Siena looks to gain momentum for MAAC run in 2019
LOUDONVILLE, NY – After producing top-3 conference finishes in each of the last two seasons, Siena Softball Head Coach Bill Lajeunesse is aiming for the 2019 season to be the Saints’ breakout campaign. The team will return seven of nine offensive starters and a pair of veteran pitchers from last year, when it commences it’s 44th season this weekend at the Madeira Beach Invitational II in Madeira Beach, FL.
Beginning his ninth season at the helm, Lajeunesse has guided the squad to double- digit wins in MAAC play in each of the last six seasons, with the team’s 14- 6 conference mark setting the program record for conference victories in
time, but his speed is what gives him a lot of those opportunities as well.”
Both La Salle and Shen’s first goals of the night came on the power play. Special teams has been a discussion point all season with the lengthened two minute power play, and de la Roche acknowledges how key special teams will be as the tournament progresses.
“Power play has always been important to us — special teams has always been important to us,” said de la Roche. “You try your best to capitalize on an odd man advantage and it’s something we work on everyday. It still has got to be our bread and butter and we need to continue to work hard, to draw penalties, and put us in those man up situations. It was good to have them work at that today.”
Despite what the scoreboard indicated as the final buzzer went off, it was La Salle who kicked things off in the first period.
La Salle’s Sebastian Geiger scored the first goal of the game on the powerplay off of a big rebound off Shen goalie Kent Leighton.
Not only did La Salle lead in the goals department in the first period, they also led in the scoring chance department. A hot post here, and an open net chance there, were all that seperated La Salle from opening up the game in the first period.
Alheim scored his first goal of the night less than a minute into the second period. Alheim, with the powerplay running through him at the point, took a low hard shot that beat La Salle goalie Leo Paul low. Alheim’s shot Shen celebrates a goal on February 20at the Clifton Park Arena in the Section II quarterfinal matchup with La Salle
was hard, and tucked right inside the left post.
“For a few of them, I just saw the net and took the shot and luckily it went in,” said Alheim on his masterclass sniping ability.
From there, the tempo slowly began to turn more in favor of Shen, who began to neutralize La Salle’s chances with physical play.
“I was very happy with the way we responded,” said de la Roche. “It was the middle part of the second period where we were trying to do too much, and once we started to settle down a little and trust one another with the puck, and worked more as a team and less as individuals, the game really changed.”
In the third, La Salle looked to score a long distance goal that was called back.
Shortly after the called back goal, Alheim scored his second goal through another screen and his third on a well placed low shot below Paul’s blocker to not only give his team the 3-1 lead, but himself the hattrick.
“We all knew that it was going to be a tough game,” said Alheim. “We’ve been down a lot, going down 1-0 in the second in a lot of games. We did what we always do and came out with the win.”
Shen will be returning to Union Saturday after missing last season’s final four and falling to La Salle in the championship game the previous season.
“A lot of them had a sour taste in their mouths from an early exit from the playoffs last year,” said de la Roche. “Credit to our seniors who had been here before, they didn’t want to see that happen. They elevated themselves as the game went along.”
The final four is set as the Christian Brothers will face off with Bethlehem and Shen with Burnt Hills/ Ballston Lake this Saturday at Union.
“We have to trust our systems and trust in our teammates,” said de la Roche on Shen’s key to success. “When we are playing together as a cohesive unit we are a very good hockey team.” 2017. While Siena’s home base in Upstate New York is subject to the harsh conditions of a northeast winter, the Saints spend the first few weeks of the season snow- birding in the south against some of the country’s premier competition, in order to prepare for when conference play begins in late March.
“Playing in Florida to start the year gives us an opportunity to see the ‘ best of the best’,” Lajeunesse said. “We know that when you’re playing those teams and standing toeto-toe with them, it will bode well for the team confidence-wise for our players when we get back into conference play.”
The team will send the first two weekends of the season in the Sunshine State, where they will face teams such as 2018 NCAA Tournament Qualifier Middle Tennessee State and Central Michigan, who eclipsed the 30-win threshold last year. After playing 10 games in Florida, the Saints will make a stop in Johnson City, TN for a tournament at East Tennessee State before returning to the north to take part in a weekend state hosted by Central Connecticut State.
With a plethora of experienced personnel and award-winning talent returning to the field, Coach Lajeunesse stressed the importance of playing stepping up and using senior leadership to help the team move into the conference’s elite.
“We feel that players that will be stepping into greater roles should be able to fill their positions well,” Lajeunesse continued. “Our senior leadership is going to be very important this year, with senior captains Madysen Cossack and Jazmin Ortiz providing leadership in practice and preparing our younger players for what they are going to see on the field.”
Cossack, the 2017 MAAC Player of the Year, returns to the lineup after earning First Team AllMAAC honors for the second straight season, pacing the nation in doubles per- contest and finishing in the top- 5 in the conference in six different statistical categories, leading the way in batting average, doubles and slugging percentage. The Agoura Hills, CA product was joined by sophomore Isabelle DeChairo in earning conference recognition in 2018, with the centerfielder garnering a spot on the MAAC All-Rookie Team.
Aside from Cossack (first base), DeChairo (Centerfield) and Ortiz (shortstop), the squad will return juniors Amanda Dodson and Patricia Kalesse to the infield and will feature junior Lauren Sabihon and senior Jess Vollmer in the outfield, with the latter ranking top-10 program history in career stolen bases.
Aside from the veteran returners, Coach Lajeunesse has been encouraged by several others of the team’s 14 letter-winners and is optimistic for players to exhibit breakout seasons.
“Among all of our players, who have been training hard in the offseason, junior Kelly Rasulo had an outstanding fall, and we’re looking for her to swing the bat real well,” Lajeunesse said. “(Lauren) Sabihon has earned the starting job in centerfield after having a good, solid sophomore season in 2018.”
Inside the circle, the Saints will look to junior pitchers Maddie McMahon and Brooke Hughes to bring the heat after solid outings last season, with McMahon entering Siena’s all-time top-10 in strikeouts and shutouts.
Looking to bolster the Saints’ depth in 2019 are four incoming freshmen, two of whom will aid the bullpen in the team’s pitching rotation.
“One of our two freshman pitchers, righthander Yamilla Evans, throws hard, can move the ball well, and has very good temperament,” Lajeunesse said. “Our lefthander, Sarah Dowalo, is developing well off an injury from last season and has looked very good as of late. In the field, both Sabrina Vargas and Natalie Marchese are competing admirably at their positions for playing time, and should get in the lineup offensively as the season progresses.”
Aside from in the locker room, Siena also added to its coaching staff in the offseason, welcoming back a familiar face to the program. Aiding Lajeunesse and assistant coach and Capital Region softball legend Casey HalloranBump in 2019 is former Saints’ standout Mandy Ferro, who earned Second Team All-MAAC honors in 2013 and was a three-time member of the MAAC AllAcademic Team.
As the 2019 season comes to a head, Lajeunesse expects the team to use speed and dynamic base-running to amp up its offense to the next level.
“Our overall team speed is better this year, and we’re going to try to utilize the short game this year and incorporate some small ball into our offense, which will complement our ability to play base-tobase and drive through the gaps, which we have done previously,” Lajenuesse added. “We’re looking for our offense to progressively improve throughout the season and catch up to our pitching and defense as the season progresses and we play more.”
Siena commences its 2019 slate against fellow Empire State foe Cornell and first- time opponent Drexel on Friday, Feb. 22 at 4 PMand 6:30 PM, respectively in Madeira Beach, as part of a five-game opening weekend set.