Tribe Lax Preview: Player Interviews

02/15/08 5:45PM

Williamsburg - With Tribe Lacrosse's season-opening game against Binghamton now just a couple days away, TribeAthletics.com presents the final piece of its lacrosse season preview today with player interviews and more practice photos.

This week, a trio of newcomers to the program sat down and talked about preseason practice and Sunday's opener. Junior transfer Kari Fasick chatted on Thursday, and former high school teammates and current freshmen Maggie Anderson and Emma Starnes talked today after practice. The transcripts of the interviews can be found below. To view pictures from today's practice, click on the link below:

Friday Practice Photos 2/15/08

Interview With Kari Fasick

You started your career at Ohio, but then the school dropped the lacrosse program during what would have been your junior season. You missed a season, transferred to W&M, and now here we are just a few days from the first game. How has the adjustment been?:

“First of all, I couldn’t have asked for a better support group. I was really nervous initially. Looking back, I can’t believe where I was last year at this time. Now, we’re only a few days away from our first game, and I’m ecstatic just to be playing again. Everyone here made it really easy to adjust to the new school and program. I couldn’t have asked for anything more. With everything that happened last year [at Ohio], everyone here was understanding and helpful and made it such an easy transition for me. I’m just happy to be playing again.”

After the transfer process, and the long offseason, it must be nice, almost a relief, to focus on lacrosse?:

“It’s definitely a relief because I obviously wanted lacrosse to be part of my college experience. After it was taken away from me, now knowing in just a couple days I’ll be playing in a game again, I’m completely grateful and fortunate to be here. I’m happy about it.”

How does it feel being back out at practice, and how would you assess the first week?:

“It’s been exciting out at practice this week. I know this past week we’ve been doing a great job. I think we’ve been on the mark with everything and getting through the drills. Everyone has been focused. It’s exciting for me personally, knowing the first game actually is going to happen this year. As a team though, everyone is excited, on track and ready to win.

You’ve stepped right into an important role on attack. How has the group looked in practice so far?:

“I think the attack has looked great. Everyone on attack this year is going to make an impact. Julia Martin is a great leader up front, but in practice everyone has seen that we are very deep and a number of people are going to contribute.”

Maggie Anderson and Emma Starnes

As freshmen, how has the transition to the college game been and what would you say are the biggest adjustments?:

MA: “I’d say the pace of the game has been the biggest adjustment because it’s so much faster, and the defense is quicker and slides faster. It’s also a lot more fun in practice. I think the fall and Australia trip helped a lot. I remember back to the first fall ball game, I was extremely nervous, especially because it was against Virginia. But once we got into the game, I realized I could play at this level and that I was fine.”

ES: “As a defender, I would say the attackers are a lot quicker and a lot more savvy than anyone we faced on defense in high school. That’s been a big adjustment, but at the same time it’s a big learning experience to see how the whole team defense works. The leadership of the veteran captains [Kate Lawlor, Ashley Bolton and Jaime Sellers] has really helped, as has the entire group of upperclassmen, to kind of relieve the general anxiety of the freshman class.”

How would you describe your personal game, and what each of you brings to your respective positions on the field?:

MA: “I’m a shooter. That’s how I would describe myself. I’ll shoot pretty much anytime I feel like I’m open.”

ES: “I’ve played basketball ever since I was about six or seven years old, and that has been a tremendous asset for me on defense. There are a lot of the same concepts defensively between the two games. That knowledge has definitely helped me with the team defense.”

How has the first week of practice been, preparing for the season-opener?:

ES: “I think it has been great. We’re all so positive and really supportive of each other. A lot of things have come together and clicked this week, both for the defense and attack. On defense, the talk is clear and directive. I’m really excited about Sunday.”

MA: “On the attacking side of the ball, I think we’ve all gotten to know each other a lot better since fall ball and Australia. We’ve really meshed together this week, and I think we all know what we’re doing as a group. [Thursday’s] practice was amazing, as far as both sides of the ball playing well. I’m excited for Sunday too, just to see what we can do.”

The length of the offseason was obviously a big adjustment for the two of you as well, particularly just concentrating on one sport. Is it sort of a relief now to know the season is finally about to start?:

ES: “Definitely. I remember Chris asking in practice, when she was a little frustrated, ‘Do you guys realize we have a game on Sunday?’ And, then thinking to myself, I realized I don’t know what it will be like at all during a game on Sunday. But, at the same time, I got really excited about finally playing a game, and I think that is kind of how the whole group feels right now. We’re ready to show ourselves what we can do.”

MA: “I’ve been looking forward to it since Monday. I’m excited to show the big steps that Tribe Lacrosse, as a whole, has made since last season. It started last season when that team beat JMU, but now this is what we’ve been working towards during the offseason, and we’re ready to show what this team can do.”