Veeder leads Division III in Single-Game Point Category; Gators also rank nationally
SAGE WOMEN'S LACROSSE PROGRAM AND PLAYERS RANK AMONG NATIONAL LEADERS WITH RELEASE OF SECOND NCAA STATISTICS; VEEDER RANKS 1ST IN SINGLE-GAME POINT PERFORMANCE
Troy, NY--- The Sage Colleges' women's lacrosse team and several players rank among the NCAA Division III's statistical leaders with the release of the second national rankings this afternoon.
Sage ranks nationally in eight categories including an impressive 32nd in ground balls per game (22.75, while ranking 104th in caused turnovers (7.5 per game), 149th in scoring defense (14.5 gpg), 157th in total points (38), and 185th in draw controls (8.75).
Sage's junior midfielder and team quad-captain Alexa Veeder (Earlton, NY/Academy of the Holy Names) poured in a Sage single-game record 12 points and finished with 14 points in the Gators' 19-13 win over Elms last week. Her 14 point performance is tied for the national lead in total points in a single-game, an honor she shares with Hilary Kargl of Augustana College (IL). Veeder's 12-goal performance ranks second nationally in Division III for most goals in a game as Kargl had 14 goals in her team's contest with Berry College.
Veeder earned Skyline Conference Women's Lacrosse Player of the Week for her efforts last week that included 14 goals and three assists. Against Elms College, Veeder had eight of her 12 goals in the first half to help the team to a 12-7 halftime lead. By game's end, she had established Sage single-game records for most goals (123), most points (14), most shots (16) and most draws won (10). Veeder leads the 2012 team with a program-best best 19 goals this season, which is just one shy of tying the single-season goal scoring record set in 2009 by Brianna Thompson (20 goals). She broke the single-season point record just 4 games into the 2012 season as she leads the Gators with 22 points on 19 goals and 3 assists, one more than the mark set by Thompson in 2009 with 21 points. She added a pair of goals and an assist in the team's first contest of the week at Bard College.
Nationally, Veeder ranks 20th in goals per game (4.75), 40th in points (5.5), 97th in total points (22.0), while also ranking 62nd in goals (19).
Sage's junior goalie Courtney Reed (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville), who missed last week's contest with Elms after suffering an injury in the game at Bard, still ranks among the national goalkeeping leaders. Reed is fifth in saves per game (13.), 43rd in saves percentage (0.500), 69th in total saves (39), and 121st in ground ball with a 3.33 per game average.
Serving as the back-up in goal, Sage's sophomore Mary Kate Hayward (Queensbury, NY/Glens Falls) has now appeared in goal in two contests and ranks 136th in goals against average with a 12.67 per game average. Hayward is also the team's third leading scorer with two goals and an assist for seven points.
Also ranked for the Gators in the release is sophomore midfielder Alayna Kaiser (Ballston Lake, NY/Shenendehowa) as she ranks 295th with her 1.25 caused turnovers per game average, while senior Ginelle Butler (Malta, NY/Ballston Spa) is tied with her as she too is averaging 1.25 caused turnovers per contest. Freshman midfielder Lindsay Millett (Ravena, NY/Ravena-Coeymans-Selkirk) checks in 257th in ground ball pick-ups with a 2.75 per game average.
Sage will be back in action on March 21, when they host New England College at 6 p.m. on the campus on Union College at Union's College Park Field.