OJR grad Hassinger proves a key piece for Villanova
The Villanova women’s lacrosse team needed a big effort — and the Wildcats got just that from senior Devin Hassinger.
Villanova was 5-5 overall and 0-3 in Big East Conference play and faced league rival Connecticut on the road last Wednesday in dire need of a victory.
Hassinger, an Owen J. Roberts grad, had two goals including the game-winner with 2:02 left in a 13-12 victory over the Huskies. She also had a game-high eight draw controls.
“Devin winning the last two draws and scoring the go ahead goal were the type of big plays we needed to win,” coach Julie Young said.
The coach continued to talk about Hassinger’s efforts on draw control.
“She has a great step off the line and is great at reading whether it will be in the air or one the ground,” Young said. “She has given the team so many key offensive possessions in big games. She’s a workhorse and does so much for us in transition.”
The 5-foot-4 midfielder has seven goals and seven assists for 14 points and has 13 ground balls and 13 caused turnovers. Her 61 draw controls not only lead the Wildcats but are second in the Big East and her draws per game (5.5) are 25th in NCAA Division I.
As a sophomore, Hassinger had seven goals, three assists, 18 ground balls, 20 draw controls and eight caused turnovers in 17 starts. Last season, she played in 12 games with six starts and has a goal, 12 ground balls, two draw controls and three caused turnovers.
“Devin had to battle through a couple of injuries last year,” Young said.
But this season, she’s healthy and that’s good news for the Villanova women’s lacrosse team. MARIE VALENTI (BOYERTOWN) » The junior was named to the Patriot League Honor Roll on April 2 for her play on defense for the Navy women’s lacrosse team, the Midshipmen 9-2 overall and 4-0 in league play after a 19-7 victory over Holy Cross on March 31 in Worcester, Mass. Navy outscored Patriot foes 6831 in the four games. Valenti is third on the team in ground balls with 24 and leads with 18 caused turnovers. She had 11 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers in the four league games including six ground balls and five caused turnovers against Holy Cross. The five caused turnovers tied a Navy record. CAROLINE DUFFY (METHACTON) » The sophomore kicked off her outdoor season with the St. Joseph’s women’s track team by finishing first out of 19 sprinters in the 100 meter dash at the Rider 5-Way meet on March 31 in Lawrenceville, N.J. Her time (12.44) currently ranks 11th on the Atlantic-10 Conference performance list. Duffy also ran a leg on the winning 4x400 relay which was clocked in 3:55.17 which stands fifth on the A-10 list. A food marketing major, she was recently named to the league’s indoor Academic All-Conference first team.
BRET CLARKE (SPRING-FORD) » The 6-foot-2 junior righthander has a 2-2 record with a 2.70 earned run average pitching for the Stony Brook baseball team, the Seawolves 15-11 overall and 4-2 in America East Conference play after a 10-6 non-league loss to Iona last Wednesday in Stony Brook, N.Y. Clarke has made seven starts and in 33.1 innings, he’s given up 29 hits and 13 runs, 10 earned, with 14 walks and 27 strikeouts. He picked up the victory in a 5-1 win against Quinnipiac on March 24, giving up three hits, an earned run with two walks and five strikeouts.
NICOLETTE SERRATORE (METHACTON) » The James Madison junior opened her outdoor season with the women’s track team by finishing second out of 31 entrants in the javelin throw at the talent-laded Raleigh Relays March 30-31 in Raleigh, N.C. Her heave of 156 feet, 11 inches leads the Colonial Athletic Association by more than 10 feet. She finished third (128 feet 1 inch) in the league outdoor championship last year. She finished fifth in the pentathlon (3321 points) at the ECAC Championship March 2 in Boston, Mass during the indoor season.
MEGAN NEMETH (PHOENIXVILLE) » The 5-foot-3 junior was named MAC Freedom Conference Defensive Player of the Week after a standout performance in goal for the 5-4 FDU-Florham women’s lacrosse team. Nemeth tied a school record with 20 saves and had 12 ground balls and a caused turnover but the Devils dropped an 11-5 decision to unbeaten Keen on March 28 in Union, N.J. She’s started every game and has given up 66 goals and has 75 saves.
BEKAH SLATTERY (DANIEL BOONE) » The Lock Haven junior was named PSAC Central Division Pitcher of the Week on April 2. Senior teammate Amanda Loar (Boyertown) was selected as the division’s Athlete of the Week. Slattery, a 5-foot-5 left-hander, was 2-0 with a 1.95 earned run average the previous week with victories over Slippery Rock (6-2) and Millersville (4-2). In 14.1 innings, she struck out 21 batters with 12 against Millersville. Outfielder Loar hit .600 (6-for10) in four games last week, all victories. She had eight runs batted in as the Bald Eagles moved to 11-9. JOSH TUPPER (SPRINGFORD) » The Widener junior opened his outdoor season with the men’s track team by finishing second in a field of 50 in the 800 meter run at the annual Danny Curran Invitational March 30-31 in Chester. Tupper was the top college finisher with a time of 1:56.52. That stands as the best time in the Middle Atlantic Conference. It was just his fifth race at that distance for the Pride in his career. Tupper captured the 400 meter dash at the league’s indoor championship Feb. 23-24. CHASE KOFFEL (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) » The junior catcher-infielder is hitting .313 for the Centenary baseball team, the Cyclones 6-8 on the season after a 15-4 loss to FDU-Florham on April 4 in Flemington, N.J. Koffel has 10 hits in 32 at-bats with two doubles, three runs scored and two runs batted in. In the field, he’s made just two errors on 40 chances (.950) with three double plays. In a four game stretch (March 24-31), he collected seven hits in 15 at-bats, getting two hits in three of the four games. JAKE HVAZDA (SPRING-FORD) » The freshman midfielder has 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points for the York men’s lacrosse team which stands 10-1 overall and 2-0 in the Capital Athletic Conference after a 24-3 league victory over Wesley last Wednesday in Dover, Del. The 5-foot-9, 170-pounder had two goals and two assists in the game and has six goals and eight assists in the last four games. Hvazda collected his first collegiate goal in his first game with the Spartans, a 10-4 victory over Washington & Lee on Feb. 10 in Lexington, Va.