Story by Sports Editor Mark Musgrave III

After a 1-1 early start to the season, the Aquinas College Women’s Lacrosse team is on a hot streak! In winning their last seven games, they have outscored opponents by a total score of 133-59, and averaged 19 goals per game. This team is having the best season so far in all of Aquinas athletics. It will most certainly be exciting to see where they finish.

I had the opportunity to speak with Coach Angelica Gero, and she was super pleased with the hard work her team puts in. “With the high performance of our offense so far this season, it is not crazy of me to say that we have the best defense in the country right now. There are no stats to back that up, but the fact that they have to face our high powered offense in practice day in and day out, all the effort always translates to game competition.” 

This team does not have captains, and that by no means has any way of bringing this team down. In fact, it makes them more successful. Rather than nominating players to lead the team, Coach Gero told me that the team looks to each other. A strong, well rounded team with depth is much more powerful than just a couple of powerhouses. 

Every team does have its studs, and for this squad of lady saints, its Kennadie Minerich, Stella Bottum, and Cierra Davis. All three mid/atk players lead the team in goals. These are also three of the girls that have a shot percentage over .600. Ten other players do so as well. At the net, time is split nearly evenly between Azariah Wells and Kennedy Stilson. 

Minerich was just named WHAC Offensive Player of the Week for the second week in a row. Check out an update of this on our very own athletic website, aqsaints.com.

With 4 games still left to play in WHAC Competition, there is still work to be done. They opened their WHAC set with a game against #9 ranked Indiana Tech, which they won 14-12 at home. As far as ranked opponents go, they finish out with RV in Lawrence Tech (#3) and Siena Heights (RV). The WHAC Tournament begins later this month on Tuesday, April 18, with the location TBD. 

Today Wednesday, the Concordia Cardinals have their work cutout for themselves as they face the Tenth Ranked Aquinas Saints in all of NAIA. Go Saints!