Women's lacrosse team finishes in third

Brian Foster Arizona Daily Wildcat Senior attacker Andrea Bozzolo (19) drives to the goal against a helpless opponent in a game earlier this season. The women's lacrosse team finished third in the WCLL.

It was just the second time in school history Arizona (11-1) has finished third, matching the 1995 team's finish. UA has never ended a year ranked higher, having lost in the semifinal round the previous four years.

"It was a good weekend," senior midfielder and team captain Jessica Deal said. "We would like to have beaten Davis, though."

UC-Davis defeated Arizona for the second year in a row in the semifinal round 11-8 Saturday.

The Wildcats bounced back and defeated the Gauchos 11-10 while the Aggies fell to top-ranked Stanford in the final.

Deal scored two goals against UCSB and three the day before against UCD, earning offensive MVP honors for the tournament.

UA junior attacker Sarah Schier scored three goals against the Gauchos to lead Arizona's scoring surge.

Senior attacker Andrea Bozzolo added two goals and four other players netted one goal apiece.

"I think we've gone very far," Bozzolo said of the team in the four years she has been playing. Arizona had not even had a winning season until Bozzolo's class stepped on the field in 1995.

"I'm really proud of third place, though," Schier said. "I've gone the past two years and it's really hard to come back with fourth place."

Schier said that the key for Arizona to overcome its struggles in the semifinals is for the team to get more support, not talent.

"Their teams are completely recruited and already trained while we're still teaching people to cradle," she said.

Bozzolo said that support has to come from outside the team.

"I think with a little more school support we can do it," she said. "We have a lot of heart, but that's not enough sometimes."