Tahoe Tourney Recap coming soon!

On February 29, 2008, the Lakeshore Women’s Lacrosse Club packed their bags and trail-blazed southeastward to the fine state of Kentucky, taking Leap Day as the official launching point for the spring 2008 season. Lexington welcomed us with open arms and after a long drive from the city of wind, our team was more than happy to hunker down for an evening of rest before the games officially began.

On Saturday, the women of Lakeshore gathered early, counted heads, and prepped for departure. With a short list of dedicated players, we circled the wagons and disembarked for the University of Kentucky. Early optimism squelched and mixed with the muddied playing fields overlooking the football stadium. No Kentucky bluegrass for our weary-eyed travelers; instead, it would be a long day of lax’in the mud (see below)!

Although the pace suffered considerably, our offense did not, taking the early lead in all three games that day. Stolid defense and a newfound netminder kept the goals against to a minimum, leading to two early and decisive wins against the University of Chicago and Wisconsin. The sun made a brief appearance for our third and final game against Kentucky, but by this point our cleats were clogged, our sticks were speckled, and our legs were lumbering after two hours in the deepening sludge. The 8-meter fan became a site for sore eyes (as did our cutting and picking skills) as both attackers and defenders warily jogged through the mud. Perhaps our interim goaltender was reliving bad memories from similar conditions out west, which had precipitated a nasty trip, twist and fracture just months ago. As such, Kentucky was able to take advantage, jumping on some sticky ground balls and notching 5 goals against LWLC, the most any team could muster against us. Still, the breadth, depth, and generational diversity of Lakeshore proved too much for the young women of Kentucky; it didn’t take long for the post-collegiate heroines of Chicago to chalk up some more goals and another victory on the road. And so it goes… those hard-shootin’, quick-checkin’ players from the city of wind continue to blow the competition away, come rain or shine, bluegrass or muddy water.

The ladies of the Lakeshore Women’s Lacrosse club barely had time to scrape the mud from their cleats (or their jerseys) before taking the field again for the University of Illinois Tournament.

In the day’s first contest the Lakeshore crew took on the Purdue club team. Short on numbers, the LWLC had to pull some players and coaches off the Illinois bench (as well as one referee). However ragtag the squad may have seemed, they dealt the Boilermakers a convincing loss with a final score of 15-0.

For the second match-up of the tourney the LWLC had to return some of its roster to take on the Illini club. Despite being without subs and playing numbers down in a yellow card situation, the LWLC pulled through with a 14-8 win.

After the dual victories, the Lakeshore ladies retreated to the reputable Urbana-Champaign establishments to celebrate.

SouthSide ShowDown!

Just a few nights before Halloween, before donning an array of clever costumes, LWLC donned their uniforms for a two-game match-up hosted by the University of Chicago. In the first contest, Wheaton fell behind fast, facing a barrage of scores by the Lakeshore attack. Solid defense and strong goaltending kept the margin wide, with LWLC trotting off the muddied field with a decisive win.

And yes, although many a goose had already left its mark on the grass, Lakeshore swatted their cleats and took the field for the final game against the University of Chicago club team. A multitude of attackers, defenders, and even the occasional goalkeeper found the back of the net on offense. Within the opposition’s 8-meter, the cuts were strong, the picks well-set, and the improvised BTB’s widely misplaced. Still, even after a few slips, slides, and revolted gasps at the soupy midfield, Lakeshore marched unimpeded, dealing a decisive blow to the southsiders at U of C.

LWLC Tackles the 2007 Chi-Town Classic!

After a brief respite from the sport, the women of LWLC gathered to take to the lacrosse fields once more at the 2007 Chi-Town Classic. Many of the players arrived early and stayed late, coaching, reffing, selling gear, and otherwise enjoying the atmosphere at Lakeshore’s finest fall event.

Come afternoon, though, it was all business as Lakeshore took to the Montrose turf field for the team’s opening game against Michigan State. The early game turned out to be the toughest of the day, finishing in a 4-3 nail-biter. LWLC carried the lead and fought for control through much of the game. During the last minute of play, though, MSU gained possession off the draw and scored a quick go-ahead goal that finally spelled Lakeshore’s defeat. With so little time left on the clock, Lakeshore was unable to rally and thus swallowed its first (and only) bitter defeat of the day.

