BAY CITY, Mich. — The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced its 2014 All-GLIAC Women's Lacrosse teams between the semifinal matches of the GLIAC Tournament on Friday evening with the host institution, Grand Valley State University, taking home three of the six Conference postseason awards.
Grand Valley State University junior Alyssa Neumen (Rockford, Mich.) was named the 2014 GLIAC women's lacrosse "Defender of the Year" for the second consecutive season, while GVSU rookie midfielder Ryan Skomial (Howell, Mich. / Hartland) was named "Freshman of the Year" in balloting conducted by the league's coaches. Alicia Groveston, who guided Grand Valley State to its second-straight GLIAC Championship, earned "Coach of the Year" accolades for the second consecutive season.
Tiffin University sophomore Emily Roussel (Georgetown, Texas) and Lake Erie College senior Ashriel West (Jamesville, N.Y. / Jamesville Dewitt) garnered "Co-Attacker of the Year" accolades, while University of Findlay sophomore Sarah Lankton (Carmel, Ind. / St. Theodore Guerin Catholic) was named "Midfielder of the Year". Tiffin junior goalie Jessica Bombard (Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta) was named the league's "Goal Keeper of the Year" for the second straight season.
Roussel, a sophomore from Georgetown, Texas, has enjoyed a sensational season for Tiffin. She leads the GLIAC in goals and points while also ranking 3rd in assists. Roussel, who also is second in the GLIAC in draw controls and caused turnovers, is fifth in NCAA Division II in overall goals and 6th in goals per game. She has totaled 70 goals and 26 assists for 96 points. She was a Second Team All-GLIAC selection in 2013.
West, a senior from Jamesville, N.Y., has tallied 58 points on 45 goals and 13 assists in addition to 63 draw controls, 42 groundballs and a team-high 20 caused turnovers this season, helping the Storm to a 7-1 conference record and the second-seed in the 2014 GLIAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament.
Lankton has scored 68 goals on the season, the second best mark in the GLIAC. The Carmel, Ind. native leads the league in draw controls (105), ground balls (74) and caused turnovers (40). She also ranks second with 91 total points. The 2013 GLIAC "Freshman of the Year," Lankton has racked up 139 career goals in only 36 games.
Neumen earned GLIAC "Defender of the Year" honors for the second straight season. The Rockford, Mich. native was the centerpiece of the GVSU defense that led the GLIAC in goals-against average (7.00). She also helped the Lakers post three shutouts and caused 17 turnovers, which was tied for 13th among all league players. Her 34 ground balls were the third-most by any GVSU player this season.
Bombard, a junior from Henrietta, New York, earned her second consecutive GLIAC "Goalkeeper of the Year" honor by leading the GLIAC in saves, save percentage, and wins. She is currently second in NCAA Division II in saves and save percentage while ranking fourth in saves per game. Overall she has 211 saves, an 11.86 goals against average, and a .524 save percentage.
Skomial started her GVSU career off with a bang and garnered GLIAC "Freshman of the Year honors." The Howell, Mich. product scored a team-high 31 goals, which was tied for 13th among all conference players, and led the Lakers in draw controls (51) and ground balls (46). Those figures ranked eighth and ninth, respectively, in the GLIAC. Her 10 ground balls in a 15-9 victory over Tiffin were a school record. Additionally, her five caused turnovers against the Dragons were tied for the second-most in GVSU history.
Groveston also repeated as an award winner this season. The head coach of the Lakers guided them to an 8-0 mark in league play for their second consecutive GLIAC title. GVSU led the conference in goals-against average and assists (114) to go along with the second-most shots (494), goals per game (14.19) and ground balls (476). Under Groveston, the Lakers have never lost a conference game and only three of those contests have been decided by single digits. Overall, GVSU finished with an 11-5 mark, with all five losses coming at the hands of opponents who were ranked or received votes in the IWLCA Poll at some point during the season.
