Lady Jays continue steady climb to top of D-1 ranks

The first women's lacrosse game wasn't played until the late 19th century at the St. Leonard's School in Scotland. At that time, men and women's lacrosse was played pretty much the same way?i.e., with no protective equipment and almost identical rules. While men's lacrosse rules adapted and changed over time, women's stayed almost identical to the original format. In fact, it's easy to see that from the way women's lacrosse is played today ? there is limited stick and body contact allowed, hence there is no need for much protective equipment. The female lacrosse player today must be quick and adroit, with a masterful command of play strategy, foot movement and cradling.

In fact, a little over 20 years ago the NCAA first incorporated women's lacrosse into tournament play. The Johns Hopkins women's lacrosse team is now entering its fourth season of Division I competition, currently ranked 14th in the College Coaches Poll.

The Hopkins women have had a strong history in their short time at the Division I level, with a total of 250 wins. Their 250th win gave them the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division I title. Up until its induction into the NCAA, women's lacrosse was used to fill the void between field hockey seasons. Nowadays, women's teams are strong, especially in the Eastern and Mid-Atlantic regions.

The Johns Hopkins team took to the field in 1976, led by Micul Ann Morse who rallied with the Jays despite nine consecutive defeats that season. They had a tough time scoring goals, and an even tougher time defending their goal. Giving up more than ten goals a game, and scoring on average less than four per game, the Hopkins women had quite a problem to overcome. In 1979, the Hopkins women snapped into a winning season, (10-9-1,) and even made it into Division II tournament play for the first time.

In 1987, coach Sally Beth Anderson helped the Lady Jays begin a winning streak that they've been riding ever since. Starting with a 13-5 season in 1987, the year culminated with a visit to the Division III quarterfinals. And over the next four years, they repeated that pattern. There have been a mere two times since 1987 that the Lady Jays have won less than ten games per season. Under current coach Janine Tucker, they have won ten or more games in the past eight years. Their longest Division I winning streak was eight games back in the 2000 season. However, when the Lady Jays played in Division III, they had a record of 16 wins in a row, back in 1994.

Thirty-three all-American selections from the Lady Jays have been awarded over the past 13 years, including now senior player Jamie Larrimore who was named to the 20001 Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches' All-American Team as a third team selection. That made her the second Division I All-American in JHU women's lacrosse history. The first All-American award was given to Heather Klink (First team) and Alice Collins (Second team) in 1987. Rebecca Savage was a First Team All-American in both 1993 and 1994. She is second on Hopkins' all-time goal list with 177 behind, only her teammate and fellow First Team pick Jenn Ward, who hit the nets 209 times between 1993 and 1996.

Alice Collins, a three-time Second Team All-American (1987-1989), was one of the first women to help bring Hopkins lacrosse glory. She is third on the all-time goal list with 151 and had the sixth most powerful offensive season in Hopkins history, netting 58 goals in 1987. Danielle Mascuchi, who graduated in 2000, became Hopkins' all-time leading scorer last season. She notched 59 goals during her senior season and wowed crowds with her stick handling. That tradition started by Collins and Heather Klink and their teammates in 1987 ? back when the women's lacrosse team wore skirts that look more appropriate as part of a school girl uniform ? paved the way for Mascuchi and today's hot crop of young talent for the Lady Jays.

Last year, the Lady Jays, who ended the year ranked 17th in the final Brine/IWLCA poll with an 11-6 mark, bested the University of Pennsylvania, 18-12, on May 13 to claim the ECAC title.