Allegheny’s women’s lacrosse team is looking ahead to their home opener this weekend against Ohio Wesleyan University. The game — set for Saturday at 1 p.m. at Frank B. Fuhrer Field — will start the 30th season for women’s lacrosse at Allegheny. The team is approaching the game as a “fresh start.”
“I think being able to kind of take control of what we want this program to look like for the future is really something that we’re trying to set out to do,” said team captain Lauren Petrarca, ’25. “We want to create that positive environment, create a good program, set up for success in the future.”
The Gators are coming off a second-place finish in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference last season. They compiled a 14-5 record overall and 8-1 in conference play, reaching the conference championship against Washington and Jefferson. On Monday, the Gators were ranked No. 2 in the PAC’s preseason poll, just nine points shy of W&J.
This season, however, the Gators will have to contend with a smaller roster, with just 15 players, 12 of whom will be on the field at any given time.
“It’s just a full effort to make sure that we can get the most effective defense possible, the most effective offense, same thing with midfield, just trying to train everyone in those positions, but work to our strong suits,” Petrarca said.
“We’ll be very well rounded this year,” added midfielder Emily Herrold, ’24.
At the same time, the tight bench situation has opened up opportunities for younger players to step onto the field in new ways.
“It’s also really cool to see certain people step up into different positions that they might have not had in the past,” said team captain Sybi Gerhart, ’24. “Saturday — and the rest of the season — is going to show how much hard work we’ve put in so far and I think that’s really awesome.”
In addition to the roster changes, the Gators will be led by a new face: Georgie Volna joined the team in early November as an assistant coach and now holds the top job.
“There’s just a change in our staff, so I’m now taking over the role of the interim head coach while we have a search for a head coach,” Volna said. “It’s looking like I’ll be here for the season and then hopefully we find somebody to fill the position, and I can go back to my assumed role of assistant coach.”
A graduate of Meadville Area Senior High School, Volna played four seasons with the Saint Vincent College Bearcats before graduating in spring of 2023.
The team will also be guided by volunteer assistant coach Sarah Kelly, who said the smaller roster necessitates strong teamwork.
“It’s going to be really important that we work together and not against each other, and also that we work to win,” Kelly said.
Volna added that she’s seen a good dynamic between players.
“They’re really working together well, especially in practice these past few days,” Volna said.
Even as the Gators focus on efficient and collaborative play, Herrold said that it will be equally important for the team to have a good time.
“Lacrosse can still be serious and, you know, lacrosse-oriented — but just having fun on and off the field, like in the locker room, like at practice, during games,” Herrold said. “A really big emphasis on just like, actually enjoying being here in the present.”
That starts with the Feb. 24 game against OWU, who the Gators have lost to the past two years.
“We’re really coming out with a vengeance on Saturday,” Gerhart said. “It’s rained every single time we played them and we’ve lost, so, because it’s not supposed to rain (Saturday,) I see it as a good sign.”
All three players hope students and the wider Allegheny community will come out to support the team. Herrold in particular encouraged students unfamiliar with the sport to give it a try.
“I think that a lot of people get intimidated to come watch because they don’t understand,” Herrold said, adding that friends and family of the team will be in attendance to help explain the game.
“Women’s lacrosse is all about finesse, so it’s a really pretty game to watch as well.”