The complete list of the 2014 All-GLIAC women's lacrosse teams and postseason awards are below:
2014 GLIAC Women's Lacrosse Postseason Awards |
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Co-Attackers of the Year: Emily Roussel - Tiffin Ashriel West - Lake Erie |
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Defender Player of the Year: Alyssa Neumen - Grand Valley State |
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Midfielder Player of the Year: Sarah Lankton - Findlay |
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Goal Keeper Player of the Year: Jessica Bombard - Tiffin |
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Freshman of the Year: Ryan Skomial - Grand Valley State |
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Coach of the Year: Alicia Groveston - Grand Valley State |
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2014 All-GLIAC Women's Lacrosse Teams |
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All-GLIAC First-Team |
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Position |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown/Previous School |
Attacker |
Sarah Lowe |
Grand Valley State |
Jr. |
Okemos, Mich. |
Attacker |
Elizabeth Hales |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Fr. |
Orlando, Fla. / Dr. Phillips |
Attacker |
Emily Roussel |
Tiffin |
So. |
Georgetown, Texas |
Attacker |
Ashriel West |
Lake Erie |
Sr. |
Jamesville, N.Y. / Jamesville Dewitt |
Midfielder |
Hana Abu-Kwiek |
Lake Erie |
Jr. |
Lewis Center, Ohio / Olentangy Orange |
Midfielder |
Sarah Lankton |
Findlay |
So. |
Carmel, Ind. / St. Theodore Guerin |
Midfielder |
Ryan Skomial |
Grand Valley State |
Fr. |
Howell, Mich. /Hartland |
Defender |
Samantha Gryba |
Lake Erie |
Jr. |
Okotoks, Alberta / National Sport Academy |
Defender |
Danielle Kirby |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Fr. |
Oregon City, Ore. / Oregon City |
Defender |
Alyssa Neumen |
Grand Valley State |
Jr. |
Rockford, Mich. |
Defender |
Ashley Stoltenberg |
Grand Valley State |
Jr. |
Fenton, Mich. / Hartland |
Goalkeeper |
Jessica Bombard |
Tiffin |
Jr. |
Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta |
At-Large (A) |
Kyra Bradley |
Findlay |
Fr. |
Port Coquitlam, British Columbia |
All-GLIAC Second-Team |
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Position |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
Hometown/Previous School |
Attacker |
Gina Abulone |
Tiffin |
Fr. |
Hamburg, N.Y. |
Attacker |
Meagan Emery |
Grand Valley State |
Sr. |
Belmont, Mich./Rockford |
Attacker |
Zoe Stiemann |
Grand Valley State |
Jr. |
Grand Rapids, Mich. /East Grand Rapids |
Attacker |
Jessie Tufnell |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Jr. |
Flower Mound, Texas / Coppell |
Midfielder |
Kira Dosenberry |
Grand Valley State |
Fr. |
San Diego, Calif. /Scripps Ranch |
Midfielder |
Sara Fitzsimon |
Wheeling Jesuit |
Sr. |
Sacramento, Calif. / St. Francis Prep |
Midfielder |
Nicole Stines |
Findlay |
Fr. |
Columbus, Ohio / Upper Arlington |
Defender |
Randi Castner |
Tiffin |
Fr. |
Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta |
Defender |
Jenah Eastep |
Findlay |
Jr. |
Millersburg, Ohio / West Holmes |
Defender |
Brianna Shefferly |
Grand Valley State |
Sr. |
Caledonia, Mich /G.R. Catholic Central |
Defender |
Kalie Weinheimer |
Tiffin |
Sr. |
Derby, N.Y. / Lake Shore |
Goalkeeper |
Katie Holden |
Lake Erie |
So. |
Whitby, Ontario / Anderson C.V.I. |
At-Large (A) |
Alexis MacMillan |
Tiffin |
Jr. |
Henrietta, N.Y. / Rush-Henrietta |