Oberlin, OH – With the largest roster in program history, the Oberlin College women's lacrosse team is ready for a full slate of action this spring after being limited to just four games in 2021 due to the pandemic.  

The Yeowomen left off with a 2-2 campaign where each of their losses were one-goal battles. The small team outscored their opponents 59-41 without conceding a single man-down goal. Ranked fourth in the NCAC pre-season polls, all 28 Obies are ready to make waves in the conference this year.

"We had a strong preseason and are now ready to compete against someone other than ourselves," Head Coach Kim Russell said. "This is the perfect time for us to start our season and we are looking to learn from each game we play. We are young, but are ready to get to work and develop more as the season progresses. I am so excited about all the opportunities and possibilities that we haven't had in the past thanks to our roster depth."

Oberlin returns a plethora of athletes including a sophomore class of 14. Caroline Lee, Emily Shimabukuro, and Kaela Wilson all made major contributions during the short sprint season and should be even more impactful this year. Defensively, Lee and Wilson corralled a combined 20 ground balls and caused eight turnovers, with Lee entering the season as second on the team in both categories. Shimabukuro, who will be key on the draw, adds to the midfield and attack groups and is expected to have no trouble adding large numbers to the six goals, two assists, and 10 draws she posted as a rookie.

With the senior class being the only class to have experienced a full season, co-captains Annie Payne and Bette Imhoff bring a plethora of skill to the young squad. Leading the team in a multitude of statistical categories, Imhoff returns as a midfield force that has the speed and skill to run the ball on both ends of the field. In 21 career games, the Dublin, New Hampshire, native has procured 48 ground balls, 27 caused turnovers, 18 draw controls and 36 points on 24 goals and 12 assists. After battling through injury for the bulk of her career, Payne comes off a 2020 season where she scored 24 goals in six games, including a nine-goal performance that sits as the second-most goals scored in a single game in Oberlin history. An explosive attacker, the California native looks to break out in 2022 and lead the Yeowomen's high-powered attack.

Senior goalie Logan McDermott-Mostowy is expected to guide the defense despite having just three appearances to their credit, which came all the way back in 2019. An athletic and skilled keeper, McDermott-Mostowy continues the Crimson and Gold tradition of mentorship and guidance of the underclass goalies. 

"We've been really lucky in the goalie culture that's been passed down here at Oberlin," Russell noted. Starting even before I came to the program, the senior goalies have always taken the underclassmen under their wings and have taught them techniques and skills to help them become the best player they can be." 
 
Making their debut in Crimson and Gold are seven first-year athletes. Described by Russell as a complete player, Katie McMorris brings a wealth of lacrosse IQ and skill to the midfield. With plenty of speed and stamina, McMorris is expected to come up with an abundance of ground balls, caused turnovers, and interceptions. Sophia Ferrantelli, a goalie from Arizona, will see plenty of time in the cage for the Yeowomen as she comes to Ohio after ranking as one of the top goalies in her home state. Lauren Mills will also add to the success of the young class with her gritty and hardworking play style. A quiet and graceful attacker, Izzy Sunday will earn her fair share of goals this season, bringing a quick shot and great vision to the field.  

As the coaching staff looks ahead to Wednesday's season opener, the Yeowomen are just glad to be back to a normal routine. 

"We're just grateful to play no matter where it is. Baldwin Wallace is a great game, and we know going into it that they have a chip on their shoulder because of my history there. The game will be very competitive, but it will be just as great an opportunity to find out who works best together and play with the chemistry that has developed on the team."

Following the season-opener at BW, Oberlin then travels south to take on Sewanee and Rhodes in Tennessee followed by a matchup with Centre in Kentucky. The home opener is slated for March 16 against John Carroll with the conference slate set to commence at noon on April 2 against Wooster. 

Fans will be able to watch most games live online while all home games will also be carried on the Oberlin Sports Network OTT app powered by BlueFrame Technologies on any Roku, Amazon Fire, or Apple TV enabled device.