With fire in their eyes (and exquisitely tie-dyed shirts on their backs), though, LWLC rallied, taking the next game 15-1 in a decisive victory over Wisconsin. The goals came early and often from an array of midfielders and attackers. Defense was solid, and the goaltending near-perfect. During the last round of play at the Chi-Town Classic, Lakeshore took on Indiana for a final, well-fought victory. Opposing attackers traded shots and goals, the first half being a test of wills and endurance (whew!). In the latter half of the game, though, Lakeshore took the lead and never looked back, finishing off the day with a solid 6-3 win over Indiana. Long after the jerseys were collected, the goals struck down, the vendors packed up, you could still find a strong group of LWLC delegates re-hashing plays and savoring the victories of the day over drinks at Fizz bar. Cheers, Lakeshore!

Vail Shootout 2007- Bringing the Heat to a Hot Place

Indeed, the 2007 Vail Shootout was a warm one. The sun’s rays were so intense, it felt as if standing up too fast might result in facial embedment in sun-flare. Yet despite the thermostatic challenges, Lakeshore Lacrosse finished the tournament in glorious 5th place of the Consolation Bracket in the Women’s Elite Division (in case you were wondering, “consolation” is French for “the prettier ones,” not “the cruddier ones” like you were probably assuming). This is a single place improvement from last year’s tournament, in which the team finished 6th. Assuming the trend continues, Lakeshore will be running the sweet laps of victory as the grand champions of the 2020 Vail Shootout! The team has approximately 13 years to improve and/or work on strategies of sabotage. In the meantime, here’s a quick recap of the 2007 tournament:

The first game took place on Sunday, July 1st at 8:30 AM against Greene Turtle, which was a gross misnomer considering the team was neither “green” nor “turtlesque.” Perhaps a more appropriate name would have been “Experienced Fasties” or “Been-Around-The-Block Cheetahs,” but probably wouldn’t have looked as nice on a t-shirt. Game-time quotes from Greene Turtle players included, “I’m going to DARTMOUTH next year!” and “This is almost as hard as when I played against Northwestern in the NCAA championship game this Spring”. With that said, the final score was 15-2. Valiant efforts were put forth by everyone from Lakeshore except Laura Rogers, who was conveniently faking a severe case of dysentery. The two Lakeshore goals came from Theresa Frezzo and Jessica Harding. The defense did an excellent job of holding down the fort, as the ball spent a majority of the time on their end of the field. An unspoken agreement was made amongst the Lakeshore squad not to use “behind the back” shots until future games because using them during this game would have seemed like copying. Lakeshore is way classier than that. To say the least, the game was a unique opportunity to play against some of the nation’s most elite players, and helped prime the team’s competitive edge for the rest of the tournament.

The second game was played the following morning against Detroit, who will further be referred to as D-Town for brevity and to utilize hip slang. The D-Town team is one of Lakeshore’s (Chi-Town) classic Midwest rivals. Similar geographic and playing backgrounds have produced historically well matched games. Though Chi-Town is superior alphabetically and, on average, is the more attractive team, D-Town ultimately eked out a W. Lakeshore scored the first two goals of the game and was ahead at half-time, which was encouraging considering the previous trouncing. The magic wore off sometime in the middle of the second half, however, because with just 15 minutes left, D-Town scored three goals, driving the score up to 7-5. Although Lakeshore answered, D-Town scored another and Lakeshore could not recover. The final score was 8-6. On a side note, this score did not reflect the goal that D-Town missed, which hit Lakeshore team member Laura “Macho” Camacho square in her mid-thorax, somewhere near her heart (what a trooper!!) Apparently there are no extra points awarded for hitting defenders, but maybe there should be….maybe….there…. should be.

Next, Lakeshore faced the notorious Lockton Loaded. A few other teams mentioned that playing Lockton would be a physical game. That was an accurate prediction, as many Lakeshore players still carry some Lockton “Love Bites”, a.k.a. bruises in the upper arm region. In addition to being physical, Lockton was also a rather skilled team with players hailing from many Division I schools. It was a very competitive game and the final score (15-3) did not reflect the close competition. Highlights for this game include “holy cow”—invoking saves made by Helder Weil, Krislyn McMahon’s amazing ability to drive the ball all the way from defensive to the attacking end, some impressive team defense orchestrated by Kristen Cornicello and Heidi Mella, and goals scored by Jess Apel (despite a raging case of sinusitis), Crystal Sagan and Theresa Frezzo.

