June 6, 2006

The 2006 season was a record setting one for the Fairfield University women's lacrosse team. The Stags posted a 7-10 overall record and with a 4-2 mark, returned to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Lacrosse League Tournament, after a one-year hiatus.

"To get into the MAAC Tournament was important for the future of our program," said McCue, "With a majority of the squad being freshmen and sophomores, who had never made postseason play, I believe the experience gave them a taste of the potential of going to the NCAA's and they will want more next season."

The Stags success can be credited to a solid team effort. Fairfield ranked among the nations best in five of the seven team categories that the NCAA announces. Leading the way was the team ground ball effort, with 26.76 per game, and a national ranking of eighth.

Fairfield's defense was stingy as well this season. The team ranked 19th in the country with 10.0 caused turnovers per contest. That defensive pressure helped the Stags out score their opponent on the year for just the fourth time in program history (195-194). Fairfield ranked 44th in the nation, allowing 11.41 goals per game.

Fairfield also boasted one of the nation's most potent offenses, scoring 11.47 goals per game, 30th in the country. The Stags tallied 265 total points on the year, the third best effort in a single season. The Stags 195 goals scored is the third best single-season total in the program's history. The Stags dished out 70 assists, which is the fourth best single-season effort in program history.

For the second year in a row the Stags set a new program record in draw controls, winning 212 for the year. The 12.5 draw controls per game, which is the second best single-season program effort ranked 26th nationally. The Stags also set a school single-season marks in shots, 491, and free position shots, 107.

Senior Beth Loffredo made her mark on the record books, moving to the top of the all-time list in points (180), goals (140), and goals per game (2.5). She ranks in the top-10 in every offensive category, including fourth in draw controls (80), ground balls (150) and caused turnovers (79). In the Stags April 22 win over Manhattan, Loffredo tied the points record on her first goal, a free position shot, and set the mark at the 25:05 mark, netting a pass from Masterson.

Loffredo completed the year ranked nationally in several categories. Her team leading 58 points equated to 3.41 points per game, which ranked 48th nationally. The 41 goals she netted was an average of 2.41 per game, 58th in the nation. She also ranked nationally in ground balls, recording a team-best 46, or 2.71 per game, good for 67th. She also ranked 70th nationally with her team-high 22 caused turnovers. Loffredo finished the year with a team-high 28 draw controls as well.

Loffredo was honored by the MAAC as she earned All-MAAC First Team accolades for the third time. She was named to the IWLCA All-Northeast Second Team, and selected as an alternate for the North Team in the North-South All-Star game.

"Beth raised the bar and set the standard for work ethic, attitude and desire," said McCue. "I believe she is the best player this program has had and has left a great legacy for current players to emulate."

Abbey Goodwin became the second Stag in program history to be named MAAC Rookie of the Year.

That affect may have already been seen, as Abbey Goodwin followed in Loffredo's footsteps and became just the only other Stag other then Loffredo to be named the MAAC Rookie of the Year. Goodwin finished the season tied for tops on the team with 41 goals, and tied for 58th in the country with 2.41 goals per game. She was second on the team with her 46 points. Goodwin, a two-time MAAC Rookie of the Week honoree, also picked up 26 ground balls and won 21 draw controls, and earned Second Team All-MAAC accolades

Sarah Masterson was also named to the All-MAAC Second Team this season. She was fourth on the team with 30 points in her 17 games played and started. The junior attack netted 22 goals, while also dishing out eight assists. Masterson, a junior, also made a move into the all-time lists this season as her team-best 34 draw controls gave her 95 for her career, which is second all-time. She also had 35 ground balls, second on the team and had 13 caused turnovers to her credit.

Sarah Masterson earned Second Team All-MAAC accolades in 2006.

Junior Ashley Chappell was also a force to be reckoned with during the 2006 campaign. She finished the year third on the team with 32 points, 20 of them coming on goals, including an impressive 5-7 in free position shots. Her 12 assists ranked second on the team. Chappell ranked second on the team in assists, dishing out 12.

Another rookie duo also made their presence felt during the 2006 season. Rebecca White stepped up her play as the season went on, scoring 20 of her 27 points in the final eight games of the year. She netted 17 goals and dished out 10 assists, including at least one assist in each of the last six games. Kylee Martin tallied nine points on the year with eight goals and an assist. Martin was also solid during draw controls, taking a majority of them as the season played out, and finished with 27 wins, second on the team.

Katie von Hoffman led the team, and was 70th nationally, with 22 caused turnovers.

Katie von Hoffman also found herself among the nation's leaders this season. The sophomore posted a team-high 22 caused turnovers, which tied her for 70th nationally in that category. She played and started all 17 games for the Stags, and recorded in 39 ground balls.

