The No. 1 Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) women’s lacrosse team is gearing up to host the NJCAA Mid-Atlantic District championship game against No. 5 Harford on Thursday, May 4. The match will take place at 6 p.m. at Siegert Field.
The Riverhawks (7-0) have been sitting atop the NJCAA poll for the past six weeks, thanks to their impressive performance throughout the season. The team’s latest victory came against Harford, whom they beat 18-4 at home on April 17, completing their first undefeated regular season since 2007. AACC began their season with a 19-4 win over Harford on March 15.
AACC’s success this season can be attributed to the team’s remarkable stats. The Riverhawks are currently averaging 20.14 goals per game, the highest in the NJCAA while limiting their opponents to just 8.14 goals per game, the fewest in the NJCAA. AACC has won all their matches by ten or more goals except for one game.
Freshman midfielder Julia Sokolowski from Annapolis, Md./Broadneck has been the driving force behind AACC’s success this season. Sokolowski leads the NJCAA in points, with 55, and is second in the nation in goals, with 39. She has also been instrumental in the team’s performance with her 16 assists, which ranks third in the nation. Sokolowski was twice named the NJCAA Player of the Week this season. Freshman midfielder Lyndsey Miller from Lothian, Md./Southern is also a key player for AACC, ranking third in the NJCAA in points and goals. Miller was once named NJCAA Player of the Week this season.
Draw specialist and returning All-American midfielder Savanna Reitz from Odenton, Md./Arundel has also contributed to AACC’s success, helping the team with some of the best draw control numbers in the country. Sokolowski has been the beneficiary of the bulk of Reitz’s efforts, securing 50 draws.
Sophomore goalkeeper Kaitlyn Evans from Gambrills, Md./Arundel has been a standout player for AACC, boasting the lowest goals-against average in the NJCAA, with just 8.14 goals per game. Evans also has the second-best save percentage at 48.6%, almost 12 points higher than her previous season.
Head Coach Jim Griffiths, now in his 20th season at the helm of the AACC program, has guided the team to 13 national tournament appearances and back-to-back titles in 2006 and 2007.
The winner of the District Championship game will proceed to the four-team NJCAA championship tournament, hosted by Monroe Community College on May 13-14 in Rochester, N.Y.
Fans who are unable to attend the game in person can watch the game for free on the Riverhawks’ YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/aaccathletics. However, those who can make it to Siegert Field can attend the District Championship game free of charge.