Author Topic: Women's Lacrosse: Discussion/ News  (Read 47600 times)

Chairman of the Board

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Re: Women's Lacrosse: Discussion/ News
« Reply #525 on: May 14, 2018, 12:01:02 pm »
http://www.espn.com/espnw/sports/article/23463824/kylie-ohlmiller-courtney-murphy-look-lead-stony-brook-seawolves-lacrosse-national-title

Quote
Record books rewritten, senior duo now looks to send Stony Brook into history books

Kylie Ohlmiller wanted an autograph; Courtney Murphy searched for an empty seat. They were two Long Island high school kids marveling at the buzz on that May evening in 2012 when 7,000-plus packed LaValle Stadium on the campus of Stony Brook to watch Northwestern prevail over Syracuse for its seventh lacrosse national championship in eight years.

Six years later, Murphy and Ohlmiller, both under-the-radar recruits for coach Joe Spallina, have lifted Stony Brook to unprecedented heights. While each has her name in the NCAA record book -- Murphy is the all-time leader in goals; Ohlmiller is No. 1 in career points and assists -- Stony Brook is a national player, too.

The 5-foot-3 attacker is a dynamic playmaker who has a flair for trickery. She leads the nation in points with 145 (81 goals, 64 assists). Her No. 17 jersey is a best seller among little girl lacrosse rats, who line up after games for her signature. She even has her own bobblehead -- a first for any female athlete at Stony Brook.

Spallina dubs her "the best player on the planet," and now she'll look to lead this Stony Brook team to a galaxy that's been home to only North Carolina, Maryland and Northwestern since 2005. The last team other than those three to win the national title was Virginia in 2004.

"When Coach Spallina recruited me, he sat at his desk and laid out the dreams I had for my college career that I didn't think were possible," Ohlmiller said. "He told me: 'You're going to do these things. We're going to do these things.' They're all coming true now. The only one left is a national championship."

Like 28 of the 33 women on this team, they come from the lacrosse-crazy hub of Long Island. And like many of their teammates, they were reticent to sign with a school that's a little too close to home. But Spallina convinced them Stony Brook had the potential for a dynasty, and maybe driving home for weekend dinner wasn't such a bad thing.

"If you look at a video of how lacrosse is supposed to be played," Spallina said, "you'd watch our offense."

Ohlmiller prefers to stretch her comfort zone, challenging herself constantly to improve her skills. Even after an 11-point game, she's in Spallina's office, eager to critique herself.

"She checks every box," he said. "She's the hardest worker. She's the most skilled. She cares the most. She's the last one in the locker room. After every home game, she's the last one signing autographs."

On bobblehead night, Stony Brook gave away 500, but Ohlmiller fielded requests for more, even from administrators at the school she had never met.

Both have promising futures. Murphy got a job at the financial services company a year later and will move to Manhattan this summer. Ohlmiller, drafted first by both professional leagues, plans to go into coaching.


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