BUZZARDS BAY, Mass – After their first winning season in program history (9-8), best finish in the conference standings and their second MASCAC playoff appearance in program history in 2019, the Buccaneer women's lacrosse team is gearing up for the 2020 season. In the MASCAC women's lacrosse preseason coaches' poll the Buccaneers have been voted to finish in fifth in the upcoming season. Six teams qualify for postseason play in MASCAC women's lacrosse.

Head Coach Marc Palombo and his staff welcome back 15 players from the 2019 team including Captains Cammi Balentine (Haverhill, Mass), Anna Deely (Barnstable, Mass) and Casey Sullivan (Sagamore Beach, Mass). Joining the 15 returners are six newcomers, including five freshman.

Last season, Sullivan led the Buccaneers with 52 goals, her second 50+ goal season in as many years which was good for third in the MASCAC. She also tallied 23 assists, tied for fourth in the conference with teammate Alyssa Blumenthal (Braintree, Mass). Deely put together an all-around solid season for the Buccaneers as well netting 40 goals of her own to go along with nine assists and a team leading 67 ground balls. Deely is the teams draw control specialist, having won 116 in 2019, tops in the MASCAC by more than 20. Defensively, Deely led Maritime with 35 caused turnovers, also tops in the conference. The aforementioned Blumenthal put together a stellar freshman campaign with 31 goals, third on the team and 23 assists. Balentine finished fourth on the team in goals scored last season with 28, adding 14 assists.

Behind the Buccaneer attack and midfield is a group of defenders who contributed greatly to the success of the team in 2019. Junior defender Jennifer Leung (Quincy, Mass) picked up a team leading, second in the MASCAC, 62 ground balls in her sophomore season while also causing 25 turnovers from her right back position. On the left side of the defense Amanda Gould (Bourne, Mass) had similar numbers to Leung with 25 caused turnovers and 36 ground balls. In the middle of the defense was Coreen Carley (Brentwood, N.H.) who picked up 20 ground balls and caused eight turnovers. Returning goalkeeper Laura Kleber (Westport, Mass) will look to improve on her 2019 season in which she had the lowest average goals against in the conference with 8.00 per game. Her play and the play of the defense in front of her was the recipe for success.

Along with two other freshman and a sophomore, Coach Palumbo welcomes in two freshman goalkeepers, Sue Bird (Duxbury, Mass) and Aviva Beringhause (Providence, R.I.), who the coaching staff expects to compliment Kleber nicely between the pipes in 2020.

"Last season was the best so far for this program but the work doesn't stop there." Said Head Coach Marc Palombo. "We are always getting better and while the loss of last year's senior captain Erica Overstreet is a big one, we have a foundation of young and talented players to build upon. The caliber of returning players and the strength of the incoming class gives a lot to look forward to." Added Palombo.

The 2020 Buccaneer women's lacrosse schedule begins at home on Leap Day, February 29^th at 12pm with a visit from Anna Maria College. Last season the Buccaneers played the AMCATS in their inaugural season on the road and collected a 20-0 shutout win. Blumenthan and Deely each scored five times in the game. Balentine and Sullivan scored three goals apiece.

The Buccaneers will host the annual Maritime Classic Friday, March 6^th – Sunday, March 8^th for the second straight season. The Bucs will take on last year's Classic winner SUNY Maritime on the 6^th at 7pm and take on Maine Maritime on the 8^th at 11am. SUNY and Maine will play on the 7^th at 11am. Last season, the Bucs narrowly fell to the Privateers 10-8 on a snow covered field at Clean Harbors Stadium in the deciding game of the tournament. In the game, Blumenthal scored three goals to lead the Bucs. They did however beat the Mariners 16-2 in the opening game of the 2019 classic. A game that Deely scored a game-high six goals in with Sullivan trailing her with five.

The Bucs stay at home through the middle of March as they take on Rhode Island College for the first time in program history on Wednesday, March 11^th at 7pm and follow that with a game against Wentworth on Tuesday the 17^th at 7pm. The Buccaneers are 1-3 all-time against the Leopards having lost the most recent matchup 19-11 in 2018 and the lone win coming in 2016, 15-7.

The team goes on the road for the first time on Saturday, March 21^st to take on UMass Dartmouth at 12pm. The Bucs and Corsairs met in Maritime's season opener in 2019 which ended in a 12-4 Dartmouth victory. Three days later Bucs are in Leicester, Mass to take on Becker College at 6:30pm. Last season, Hawks came to Buzzards Bay in late March and were doubled up by the Bucs, 16-8.

Maritime closes out the March portion of their schedule with two home games, including their MASCAC opener against Fitchburg State on Saturday the 28^th at 12pm. The Falcons were the first conference opponent for the team last season which the Bucs won on the road 12-9. The final game of the March sees Mitchell College come to Clean Harbors Stadium on Tuesday the 31^st at 7pm.

A trip to Worcester to take on Worcester State open the April portion of the team's schedule on Saturday the 4^th at 12pm. Last season, the Bucs and Lancers met twice, once in the regular season which the Lancers won 15-6 and again in the MASCAC quarterfinals which the Lancers also won, 12-6. Sullivan led the team with three goals in the regular season game while Deely led the way for the Bucs in the playoffs with three goals of her own against Worcester.

Maritime returns home for a pair of games on Wednesday, April 8^th against non-conference opponent Dean College and then on Saturday, April 11^th against conference opponent Westfield State. Last season against Dean the Buccaneers won 21-1 at home. Sullivan led the way with six goals with Deely and Nora McLaughlin (Quincy, Mass) each scoring four in the win. Westfield got the better of the Bucs in 2019 winning 16-2. The Owls, who were voted third in the preseason coaches' poll, have never lost to the Buccaneers.

Another team the Buccaneers are looking to beat in the MASCAC for the first time this season is Bridgewater State who they take on in Bridgewater on Tuesday, April 14^th at 7pm. Balentine led the Buccaneers with three goals against the Bears in 2019 but Maritime fell 14-7.

Curry College is the team's next opponent and final non-conference game of the season on the road on Thursday, April 16^th at 4pm. It will be the first meeting between the two programs.

MCLA is next up for the Bucs on Saturday, April 18^th at 7pm. With it being the team's final home game of the regular season it will also be senior day. Last season, Maritime traveled to North Adams, Mass to take on the Trailblazers and came home with a 17-1 victory.

The final two games of the regular season pit the Buccaneers against the defending conference champion Framingham State Rams and last year's last place finished, Salem State. The Bucs travel to take on the Rams on Wednesday, April 22^nd at 7pm. In 2019, the Rams won in Buzzards Bay 14-5. The last time the Buccaneers beat the Rams was in 2013. The Bucs then travel to Salem, Mass on Saturday, April 25^th for a 12pm game against the Vikings. The Bucs took last season's match up 16-5, Led by Sullivan with six goals.

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