KATIE MILLER
Special to The Leader
It’s safe to say the Fredonia women’s lacrosse team is extremely comfortable with one another.
The sole seniors on the team, Jen Kershner and Sam Spiess, discussed moving on from Fredonia last Friday morning inside of Starbucks on campus.
A few minutes into the interview, two other members of the team happened to stop in.
Sophomores Alli Coon and Hannah Mikulec felt no apprehension to hold back when describing their senior teammates.
“Sam is definitely nicer,” Coon said while laughing and looking directly at Kershner.
Kershner smirked and shot a confirming look almost as if to say, “Yeah that’s true.”
Mikulec chimed in and said, “Jen is a lot more strict and sassy.”
The four girls shot digs at each other and bickered playfully, the way only members of a team can.
Kershner and Spiess both sported their team apparel, black hoodies with ‘Fredonia Lacrosse’ written across the front and their jersey numbers printed on the sleeves.
With only two months left of school, they had mixed feelings about their time as collegiate athletes coming to an end.
“We have bigger things to worry about moving forward,” Kershner said bluntly.
Kershner is not one to sugar coat things.
“I don’t know how to feel, but I know my body is ready,” Spiess said.
Their time spent as student-athletes has had its ups and downs, individually and team wise.
Spiess grew up in Penfield, NY and is a criminal justice major.
Just returning from the team’s spring break trip a few days ago, she had a light tan with sun kissed freckled cheeks.
While Spiess’ tan was subtle, Kershner’s, by contrast, made many people in the room appear pastier than the unwanted snow accumulating on the ground outside the glass windows.
Kershner is from Liverpool, NY and is a childhood inclusive education major with a concentration in mathematics.
Both Kershner and Spiess picked up the sport of lacrosse in their late elementary school years.
Kershner plays attack and Spiess plays midfield for the team.
As two key offensive players, it was detrimental for the Blue Devils last season when both were taken off the field due to injuries.
Kershner was the first to go down.
In December 2017, she suffered a hip labral tear. After having surgery, she returned for one game during the 2018 season.
That one game was all it took for Kershner to tear it again.
She was done for the season.
“I had to get two surgeries in six months,” Kershner said. “The last one took place in July 2018.“
Similarly, Spiess only lasted a short portion of the season.
“I tore my ACL in March of my junior year (2018),” Spiess said.
She too had to get surgery and was ruled out for the remainder of the season.
The team finished last year with a disappointing 2-14 record.
But with a new head coach, Spiess and Kershner are hoping to see some changes.
Coach Marykate Edmunds took over the Fredonia women’s lacrosse program this past fall.
The two seniors had nothing but kind words to say about their new coach.
“MK [A nickname for Coach Edmunds] is awesome,” said Kershner. “It’s nice to have someone who genuinely cares about her athletes’ well being.”
Spiess nodded in agreement with her fellow senior.
“And it’s refreshing to have new leadership that focuses on communication,” Spiess said.
Though eager to get back out on the field with a new coach at the helm, the girls still had to overcome their lingering injuries.
Kershner and Spiess both missed the first few games of the current 2019 season.
Coach Edmunds respects the girls’ dedication to rehabbing their injuries.
Kershner was able to return the fourth game of the season against Smith, while Spiess came back three games later and made her debut against D’Youville.
“Knowing that it may only get you a few weeks of lacrosse, our season being nearly half over, it’s easy to lose sight of what you’re working towards,” said Edmunds. “They both saw how hard their teammates were working and had an intense sense of wanting to help and contribute to the team.”
Casie White, a freshman for the Blue Devils, remembers both Kershner and Spiess being vocal on the sidelines.
“Despite their injuries,” White said, “They were still always positive and keeping us motivated.”
Although contributing from the sidelines, Kershner stressed it wasn’t the same as playing. But she appreciated how her teammates responded to the adversity.
“They still listened and allowed us to be leaders,” Kershner said. “They made us feel valued.”
When asked if they felt any pressure to lead the team as the only two seniors, they looked at each other with relaxed facial expressions.
“Not really,” Kershner said. “Everyone shows really good leadership on the team.”
Spiess explained that there is no “all-star” on the team.
“Everyone contributes,” Spiess said.
The Devil’s squad is extremely young this year, consisting of eight freshmen, five sophomores, three juniors and two seniors.
Coach Edmunds expects leadership from all of her players.
“Everyone has their own leadership style and I think it’s important that no matter the age, position or roles on our team, that leadership is tapped into,” Edmunds said. “It allows for all of our players to not have an outstanding pressure on them and continue to play lacrosse while fulfilling their natural leadership potential.”
Though White admits, “A lot of us look for role models, that’s where Sam and Jen step in.”
Now active on the roster, Kershner and Spiess want to help lead the team on attack.
“In Jen’s first game back, we could tell a huge difference,” White said. “Her stick skills back on attack played a huge roll for our offense.”
White continued on to describe the first game back with Spiess on the field as, “A breath of fresh air.”
When it comes to finishing off their senior seasons, the two girls have a few goals.
“I hope to finish my last season without thinking I could have done more,” Spiess said. “I want to leave it all out there on the field.”
Kershner just wants to compete.
“It’d be nice to disrupt things,” she said. “Maybe try to be a little bit of a threat in the SUNYAC.”
The two realize the program has had some short-lived success in the past.
In 2014 and 2015 the women’s lacrosse team received bids to the NCAA tournament; making it all the way to the elite eight in the 2015 season.
They admit it’s hard to be a part of the program’s less successful years, but wish it luck in the future.
“I hope it continues to grow and get better,” Spiess said. “I want the women’s lacrosse program to be respected again.”
The Blue Devils are currently 3-5 and play next at Buffalo State today at 4 p.m.