McMann, Tigers hungrier than ever after last year's postseason run

On Feb. 21, the Princeton women’s lacrosse season will officially kick off as the team faces No. 9 Loyola. After maintaining a nearly undefeated Ivy League record of 6-1 and reaching the second round of the NCAA championships last season, Princeton women’s lacrosse has earned its respected reputation; the team is currently ranked 15th in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association. With a fresh influx of eight freshman players and star leadership, the team will work to build off last year’s phenomenal season and revive established rivalries.

The Tigers finished the 2013-14 season with an impressive 12-7 overall and 6-1 Ivy League record, especially after facing top ranked NCAA teams including Virginia, Maryland, and Penn State. In the Ivy League tournament, Princeton dominated Cornell in the first round. Unfortunately, the championship game pitted Princeton against Penn, the top team in the conference. The Tigers fell to an early deficit but mounted a comeback in the second half. Unfortunately, Penn narrowly escaped with the title.

Speaking on last year’s success and the expectations for this year, Senior midfield captain Erin Slifer said, “I’m most excited about the returning team the momentum we had coming off the last season and playing even better than last season.” Last season set the bar high, but Slifer accepts the leadership reigns in stride and hopes for an even more successful year.

As the Tigers start a fresh season, hoping to take back the Ivy League championship, the team also welcomes a star leadership cast. Senior attacker Erin McMann will lead the dominant Princeton offense. Boasting an endless list of awards, including leading the team in scoring and reaching First-Team All-Region, McMann hopes to cap her phenomenal Princeton tenure with an even more phenomenal senior year.

Moving to the middle of the field, Slifer (first team All-Ivy, two-time Offensive Player of the Week) brings experience and talent. Slifer will rely on this experience to lead the freshman class, which consists mostly of midfielders.

Finally, on the defensive end, junior defender Liz Bannantine is the youngest captain on the team. Grabbing 25 ground balls and reaching second team All-Ivy League, Bannantine rounds off the star leadership cast and anchors the unique Princeton defense. Speaking on the special system in place, Bannantine says that she’s excited to lead the “surprising” and high energy defense.

The incoming class is what excites Bannantine most about the incoming season. “We have a really strong freshman class, and they bring a lot to the table. Paired with the returners who have the experience, they have been great in the scrimmages,” she said.

Looking forward to the team’s schedule beyond the first few games in February, March presents a very formidable challenge. Early on, the Tigers will travel to face Dartmouth on March 10. A consistently high-performing team, Dartmouth will surely challenge Princeton in the team’s first Ivy League matchup. Then, on March 14, the Tigers will travel to Charlottesville, Va. to face No. 7 Virginia in a repeat of last year’s NCAA matchup. At the end of the month, Princeton will face two more challenging opponents in Penn State and Harvard. After narrowly escaping Penn State in the first round of the NCAA tournament last year, the team will strive to repeat their success. Only this time, they’ll have home advantage for both games.

In contrast, the team will primarily focus on Ivy League conference foes in April. The lineup includes Yale, Cornell, Penn, Columbia and Brown. The only non-conference foe in April will be No. 1 Maryland. Fortunately, the spacing of these games gives the Tigers time to rest and regroup. Speaking as a leader of the team, senior captain Bannantine says her goal for the team is still to win Ivies.

Finally, the 2015 season marks a monumental final season for the two senior captains. Reflecting on their journey, leadership and team chemistry going into the season, senior attacker Erin McMunn emphasized letting people play their game. “We have some great attackers and a great team around ... Everyone is working toward the same goal. It’s a great and strong group. Everyone brings something unique.” she said.

Perhaps the most exciting and special part of the 2015 season, however, is the collective love and passion for the game. McMunn revealed, “For me, personally, my only goal is to enjoy every single day. I play best when I stop thinking and play free. That’s my goal: to just play and appreciate the moment. You have a limited time to play this great sport at this great university.”