CANISIUS COLLEGE ATHLETICS
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Canisius women’s lacrosse program was well represented at the postseason awards banquet, as the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference announced its 2018 honorees at the conference banquet on Wednesday. Highlighting the team’s successes were Jen Reininger and Jourdan Roemer who earned MAAC Midfielder of the Year, and MAAC Offensive Player of the Year, respectively.
Roemer and Reninger also were named to the All-MAAC First Team, while teammates Rebecca VanLaeken andMarissa Malvaso, were named to the All-MAAC Second team and the MAAC All-Rookie squad, respectively.
The conference’s offensive leader had a career-season, as Roemer posted new bests in goals (43) and points (67), while ranking 19th in the country in total points. Because of her efforts in 2018 she now ranks eighth all-time in career-points with 190, with a senior-season yet to be played. The Irondequoit, N.Y., native reached a career-milestone this season, scoring her 100th goal in a win over Marist midway through the season.
Reiniger proved to be a threat all over the field for the Blue and Gold, leading the team in goals (52), draw controls (103), ground balls (59) and caused turnovers (27). Like Roemer, she too reached a milestone, surpassing the 100-point plateau in jut 34 games played for the Blue and Gold. The senior ranked 25th nationally with 5.72 draw controls per game, and ranked third in the nation in ground balls per contest with a mark of 3.28.
VanLaeken has been the rock between the pipes for the Blue and Gold, ranking third in the nation in saves per game with an 11.83 mark. She is also ranked first in the NCAA in total saves, setting a new Canisius program single season record, with 213. She broke head coach Allison Daley‘s mark of 174 in 2008. She didn’t waste time stealing headlines this season, tying the single-game saves record, totaling 20 against a ranked Northwestern squad. She also tallied 10-or-more saves 14 times this season.
Malvaso proved to be a revelation for the Blue and Gold offense, coming alive at key times. She finished her first-year with the Griffs with 12 goals and three assists, for 15 points. The Syracuse, N.Y., native earned MAAC rookie of the week honors on March 12, scoring three goals and one assist, including the game-winner in the longest game in program history, as the team defeated Yale, 10-9 in triple overtime.
Seven members of the Blue and Gold were also honored on the MAAC All-Academic team, as Erica Evans, Emma Mryglod, Reininger, Roemer, Rachel Ryan, Carley Thomas, and VanLaeken, all earned the accolade.
Canisius continues its title defense on Thursday night, when the team takes on No. 1 seeded Marist, in Pougkeepsie, N.Y. Game time is set for 7 p.m. and can be seen on MAAC.TV. The Blue and Gold edged the Red Foxes in its regular season meeting, defeating Marist 13-12 at the Koessler Athletic Center.
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