About The Team 

The Elms College women’s lacrosse team took new strides under first-year head coach Ruth Ness.

Despite an 0-15 record, the Blazers scored eight more goals (98 total), caused eight more turnovers (101 total), fired 26 more shots on goal (196), recorded a 77.5 shots-on-goal percentage compared to a 73.3-percent mark in 2011 and recorded a 50.4-percentage in saves this season compared to 44.3-percent last season.   

Elms’ offensive attack was led by sophomore attacker Kayla Narey (South Hadley, Mass.) who scored a team-high 29 goals, picked up 36 groundballs, won 37 draws and caused 16 opponent turnovers. In a tough, 13-12 loss at Wheelock College, Narey netted a collegiate career-high five goals and picked up a season-high five groundballs in a loss to Salem State University.

Senior goalkeeper Rachel Schrutt (Chicopee, Mass.) was terrific in her debut season between the pipes, notching a New England Women’s Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA)-high 227 saves and a league-best 51.6 save percentage. For her efforts, Schrutt was named NEWLA Rookie of the Year, Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-NEWLA. Schrutt also scooped a team-high 58 groundballs during the season and caused 12 turnovers.

Junior attacker Kaityln Harrington (East Longmeadow, Mass.) followed with 24 goals, 20 groundballs and 20 draw controls and tallied a season-high four goals in one-goal losses to Daniel Webster College and Wheelock.

On a squad that featured just four newcomers, freshman attacker Lauren Mazza (Agawam, Mass.) scored at least one goal in each of the Blazers’ first six games, and scored twice in four games during the stretch to finish with 16 goals in her debut season. In a 10-9 loss to St. Joseph College (Conn.), Mazza found the back of the net three times – a collegiate career-high.

In the midfield, senior Emily Walsh (Hadley, Mass.) and sophomore Brianna Lyons (Canton, Mass.) controlled the pace of play picking up 32 and 42 groundballs respectively, while Lyons won 32 draws and Walsh 25 draws. Walsh added 18 goals as an offensive spark, while Lyons helped set up those opportunities causing 28 opponent turnovers with stellar play in transition.

In addition to NEWLA, the program also belongs to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) and National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).