The Allegheny Women’s Lacrosse team cruised to victory on Sunday, March 8, as they took down Thiel College 14-4 in their season home opener. The Gators currently boast a 4-0 record, and are atop a vigorous NCAC conference. The win gave them back-to-back dominating victories, as they previously steamrolled Buffalo State 17-3 on Saturday, March 5.
The Gators amassed six goals in the first quarter, kicking things off in the first two minutes with junior attacker Senna Perelman, ’23, finding the net. A pair of goals were also scored by Emily Herrold, ’24, who has been lighting up the scoreboard all season for Allegheny.
Moving into the second quarter and through the rest of the game, Perelman stole the show. She added four more goals to her stat line, also finishing with two forced turnovers and seven draw controls. She is the team’s leading scorer, and has been a consistent threat to opposing defenses, as they have not found an answer for her dazzling moves on the field.
Due to the pandemic, the last two seasons have been shortened in attempts to keep players and spectators safe. As a third-year student athlete, this is Perelman’s first full season, and for her it is all about soaking in the experience.
“Given the way the last few years have gone … it really just feels fun to be able to go out there and play,” Perelman said. “I’m just looking to enjoy every opportunity I get.”
Alongside Perelman, Herrold has been another attacking menace this season. The sophomore out of Hampstead, Maryland, has been scoring at an efficient rate, finding the net eight times this season out of her 12 attempts. She has helped her team get to where they are as they now look forward toward more challenging goals, like taking down their arch nemesis, Wooster.

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One of our biggest team goals … is we want to beat Wooster. I think we’re definitely at that level to compete with them.

— Emily Herrold

“One of our biggest team goals since we talked about from the beginning of the season is we want to beat Wooster,” Herrold said. “I think we’re definitely at that level to compete with them.”
In addition to having a powerful offense, the Gators are also resilient on the defensive side of the ball. Only allowing slightly more than six goals a game, goalkeeper play has been a highlight for Sarah Thorman, ’24, as she has racked up 19 saves in the season, including five in the teams last outing, good for an impressive 62.5 save percentage.
“During practice I’ve been getting used to being the only goalie,” Thorman said. “All things considered, I feel like I’ve played pretty well.”
Thorman has been the goalie for Allegheny the past two seasons. After earning playing time her first year and playing well — with 17 saves in seven games played — her expectations rose as she was granted the starting job. Thorman said that as her hard work began paying she began putting in extra time at practice. Thorman also claimed chemistry is another key component to the defense’s success.
“Getting those extra reps in practice has helped,” Thorman said. “Working with the defense, we’ve just become really strong and such a unit and really communicative with each other, which has definitely limited goals against us.”
To add to an already stellar defense, another potential powerhouse for the Gators this season is Sybi Gerhart, ’24. Also earning time during her first year, Gerhart has only been able to participate in the season opener and the Gators last game, however in those games she has four ground balls and one assist.
Her presence on the field has been impactful for this year’s unit, as she looks to continue adding to the stat sheet to help her team.
“I’m a big stats person,” Gerhart said. “But being more of an impact player is my goal this year.”
The Gators are on their way to a historic season. The only other team to perform as well as they have was the 2014 squad led under former head coach Ashley Hughes, where they went 15-2 starting off the year with 10 straight wins.
The Gators will face off against the Mount Union Raiders at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, March 16.