The Women’s Lacrosse team is springing into action before the break. The team is a relatively young one with twenty-three underclassmen consisting of fifteen freshmen and eight sophomores. The Red Dragons are focused and determined to put up a fight each game. The team has two wins totaling 25 points.
The Red Dragons take on the Bombers at home on March 6. Despite their main challenge being they are a young team, they have bonded and connected early on with ease.
Senior attack Toni Cashman and Graduate Student defense Amanda Squillini are two of the team captains for the 2024 season.
“We have gotten close in a short period,” said Cashman “We are closer than ever. We started hanging out in the fall.”
The connections the team built early on have allowed the team to focus on getting stronger and be able to focus on practices and games. Team-building activities and working on getting to know each other were the basis of these connections.
“We are constantly pushing each other, making each other better, and picking each other up when needed,” said Squillini ‘We come to practice ready to make each other better each day.”
With the upcoming game being against Ithaca, the air is filled with different emotions.
“It is my senior year, I want a good game and just want to win,” said Cashman.
“I am excited to do all of our pregame rituals before the game as it will be the first time for many of our new players,” Squillini said. “I am excited to feel nervous before the game and walk out onto the field listening to our warmup, hyping each other up.”
The Bombers are not a conference team for the Red Dragons, but they still hold a competitive edge against them. When teams are not playing conference games the games are just as important. They help them move up rankings. Playing competitive games is also fun for the athletes and gives them opportunities to showcase their talent and get stronger as a team.
“They were a good team last year and we came out with a high energy.” We were able to connect very well… bond very well.” said Cashman.
The Red Dragons are preparing for Ithaca as if it were just any other team. The players have goals of their own tied to their game and season as well.
Squillini’s goal for Ithaca is to compete to her fullest for the whole game with no faults and have fun while sticking to the main goal of the team. “Our biggest goal is consistency,” said Squillini.
The Ithaca game is going to be a fight and be competitive on both sides. To win the game they need to come out and keep the fundamentals.
“They have many skills that I believe will create a great competition between the two of us.” said Squillini “We need to be consistent, come out strong, and finish strong.”
If the Red Dragons stick to everything they have been working on in the preseason and season so far, they should come out victorious against the Pioneers.
The Red Dragons have big ambitions for this season but they are not impossible to achieve. The overarching goal is to make it to the National Championship game.
“I am looking forward to seeing us at that National Championship game.” Squillini
Cortland vs Ithaca: March 6, 2024, 4 pm Grady Stadium.