A complete list of the 2009 U.S. Lacrosse All-Americans can be found below the article.
The names of four SOL players were included among the very best when the 2009 U.S. Lacrosse All-American list was released recently. Upper Dublin junior Amy Cross and Hatboro-Horsham junior Lauren Purvis earned first team honors while Abington senior Alisha Aquilino and North Penn junior Brittany Hanrahan received honorable mention.
Both Cross and Purvis are all but signed, sealed and delivered to play at the collegiate level. Cross has made a verbal commitment to play for Syracuse University while Purvis has committed to Penn State.
Cross scored 70 goals for the American Conference champion Cardinals, and she also had 26 assists, 70 draw controls, 64 ground balls and eight interceptions. A three-year starter, she led the team in every statistical category except interceptions where, interestingly, she was beaten out by younger sister Kelly.
“For the past two years, she was not needed to score with Amanda Gregg and Liz Wall on the field,” coach Dee Cross said. “This year, we needed Amy to set the tone and get us on the scoreboard.
“Amy leads by example on the field and is also willing to talk to the team when they need to regroup or to straighten some things out. She plays to win and gives 100 percent. I think playing in a lot of different venues during the offseason has helped Amy improve her game and play against really good competition, which helps in her overall game sense and intensity.”
Purvis contributed 47 goals and 21 assists and also served as captain of her high school squad.
“Lauren’s work ethic is unparalleled,” Hatboro coach Jennifer Deitch said. “She gives 100 percent in everything she does, and it shows in her performance.
“Lauren is extremely coachable and always willing to do whatever it takes to succeed. When Lauren is on the field, the momentum of the entire game changes. Her game sense and desire helps to create opportunities not only for herself but for her teammates as well.”
For Auqilino, who will take her talents to St. Joseph’s University this fall, it was her second All-American selection in as many years.
“Alisha has been strong in the cage for us for four years,” Abington coach Julie Martinez said of her senior goalie. “We would not have had the success we had over the last four years – winning three consecutive league championships – if anyone else had been in the cage.
“She’s a leader on the field, she’s a leader off the field. There’s a saying, ‘It’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.’ She is a fighter, she’s a hard worker, and she took advantage of every single opportunity that she had. She’s one of the greatest kids I’ve ever coached, and I’m going to miss her dearly.”
Hanrahan was North Penn’s top defender, and coach Jami Wilus pointed to her junior defender’s effort in the Maidens’ district playoff win over Abington when Hanrahan limited high-scoring Kailee Ashby to just one goal.
“All year long she kind of flew under the radar because she’s not the one putting the ball in the back of the net, and usually they’re the names that you notice,” Wilus said. “From our first game of the season all the way until our last game in the state playoffs, she marked the opposing team’s leading scorer – at times face guarding and at times just marking.
“She played a real key role for us in our defensive end.”
2009 U.S. Lacrosse All-American
First Team
Sammi Arbitman, Senior, Episcopal Academy
Shannon Burns, Junior, Springfield-Delco
Jordan Christopher, Senior, Villa Maria Academy
Margaret Corzel, Junior, Merion Mercy
Amy Cross, Junior, Upper Dublin
Alyssa Dunlap, Junior, Radnor
Samantha Ellis, Senior, Radnor
Kelyn Freedman, Junior, Radnor
Emily Garrity, Senior, Strath Haven
Kristina Hahn, Senior, Great Valley
Kate Henrich, Senior, Germantown Academy
Melissa Lloyd, Junior, Unionville
Kyrstin Mackrides, Senior, Villa Maria Academy
Allie Martin, Junior, Radnor
Kelly McCallion, Senior, Notre Dame
Maddie Poplawski, Senior, Springfield-Delco
Lauren Purvis, Junior, Hatboro-Horsham
Lindsey Smith, Junior, Unionville
Taylor Trimble
Honorable Mention
Alisha Aquilino, Senior, Abington
Leana Brewer, Senior, Bayard Rustin
Michelle Conway, Senior, Springfield-Delco
Avery Curley, Junior, Episcopal Academy
Olivia Goodman, Senior, Agnes Irwin
Brittany Hanrahan, Junior, North Penn
Sarah Kendrick, Senior, Hill School
Sam Mazzie, Senior, Boyertown
Kasey Mock, Junior, Pottstown
Stephany Parcell, Senior, Interboro
Annalise Penikis, Senior, Strath Haven
Hannah Schmitt, Sophomore, Archbishop Carroll
Sloan Warren, Sophomore Baldwin School
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