Today, Florida State University played its inaugural NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse match at its own lacrosse-specific stadium at the Seminole Lacrosse Complex in Tallahassee.
After a few minutes of jitters, Florida State found the form needed to dominate the Hatters. From the 25th minute of play to the end of regulation, the Seminoles outscored Stetson 9-1.
The Florida State team is a product of the times. Unlike recent startup teams at Northwestern, Florida, and Michigan, the FSU team (like its rival team at Clemson) is leaning heavily on the transfer portal. Twenty-two of its 34 players have transferred in from other colleges.
It will be interesting to see how this roster gels together over the first few years of the varsity program. Look at the schools these players attended in high school, and they represent the broadening panoply of the game — players from Canada, Maryland, Long Island, Florida, Texas, Colorado, and California.
We’re seeing bits and bobs of chemistry already, especially surrounding Lydia Ward, who scored four goals yesterday. However, I get a feeling about Katherine Rathjen, the freshman who prepped at South Huntington St. Anthony’s (N.Y.). She had a goal and an assist on the day and looked a threat every time she had the ball.
I think, however, a large story in the ascendancy of FSU’s program will be in the coaching box. The head coach is Sara Tisdale, who does not come into the job with the celebrated credentials of a Kelly Amonte-Hiller, an Amanda O’Leary, or a Jennifer Uhlela. But Tisdale’s previous job in the collegiate ranks was as head coach of a first-year program, Eastern Michigan University.
As such, she knows better than most just how difficult it is to begin a team, to create a culture, and foment a winning identity.
The opening win is great for the confidence of the team, but the business end of February will be the last week, when the Seminoles play ACC conference games against Boston College and North Carolina, all in the space of four days.
Sure, the sports pundit in me says, “This is the juncture in which we find out how good the FSU program is.” But the historian in me says that it is completely unfair to think that this team can make a Final Four in two years (like Florida) or win the title in five years (like Northwestern). This team must be allowed to figure out its way through its inaugural season, with its puzzle, problems, and pitfalls.
For me, a .500 season is do-able, and a win in the conference tournament would be a great achievement, given how competitive the ACC is; like in field hockey, the conference will command the lion’s share of NCAA Tournament at-large bids. I’m confident in saying that seven or maybe eight teams will get in. Believe me, the competition in the midst of a 13-team league table is going to be absolutely crazy in April.