Goalie's diary

Dolphins qualify for conference playoffs

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For the first time in three years, the College of Mount Saint Vincent’s women’s lacrosse team has earned a spot in the Skyline Conference playoffs. 

The Dolphins are the fourth-seeded team and were scheduled to play at top-seeded Farmingdale State on Wednesday.

After a short break for the Easter holiday, CMSV returned to the field on Monday to prepare for their difficult opponent. While on break, players began preparation by scouting Farmingdale’s plays. The Dolphins are looking for a way to shut down the Farmingdale attack line. 

Farmingdale beat CMSV 16-8 in a regular-season game three weeks ago, so defense will be a key component in the Dolphins’ gameplan. 

While the Dolphins held their own in that game, they were outplayed by Farmingdale. It will be essential for the Dolphins’ defense to keep the Rams out of scoring position.

CMSV, which finished the regular season 5-8 and 3-4 in the conference, has spent time practicing double-team defense, as well as fast-break, 1-on-1 defense in preparation for the game.

To go along with strengthening their defensive line, CMSV has been working on ways to break through Farmingdale’s defense. Plays such as the draw and dump have been a focus. 

Head coach Jill Hutchinson and assistant Lauren Perla emphasized the importance of this week’s practices. 

For nearly four months, the team has spent nearly every day practicing and playing together, and those four months of training come down to one game. 

Coming off of a shaky season, the Dolphins were excited to find out they had made the playoffs. The seniors have not been to the postseason since their freshman year and none of the underclassmen have ever made it.

As a senior at CMSV, Perla was on the team the last time they went to playoffs, and she is happy to have another chance as a coach.

The Dolphins have dedicated a lot of their time to their season over the last semester. From two-a-day practices to going days without a break, the team has worked hard to get where it is now. Preparing for playoffs is not something done in a few days; it is the accumulation of the work the team has done all season. 

The Dolphins are ready to see where their time and effort will take them.

Kaitlin McCormack is the starting goalie for the College of Mount Saint Vincent women’s lacrosse team.

lacrosse, College of Mount Saint Vincent, Kaitlin McCormack

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