A trio of sophomores rounded out the Stags double-digit offensive threats for the 2006 season. Lara Hannigan was one of six players to reach the 20-point plateau, as she touched net 16 times, while dishing out four assists. She also had 27 ground balls and 13 draw controls. Mary Vallely finished seventh on the team with her 11 points, 10 coming on goals. She also recorded 30 ground balls, 14 caused turnovers and had 13 draw controls. Amy Neville was one-point behind her, finishing with 10 on eight goals and two assists, rounding out the Stags eight double-digit scorers.

The Stags had the benefit this year of having two goalkeepers who could mind the net at anytime. Lauren Chatnik, a rookie, saw 682 minutes of action on the year, and finished with 126 saves. She ranked 44th in the nation at year's end with a 46.9 save percentage, and was ranked 50th in goals against average, at 11.98. Sophomore Kristin Genovese minded the net for 336 minutes during the year. She stopped 48 shots on the year and posted a GAA of 8.91.

After a year's hiatus from the MAAC Tournament, the first one the program has ever missed, the Stags used a strong stretch run to secure the number three-seed. The Stags won three straight games to end the regular season, including two back-to-back road games against Marist and Manhattan, both of whom the Stags were tied with in the MAAC standings.

The 16-10 win over Marist showed a great team effort, as the Red Foxes held Loffredo to no points in the contest. Chappell netted four goals in the win, with eight other Stags touching net at least once in the game.

The Stags showed their defensive prowess in the win over the Jaspers and Loffredo became the school's all-time points leader. Fairfield scored first in the second half, and then allowed two straight goals, for a 7-6 lead with 29:16 to play. From that point on the Stags did not allow another goal. The offense scored six unanswered for the Stags to pull away to the 13-6 win, and securing third place in the MAAC.

Iona was the Stags Senior Day opponent, where in a driving rain Fairfield wrapped up the season with a 16-5 win. Loffredo and Voight were both honored prior to the game, and played well in their home finale

The winning streak meant the Stags would match up with second-seeded Canisius in the MAAC Semifinal. The Griffs opened a 16-7 lead with 8:03 left in the contest and seemed to have the game put away. However the Stags would not go quietly, scoring five straight goals, before falling 16-12. Loffredo and Goodwin, who both netted four goals and an assist in the tournament game, were selected to the All-Tournament team.

The 2006 campaign opened with a four-game homestand, which the Stags split. The Stags opened the year against Lehigh, a team which they had never beaten, in fact having never been closer then seven goals in any of the previous three meetings. The Mountain Hawks took a 14-8 lead with 7:06 to play in the game. Fairfield would score the final five goals of the game, falling by just one goal, 14-13. Despite the loss, the Stags showed the will to never quit and that they would fight until the final horn. Eight Stags scored at least one goal in the game, with three coming from Loffredo.

The first win came in the second game, a 13-5 drubbing of Villanova. The Stags jumped out to a 7-1 first-half lead and would never look back. Goodwin made her presence felt, leading the team with three goals in the contest. Ashley Chappell and Goodwin each netted three goals, while Loffredo had four points, but it was not enough as the Stags fell to 1-2 after a 13-10 loss to Stony Brook. The final game of the four-game homestand brought the Stags back to the .500 mark, with an 11-9 win over Long Island. The Stags trailed 5-2 at the intermission, but netted nine goals in the second half to rally for the win. Loffredo had seven points in the game, with four goals and three assists,

Next up was the team's annual trip to Florida, during Spring Break and a non-conference game against Wagner. In an 18-5 pounding of the Seahawks Goodwin had one of the program's best individual efforts. She netted six goals and dished out one assists, and became a force to be reckoned with. Returning north to the colder weather cooled off the Stags offense as well, as they dropped seven of eight games, including non-conference games at Mount St. Mary's, Boston College and Yale.

After dropping the MAAC Lacrosse League opener, at home to LeMoyne, 20-10, the Stags snapped a four-game losing streak against Siena. In a closely contested game, which featured four ties and two lead changes, Fairfield took controls with three straight goals, two to end the first half and one to start the second. Lauren Chatnik was impressive in the win, with 10 saves, including seven in the first half.

The win over Siena win was followed by a 12-11 heartbreaker to Columbia, a 14-9 defeat at Canisius and a 13-8 loss to Holy Cross in the non-conference finale. That left the Stags 4-9 overall and 2-2 in MAAC play, with a forfeit from Niagara counting for league standings and led to three straight wins to clinch a berth in the MAAC Tournament.

Captain Katie Voight earned her third All-MAAC Academic Team selection this season.

While the team had success on the field, the program also continued to see success in the classroom. The Stags had seven student-athletes named to the MAAC All-Academic Team accolades. Senior Katie Voight earned her third nod, while junior's Dana Frey, Kate MacLeman and Sarah Masterson were selected for the second time. Kristin Genovese, Caroline Madrak and Jillian Ryan, all sophomores, earned the honor in their first eligible year.