Radcliffe Lacrosse Opens Year With 9-7 Loss to Yale

Despite never having practiced on a fullsized field, the Radcliffe lacrosse team ventured to New Haven last weekend in drizzling rain to kick off their initial season by losing to Yale, 9-7, after a strong first half lead of 5-3.

The team opened the first varsity lacrosse game in over a decade by playing a skillful and agressive first half, with goals by Nancy Cochran, Holly Loring, and Laura Johnson. The second half saw Yale score six goals over Radcliffe's two, to end the game 9-7 in Yale's favor.

"We played a very strong first game considering we had never played on an official size field with goals and referees," Coach Quinby said yesterday.

With a core of experienced prep school players forming the nucleus of her 25-woman squad, Coach Quinby looks forward to an exciting first season. "The newcomers to the game are picking it up very quickly," she said. "The problem is that no one on the team really likes to throw the ball at other players... they will learn that."

Womens' lacrosse differs from mens' lacrosse in that it is played without boundaries and is not a particularly rough, body-contact contest. Ideally, the game is played on a wide open field where players may run where they please. Body checks are outlawed and no equipment other than sticks is used.

"It's mostly an eastern, private high school and private college game," Laurie Benton '77, team captain said yesterday. "It's fast, but it certainly isn't a killer sport."

Improved Goals

The team is now practicing at the field behind Watson rink. Marked for mens' lacrosse, the goals are about the same size, so the new practice field is quite an improvement, Benton said.

The team has an eight game schedule set for this season, with the next game against a tough University of New Hampshire next Tuesday at home.