Wheel's Up: New Look Quinnipiac Women's Lacrosse Eyes MAAC Crown In 2018
2/13/2018 1:47:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
by John Franklin '19
The Quinnipiac University women's lacrosse team opens its season on Saturday, Feb. 17th, at Brown University. The team's first order of business in incorporating its new motto for the 2018 campaign:
Wheels up.
Those two words carry a message that the veteran leadership of the program hopes to grow from throughout the season. .
"Whenever someone is having a bad day you just say 'Wheels up' to them," senior captain Kiera Kelly from West Islip, N.Y. said. "It's like a reset. You flip the switch. Turn it around because you can't change what happened, so you might as well change what's going to happen."
It's as easy as that. Wheels up. It denotes a sign of a positive change, and that is something the women's lacrosse team has gotten used to this year.
With the addition of the newly-renovated Quinnipiac Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium, the team is ready to prove to the Bobcat faithful why it receives the support it does.
"Now we have no excuses," junior midfielder Allison Kuhn said. "We are fully funded. We have an amazing field, an amazing stadium, great coaches, and the right players. We have all the tools, and now we just need to use those resources."
It's that sign of positivity that surrounds the university that Kuhn, the Kingsville, MD native, notes is what drives the Bobcats to get better, day-in-and-day-out.
"We've really been inspired by women's basketball. We've been inspired by women's volleyball," Kuhn continued. "Those teams that have come so far, made it to those MAAC championship games and further, and that's what we are trying to do here. We don't want to just make the playoffs. We want to be in the MAAC Championship, and we want to win."
That sign of confidence resonates with seemingly every Bobcat player and coach. Whether it's practicing on a cold February days with the wind howling against their faces, or running plays in the heat of the Spring, the Bobcats know it's for one common goal.
To win.
"We want to show people what we are made of," senior goalkeeper Kyle Larkin said. "We want to show what this university is made of. [We want to] just show all of this talent and put it on the field, and make people know who Quinnipiac Women's Lacrosse is this year."
Larkin is entering her fourth year as a Bobcat and is looking to prove that this year will be the best one yet. She wants everyone out there to know that the Bobcats aren't here to play around.
"Don't doubt us," Larkin stated. "We are going to prove people wrong this year, and we are just trusting the process along the way."
The process is something that head coach Tanya Kotowicz preaches to her team every day on the field. She wants the Bobcats to know that in order to win, you must first focus on the little things.
"Fundamentals," Kotowicz said with vigor. "If we don't have the fundamentals then there's no way we can progress, so a winning mindset is something we talk a lot about in practices. We try to put [the team] in pressure situations that they will see on game day, and make sure that their game day is easier than any practice they have."
It's that mentality that has marinated throughout her team which makes them so savvy on the practice field, and is sure to make them poised on the playing field come Saturday.
Kiera Kelly, who is a leader on the field for the Bobcats, likes to spread a similar message to that of her coach.
"I think the big things are the little things, actually," Kelly said in a determined fashion. "If we could piece together the hustle plays, like picking up a ground ball, it can result in a goal. The goal doesn't come first … starting with the gritty plays and the little things are what results in goals."
However, little things aren't the only things on the Bobcats' mind when it comes to this season. They are setting high marks for themselves and they want to prove to the rest of the MAAC that they are here and they are ready to make a big-time statement come conference play.
"We want to get the fans in the stands," Allison Kuhn said. "We are going to make them proud. We are going to make Quinnipiac proud. They've given us this stadium, and now we are going to bring them a MAAC Championship. So get ready."
John Franklin is a junior at Quinnipiac, majoring in multimedia and broadcast journalism and minoring in Spanish. He is a member of the Bobcat Sports Media Group (BSMG).
The Quinnipiac University women's lacrosse team opens its season on Saturday, Feb. 17th, at Brown University. The team's first order of business in incorporating its new motto for the 2018 campaign:
Wheels up.
Those two words carry a message that the veteran leadership of the program hopes to grow from throughout the season. .
"Whenever someone is having a bad day you just say 'Wheels up' to them," senior captain Kiera Kelly from West Islip, N.Y. said. "It's like a reset. You flip the switch. Turn it around because you can't change what happened, so you might as well change what's going to happen."
It's as easy as that. Wheels up. It denotes a sign of a positive change, and that is something the women's lacrosse team has gotten used to this year.
With the addition of the newly-renovated Quinnipiac Soccer and Lacrosse Stadium, the team is ready to prove to the Bobcat faithful why it receives the support it does.
"Now we have no excuses," junior midfielder Allison Kuhn said. "We are fully funded. We have an amazing field, an amazing stadium, great coaches, and the right players. We have all the tools, and now we just need to use those resources."
It's that sign of positivity that surrounds the university that Kuhn, the Kingsville, MD native, notes is what drives the Bobcats to get better, day-in-and-day-out.
"We've really been inspired by women's basketball. We've been inspired by women's volleyball," Kuhn continued. "Those teams that have come so far, made it to those MAAC championship games and further, and that's what we are trying to do here. We don't want to just make the playoffs. We want to be in the MAAC Championship, and we want to win."
That sign of confidence resonates with seemingly every Bobcat player and coach. Whether it's practicing on a cold February days with the wind howling against their faces, or running plays in the heat of the Spring, the Bobcats know it's for one common goal.
To win.
"We want to show people what we are made of," senior goalkeeper Kyle Larkin said. "We want to show what this university is made of. [We want to] just show all of this talent and put it on the field, and make people know who Quinnipiac Women's Lacrosse is this year."
Larkin is entering her fourth year as a Bobcat and is looking to prove that this year will be the best one yet. She wants everyone out there to know that the Bobcats aren't here to play around.
"Don't doubt us," Larkin stated. "We are going to prove people wrong this year, and we are just trusting the process along the way."
The process is something that head coach Tanya Kotowicz preaches to her team every day on the field. She wants the Bobcats to know that in order to win, you must first focus on the little things.
"Fundamentals," Kotowicz said with vigor. "If we don't have the fundamentals then there's no way we can progress, so a winning mindset is something we talk a lot about in practices. We try to put [the team] in pressure situations that they will see on game day, and make sure that their game day is easier than any practice they have."
It's that mentality that has marinated throughout her team which makes them so savvy on the practice field, and is sure to make them poised on the playing field come Saturday.
Kiera Kelly, who is a leader on the field for the Bobcats, likes to spread a similar message to that of her coach.
"I think the big things are the little things, actually," Kelly said in a determined fashion. "If we could piece together the hustle plays, like picking up a ground ball, it can result in a goal. The goal doesn't come first … starting with the gritty plays and the little things are what results in goals."
However, little things aren't the only things on the Bobcats' mind when it comes to this season. They are setting high marks for themselves and they want to prove to the rest of the MAAC that they are here and they are ready to make a big-time statement come conference play.
"We want to get the fans in the stands," Allison Kuhn said. "We are going to make them proud. We are going to make Quinnipiac proud. They've given us this stadium, and now we are going to bring them a MAAC Championship. So get ready."
John Franklin is a junior at Quinnipiac, majoring in multimedia and broadcast journalism and minoring in Spanish. He is a member of the Bobcat Sports Media Group (BSMG).
Players Mentioned
DEFENSE
/ Women's Lacrosse
MIDFIELD
/ Women's Lacrosse
GOALKEEPER
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