Women’s lacrosse fight hard to win MAC championships

Whether it is the MAC or the PAC, the women’s lacrosse team is looking to win.

Starting the season 2-2 in conference play, the team did not push the panic button. The Lady Eagles cruised through league play last season en route to their third consecutive PAC Championship title.

“The Elizabethtown game was the eye-opener for sure,” Head Coach Camrin Azzarano said. “They made it to the finals two years in a row in the MAC. I wasn’t surprised when I saw them play. The seniors on their team had a lot of experience.”

The Eagles were defeated 19-10 in the contest against Elizabethtown. They were not discouraged by the loss, but took it as an opportunity to work harder. The loss just made them hungrier to be the last women standing in the conference.

“There are great lacrosse teams,” Azzarano said. “There is no question that the play is higher than we have ever seen. As a whole, this is the most challenging season that I have coached even in my time as an assistant in the program.”

With that said, Azzarano went to the drawing board. Her team was able to produce four straight conference wins after starting with a 2-2 record in the MAC. In that span, the Eagles outscored their MAC opponents 74-34. History shows that once the team starts scoring, it is hard to bet against them when the playoffs roll around.

“I think (scoring) is something we have been focusing on,” Azzarano said of her offensive unit. “We are learning how to earn the opportunity to take the shot and, when we do take the shot, make it a good one.”

With all of the quality shots the Eagles have been taking lately, the team has become a contender in the MAC once again, leaving the great memories of the PAC in the past.

“Being seeding fourth or fifth is new for us,” Azzarano said. “We are not used to having to play in the quarterfinals. I think the seniors would not trade the new conference for anything. We had a great experience in the PAC, but I think the girls (would) rather have the challenge we have in the MAC.”

The Eagles have the experience that they hope will help them during crunch time.

“All of our seasons have gone to the NCAA,” Azzarano said. “They all have that experience and it is something that they want. We have had a lot of success this year. It’s not hard to have expectations of greatness because you have so many seniors with experience.”

The Eagles expect to bring home the hardware of a MAC championship, just like they did for three consecutive seasons in the PAC.