For senior captains Regina Oliver and Kathryn Kozlakowski, the end of a career was the unfortunate reality as the Buckeye womens lacrosse team finished their regular season Sunday, albeit with a 14-10 win over Notre Dame (3-12, 1-4 American Lacrosse Conference).
“I’m trying to think of it as moving on to bigger and better things,” Oliver said.
The Buckeyes (6-10, 3-3 ALC) were led by Oliver, a midfielder who scored three goals in the game at South Bend, Ind. The goals capped off a fantastic season in which Oliver – a three-time All-American and U.S. National player – led the nation in ground balls (4.31 per game) and caused turnovers (3.19). On Thursday, she was selected to the ALC first-team for the fourth time. In addition to the ALC selection, head coach Sue Stimmel said that Oliver will likely be selected for her fourth All-American award.
“(Oliver) is a phenomenal athlete,” Stimmel said. “… losing a three-time, All-American, blue-chip player hurts any program.”
Oliver will resume playing for the U.S. National team this summer and has entertained the idea of coaching in the future. Oliver said that her and Stimmel have been talking about volunteer opportunities because a lot of schools have started women’s lacrosse programs and are in need of some assistance. However, she said she would like to coach for OSU because of the friendships and memories she has created.
“I have a larger impact on someone who has seen me play,” Oliver said.
On the other side of the ball was Kozlakowski, who anchored an experienced defense for the Buckeyes.
“Koz,” as her teammates call her, picked up 35 ground balls and caused 15 turnovers.
“The five who started definitely tried to lay it out there,” Stimmel said. “We would assign them top players and put a little more on their shoulders and try to carry the team.”
Kozlakowski said that she enjoyed her four years at a school like OSU, but felt that last year’s 5-11 record (1-5 in the ALC) was a precursor to this year’s unsuccessful season. Although they failed to win many games, Kozlakowski was still happy the team improved on last year’s record.
“I would’ve liked to come out on top, but last year wasn’t too good,” she said. “There wasn’t chemistry. This year we changed it around.”
Kozlakowski said she was more of an emotional leader. Before games she said she would often unconventionally psych the team up and leave the on-field play to Oliver.
“I had a red suit and a cape,” Kozlakowski said. “It was like my alter-ego.”
Coach Stimmel said the humor her players exhibited is one of the main reasons she is sad to say goodbye to them.
“They had a good balance of when to work and when to play,” Stimmel said. “Respectfully they would pick on us, but at the same time they played hard.”
Stimmel said it was good for the younger players to see a side of their coaches that could only be brought out by the seniors. Kozlakowski said Stimmel will look for leaders like this year’s seniors to step up during the offseason before she elects new captains in August.
“We will probably have three captains and I think they’ll come from the defense,” Kozlakowski said. “(The captain) is usually an upperclassmen because they’ve been around and can lead better.”
Kozlakowski said the captain does not have to be a starter or one of the best players to be selected.
As the team continues their offseason training, Stimmel said it will be tough on the seniors to continue their college careers without the lacrosse practices.
“It’s the first time in their lives 30 people they know won’t be around all the time,” Stimmel said.
Kozlakowski said she will spend the summer coaching a club team from her hometown of Baltimore, where she can be around the sport and help some rising stars get recruited for college. She said that each year she has been involved with the team, she has seen Stimmel attend games to scout players.
“I love being with a team and a family,” Kozlakowski said.
She said she can see herself coaching in the future, but there are some difficulties that come along with the job.
“It’s hard to coach because I want to show them what to do,” she said.
The Buckeyes will look to the youth of the team as their main strength next year. With No.1 Northwestern in their conference, they will need to use their depth to their advantage.
On Thursday, freshman attacker Kelly Kremer was named the ALC’s Rookie of the Year and selected second-team all-conference, while senior midfielder Brandie Williams was selected to the first-team. Kremer led the Buckeyes with 44 points on a team-high 38 goals and contributed six assists. She also picked up 22 ground balls, 17 draw controls and caused 12 turnovers. Williams finished second in the nation with 2.69 caused turnovers per game.
It will be up to players like Kremer to take control of a losing record and turn it around for next year. However, Kozlakowski and the other seniors will be gone, but they can take away one final happy memory.
“Usually you go to the tournament and lose your last game, but this year it was nice to end with a win,” said Kozlakowski.