The next early morning game was against Tap This, a Colorado-based team. The Sagans did their best to strategize for this game by drinking the opponents under the table the previous evening. This seemed to be working in the beginning of the game when Lakeshore pulled ahead by three goals within the first ten minutes of the half. Tap This woke up shortly after and managed to tie the game, making the rest of the match a close “coast-to-coast” game. Despite goals scored by Josie Broussard, Salli Schlacks, Theresa Frezzo (2), Jess Apel and Lindsay Morgan (2), Tap This prevailed in the last five minutes to finish with a score of 9-7. More frustrating than the loss of the game was the loss of one Cindy Frezzo, a casualty to the overzealous sprinkling of Edward’s field Numero 2. Many of Lakeshore’s members thought that the alacrity and skill of the on-field trainer would miraculously result in Cindy’s recovery but, alas, even the best medical care could not save this poor girl’s tortured ankle, and she was out for the rest of the tournament. Very disheartening.

The last game of the day against NYAC was scheduled for the late afternoon. The Lakeshore Team was intensely optimistic that this game would be their first victory. Was it clairvoyance? Incredible belief in oneself and ones teammates? Or was it the fact that NYAC had to forfeit due to player shortage? Even though Lakeshore had officially won before the first draw was taken, the match turned out to be relaxed and fun for all parties involved. Highlights of the game included goals scored by Kristen Cornicello (a low defender) and a quick-stick goal made by Heidi Mella, assisted by Josie Broussard. It was also a pleasure to pick on Sarah McKenna, who played for the other team. You’re a good sport, McKenna.

And finally, the climax of the entire tournament: the playoff game versus Team Vision. This was by far the closest game of the tournament, the score spread never exceeding three goals. Lakeshore was down by one at half time which was motivation to get back on the field and take the win. The score was neck and neck till the final minutes of the game. Lakeshore was down by one. With Sinusitis (Jess Apel) skillfully manipulating the draws and Jamie Reynolds, Jessica Harding and Heidi Mella holding strong defense in the midfield, Theresa Frezzo and Salli Schlacks were able to score to put Lakeshore in the lead by one goal. Finally, a shot like a goal-seeking-missile made by Josie Broussard in the last two minutes of the game gave Team Lakeshore the insurance and impetus needed to give it their all and finish the tournament with a big win, 11-9. This was also the highest scoring game of the tournament for Lakeshore, with goals contributed by Crystal and Bobby Sagan, Heidi Mella, Jess Cemate, and a whopping five from Theresa Frezzo (a hat trick…plus two mittens). Adding to the sweetness, Team Vision beat D-Town on the previous day. So, by the transitive property, Lakeshore beat D-Town. This is a foreshadowing for next year when Lakeshore will beat Detroit without the assistance of a geometric proof.

All in all, win or lose, Vail Shootout 2007 was a blast. Getting the chance to play against the majestic backdrop of the Rockies in all their majestic majesty, witnessing BtB’s and AtW’s performed by the most elite players in the sport (Jen Adams can make it RAIN out here!), getting the chance to hang out in luxurious condos (decorated with larger-than-life, gilded fruit sculptures….one of the most classic symbols of affluence in these modern times), and celebrating Independence Day in Vail Village with Lady Liberty herself (portrayed by Josie Broussard donning a fetching decorative wreath on her head) made this remarkable experience worth the long trip from Chicago. A big thanks to everyone who organized the trip and to family members and fans who supported the team with spirited cheering (Thank you, Doesburg Boys!) and in the form of sustenance (Thank you Cornicello’s and McMahon’s!) Vail, we will see you next year.

The Lakeshore Women’s Club redefined themselves in their sophomore appearance at the renowned Vail Shootout July 1st through July 4th in Colorado this summer. Their 2-4 record sufficed them 6th place out of the 16 teams participating.

Lakeshore opened on Saturday, July 1 against last year’s formidable 2nd place team, Team Wild from Middlebury College. Stiff from late flights in Friday evening, Lakeshore made a noble effort; young goalkeeper Megan Waters denied numerous undefended shots, but Lakeshore could not answer Wild’s offensive pummeling, losing 16 to 2.

The team hoped Sunday would prove a fresh start, but they were hampered by the hodgepodge offensive and defensive strategies expected of any group that includes many individuals who rarely play together. The defense and midfield started making some solid transitions, with Krislyn McMahon and Jessica Kelley powering the ball out to runners like Jamie Knotts and Liz Schatz. Bobbie Sagan braved the offensive zone, putting Lakeshore on the board, but the team fell short to Juan’s Mexicali 13-3.

The afternoon provided further frustration, while the young and speedy Hootenannies handed Lakeshore their 3rd loss, 16-5. Lakeshore played a skilled game, as experienced players like Heidi Mella and Josiane Broussard worked to maintain possession, but the hungry Hootenannies were able to capitalize on every ground ball and turnover, securing and maintaining a solid lead after half-time.

