Five Sharks Lacrosse players earned 2009 All-Conference honors from the Great Northeast Athletic Conference, in the Simmons lacrosse program's first year of competition. Sophomore attacker Natalie Stever (Chagrin Falls. Ohio), freshman midfielder Lee Sutherland (Tuftonboro, N.H.), freshman defenseman Marissa Games (Newburyport, Mass.) and sophomore defenseman Kayla Tirrell (Lincoln, R.I.) all made the Second Team, while senior midfielder Heather Lowe (Woolwich, Maine) was given a spot on the All-Sportsmanship Team.

Lacrosse finished the season with a 3-8 overall record; 2-4 in the GNAC. Despite the growing pains of a brand new program, Head Coach Kate Leonard was pleased with the hard work of her young team. "I was very impressed with the effort these ladies put into their season, and the recognition is well deserved. I am very proud to have some team members recognized in our first year of play, and I know the tradition will continue."

Stever was an 11-game starter for the Sharks in 2009, and led the team in goals (25) and assists (6). "Natalie was a key offender in our conference games, especially against St Joe's of Maine and a tough Lasell team," said Leonard. "She has great stick skills and a desire to get the offense going, and she improved immensely in her understanding of when to challenge the defense or when to use a teammate."

Sutherland was a 10-game starter this spring, ranking second on the team for goals scored (21), tallying three assists, and winning 43 draw controls. "Lee was a steady, solid force for us in the midfield," said Leonard. "She is outstanding on draw controls and is a patient defender; as our second-highest scorer, she was potent on attack as well. Lee does a great job gaining and maintaining possession, which is something we improved upon all season as a team."

Marissa Games was a 9-game starter, and had six goals and three assists for the Sharks in 2009, as well as a team-high 29 groundballs. "Marissa is an aggressive defender who has learned to control her checks and positioning," said Leonard. "She was fantastic for us on groundballs, and she was able to keep up with and contain many of the conference's best players."

Tirrell was an 11-game starter for the Sharks this season, with one goal and 22 groundballs. "Kayla is a quiet, steady force on the field," said Leonard. "She is fast on transitions and aggressive on groundballs. Kayla worked hard to learn a new style of defense this year and it paid off for the entire team. Kayla's improvement came in learning to read passes and therefore cause turnovers and gain interceptions."

Lowe was an 11-game starter, with 10 goals and 21 groundballs for 2009. Her Sportsmanship nod is testament to her teamwork and positive attitude. "Heather is the hardest worker on the field," said Leonard. "She loves the game and brings that spirit to everyone on the team. She was a calming presence when we needed to settle, and a powerful spark when we needed energy. Heather worked hard to improve her skills and understanding of the game, and her hard work and heart were the core of our success this year."