with seven ground balls, five caused turnovers and four draw controls. For the Trailblazers, Sara Tomkiewicz looks to lead the team after a two season hiatus due to the pandemic. 

The MASCAC women’s lacrosse teams begin the 2022 campaign over the next few weeks with non-conference action while conference play begins the first weekend in April. 

2022 MASCAC Women’s Lacrosse Pre-Season Coaches Poll

(First Place Votes In Parentheses)

1. Westfield State (7) – 49 points

2. Worcester State (1) – 41 points

3. Framingham State – 36 points

4. Bridgewater State – 34 points

5. Massachusetts Maritime – 25 points

6. Fitchburg State – 17 points

7. Salem State – 15 points

8. MCLA  – 7 points

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