Despite being ranked 13th in the latest WCLA poll, the Georgia women’s club lacrosse team did not make the 16-team Division I U.S. Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates National Championship bracket. We all had our fingers crossed, though.
The WCLA field includes top-seeded Colorado State, third-seeded Michigan, fourth-seeded Florida, No. 5 Colorado, No. 6 Central Florida, No. 7 Texas, No. 9 UCLA, No. 11 Brigham Young, and No. 12 Santa Clara, all of whom appeared on the Lady Bulldogs’ slate this season. The Georgia women went 4-6 against the nine national championship contenders they faced, and five of their six losses to tournament teams were by two or fewer goals. The Red and Black’s 10-7 record notwithstanding, Georgia was a solid team in 2012, and, although the Lady Bulldogs lose a half-dozen seniors (including Taylor Lugash, Michele Manis, and Kaitlin Shumate), returning leaders like newly-named captains Kelly Arnhart, Lindsay Brinker, and Lisa "Avatar" Riondet, along with a number of promising rising rookies, offer hope for next year.
The Georgia men’s lacrosse team, meanwhile, is preparing for Friday night’s postseason rematch with the Gators.
Go ‘Dawgs!