Snapshot: Northeastern Women’s Club Lacrosse

Click the image above to see all the shots from the team’s practice on Sunday morning.

I stopped by Carter Field on Columbus Avenue on Sunday morning to sit in on the Northeastern Women’s Club Lacrosse team. They are NU’s only women’s lacrosse program, the school hasn’t had a varsity team in over a decade. While lacrosse is typically a spring sport, the team still participates in “Fall Ball” every fall semester.

This weekend they dedicated practice to introducing new players to the playbook and preparing for their first game. The team will take on Brown University’s club lacrosse team this coming Saturday, October 13 in Providence, RI.

Coach Kerry Thompson is a Northeastern graduate and NU Women’s Lacrosse alumnus. She played on the team for three years while pursuing her Business Administration undergraduate degree. It is her first year coaching the team and expects a great upcoming season for the team. “We have a lot of old and new talent,” she explained. “One of the best parts of transitioning from player to coach is that I know how the team operates; where each players strengths are. Even though I am on the sidelines, I have a pretty good idea of how the girls are feeling on the field.”

Brittany O’Rourke is a 4th year physical therapy student and one of the team’s three captains. “Because of co-op and study-abroad, I am the only captain who is in Boston for the fall semester,” O’Rourke explained. “It puts a lot of responsibility on me to pull the team together on the field and direct the new players, but it’s completely worth it. Seeing a team come together and develop a fluidity on the field is our goal for the fall semester.”

I followed the team through warm-ups, shooting drills, white board talks, and scrimmaging. Even early on a Sunday morning the team was wide-awake, focused and looking towards their first game. “Fall ball sets a precedent for the entire season,” explained sophomore attack-man, Halley Fisher. “Our fall season last year was intense, but it prepared us all that much more for the spring.”