A sullen group left the field, but returned to Athletic Field on Monday with a winning attitude. Finally, the group clicked and shocked the over-confident Ski+Bar with an 11-7 win. Laura Camacho and Kristen Cornicello anchored the defense, while Theresa Frezzo and Bridget Olp led the offensive effort with a combined 9 goals. Laura Rogers added to the assault, solidifying the victory.

The team secured a second win that afternoon against ferocious Team Ohio. Suffering many yellow-worthy checks, and dodging their helicopter-like swings, Lakeshore was able to put just enough shots in the net behind Ohio’s sturdy goalie to win the game. Nikki Anderson’s defensive ardor, and Jessica Cemate’s unrelenting speed and deception provided the edge over their former compatriots, proving that Ohio’s losses were Chicago’s gains. Julie Jerrell took control at center and the game was sealed with Cindy Frezzo’s memorable “riser and surprise-her” shot off the 8-meter.

Monday’s performance was a much needed infusion of confidence and enthusiasm, as it proved the team worthy of future tournament appearances. Furthermore, it set a bar for area teams, as no other Illinois club had ever posted as many wins at the acclaimed tournament.

Our Nation’s Independence Day saw Lakeshore pitted against yet another Midwestern rival, Detroit. The young and fearless ladies of Motor City were certainly shaken by Lakeshore’s draw control capabilities, assisted goals, and speed. Brittany Borgenson (a.k.a. the Bruiser Barbie) shook Detroit’s offense, and Helder Weil’s performance in goal demonstrated her unrivaled reaction time and influence. Crystal Sagan’s speed and strategy added much value to the offense’s performance, keeping the two teams neck and neck much of the game. However, the Michigan team secured a narrow lead in the second half, and Lakeshore never regained the upper hand, losing 12-7. However, appearing in this consolation game for 5th place, Lakeshore’s march through the bracket secured them 6th place overall.

The trip was also marked by many enjoyable outings, BBQ’s, rap music, gas-guzzling SUVs and hikes in the surrounding mountains. Members of the men’s teams provided entertaining distraction, for some more than others, and more importantly, free beverages. We were grateful for our fan base, anchored by Mrs. Cornicello and Mrs. McMahon, with nods from Kristan Ash, Cathy Liang and Brandon Warner. It was also great to see Kaitlyn Carney of Staten Island, NY for her 2nd and final appearance out in Vail Village at night. We look forward to returning to the Wild West next summer, and forging even further success and acclaim for the Windy City’s Lakeshore Women.
Theresa Frezzo
Captain

Thousands of women’s lacrosse enthusiasts traveled east this past Memorial Day weekend, but we weren’t all headed for Boston. Many of us arrived at our final destination in Bethlehem, PA to attend the Women’s Division National Tournament at Lehigh University. The National Tournament has been a showcase of the best women’s lacrosse players in the country since its inception in 1933....FULL STORY
Josiane Broussard
Director, Lakeshore Lacrosse
CWLC Captain

CWLC arrived in Evanston last weekend to play on Northwestern’s beautiful lakefront field! We welcomed back Helder Weil, our lovable goalie, after knee surgery took her away from us for a while-Good to have you back Helder!!! If you saw the game you would think we have been practicing together 7 days a week, thanks to our packed Spring season. Our transitions looked good and our patience on offense was something to be commended. Hopefully we can take this momentum to the National Tournament at Lehigh and the Vail Shootout!
Nikki Anderson, CWLC Vice President

Who knew that tax weekend would bring some of the best weather that we have seen all spring! There’s nothing better than some sunshine and lacrosse to help you kick that cabin fever!!!! Last minute schedule changes affected the roster but this didn’t stop us from playing two EXCELLENT games in Madison, Wisconsin. Our game against Northwestern was intense and we walked away winners. The University of Wisconsin came to play and had plenty of women on the sidelines eager to get in on the action. UW played an excellent game and we left with a 1:1 record for the day. We would like to extend our thanks to Carol (U of Iowa) and Erin (U of Wisconsin) for helping us out in goal once again. A very special thank you to the Camacho Family- the food was great and the Easter baskets were awesome!
Nikki Anderson, CWLC Vice President

We arrived in Iowa City to take on both the University of Chicago and the University of Iowa. Once again, goalies from each team stepped in to complete our roster for each of our games. We would like to thank Carol (U of Iowa) and Jess (U of Chicago) for helping us out… you both did an amazing job! We walked away with 2 wins. Iowa City is a great college town and we look forward to making the trip west again in the future.
Nikki Anderson, CWLC Vice President

This was no April Fool’s Day Joke! CWLC demolished their competition at the Wheaton Payday on Saturday with wins over both the University of Wisconsin and Northwestern University. The weather was no indication of the energy level that the women of CWLC brought to the field. We would like to send a special thank you out to the goalies from the Universities of Wisconsin and Dayton for stepping up and helping us out.
Nikki Anderson, CWLC Vice President

This year the Chicago Women’s Lacrosse Club was given the opportunity to participate in the University of Michigan’s Women’s Lacrosse Invitational. Despite coming up short of any wins on Saturday, CWLC ended their trip to Ann Arbor with a triumph over the University of Louisville on Sunday morning. CWLC played Lindenwood University, the University of Illinois, and the University of Michigan on Saturday. The game against the University of Michigan was particularly intense. The Wolverines stated on their website that, "Michigan might have faced their most difficult opponent so far in '06, taking on the Lakeshore club team in their second contest of the day. Although the score-board didn't reflect the tightness of the game, especially early, it was clear that Lakeshore would give the Wolverines a solid effort." Not too shabby!
Nikki Anderson, CWLC Vice President

Cradle to the Grave: Lacrosse after College and the 2005 Vail Shootout
Josiane Broussard

Since I can remember, attendance at the Vail Shootout gave you the highest level of street credit in the world of women’s lacrosse. As a high school-er, I was in awe of the girls who came back in the fall with Shootout shirts and chatted loudly about their 4th of July weekend at Vail. Since graduating from Brandeis University in 2002, I have coached, refereed and played more than ever before. If you can believe it, I’m three years out of college and at the peak of my game! And this summer, I finally got the chance to play in the Vail Shootout.

I moved to Chicago in September of 2004 from Boston and immediately joined the Chicago Women’s Lacrosse Club, (organized by Lakeshore Lacrosse). Since arriving in the fall, I’ve played in 4 tournaments, 3 seasons of league play, a million Sunday practices and a handful of single games. Our team is made up of DI, DIII and college club players living in the Chi-town area. Many women are in graduate school, including business, medical, law, etc. Most are also refs and coaches. Social and professional networking opportunities abound in this group of power-women. Club lacrosse is an amazing gift to life after college and these women embrace it. My alma mater did not (and to this day still does not) have a varsity lacrosse program (nor embrace their hard-working, self-run WDIA team), so club lacrosse is old suit for me. All of the same problems arise (field space, transportation, funding, etc) and they’re taken care of by the teammates, just like old times.

And speaking of Chicago, if you haven’t been living under a rock this season, you might also know that I live in one of the most exciting new places to be involved in women’s lacrosse (Go Northwestern!!). So, I was able to go to a few games in Evanston this spring, not to mention participate in the wildfire-like growth in popularity enjoyed by Midwestern youth lacrosse programs. This spring I coached a high school varsity team, refereed my first season of games, and prepared for Vail…

We scheduled evening team runs, weekend practices and fundraisers. It was a great feeling to be on a team again; nostalgia galore. We were transformed into the bright-eyed youth players I envy at high school games as we boarded our flight with lacrosse gear as far as the eye could see. A plethora of bags with crossed sticks logos were chucked onto conveyor belts and I think we entertained the idea that passersby thought we were a professional sports team. Off we flew to Vail; to the famous lacrosse tournament in the sky; it was any laxer’s dream since the moment she first picked up a stick.

We arrived in Vail on June 30th to beautiful mountain weather. Games began the next day, so we relaxed and checked out the scenery (John Denver in the background, of course). Over the course of the next four days we played six games. With The Rockies in the background and 20 teammates just happy to be out on a lacrosse field again, who really cared how many games we won? Each morning we went through our pre-game rituals: sports drink preparation, breakfasts, ankle taping, visualization, sun-block application, etc. We quickly recaptured our old game-time habits. Each evening we ate dinner together and explored the Vail nightlife. Partying included, most of us collapsed into bed around 11p each night.

I have never played so much lacrosse in such a short period of time. One bloody nose, a twisted ankle, a handful of goals and assists and here I am, feeling like one of the luckiest post-collegiate lacrosse players in history. And we didn’t even win any games. Yes, there were some close ones and a fair amount of frustration; but in general, we had an amazing time at our first appearance at the Shootout. I think we all plan on coming back for as long as we can play the game.

So, the next time you’re looking enviously at the 17 year old players with their bright new sticks, screaming off in their first cars on their way to a game, and you’re thinking that they have their whole lacrosse careers ahead of them and yours is sadly gone, shake that feeling and ponder this: our lacrosse careers are NOT over. If I may be a little hokey, I say: post-collegiate play is out there. Cradle to the grave, ladies!