Pitt girls’s lacrosse staff has a variety of youthfulness, however that doesn’t imply they gained’t be a drive to be reckoned with in 2023. Pitt head coach Emily Boissonneault is in search of this system to take a considerable leap in its second 12 months of existence. Pitt went 9-10 of their inaugural season and beat ACC foe Louisville twice.

“We’re younger. Lots of people are underestimating us as a result of we graduated a variety of gamers and don’t have a variety of expertise,” Pitt head coach Emily Boissonneault instructed Pittsburgh Sports activities Now on the day earlier than the Panthers’ season opener in opposition to Duquesne on Saturday at Rooney Area. “That youth goes to carry a variety of energy and enjoyable to the staff. We’re impressed by this group of ladies and looking out ahead to exhibiting everybody what we’re engaged on.”

Pitt graduated 13 gamers from final 12 months’s staff and return solely two starters — Abby Thorne and Brittany Villhauer, each of whom are defenders.

“We have now some women who performed important time final 12 months and gained skilled. Numerous the women are excited for his or her alternative (on Saturday) in opposition to Duquesne,” Boissonneault mentioned.

Pitt beat Duquesne, 9-8, in additional time final 12 months at Highmark Stadium. Boissonneault is anticipating one other powerful sport from the Dukes this time round.

“We performed them in additional time final 12 months. They’re a tricky program,” Boissoneault mentioned. “We expect the identical factor. Regardless of the opponent, our staff is simply so excited to play another person and see what we have to work on shifting ahead.”

With enjoying within the ACC, there aren’t any gimmes for the Panthers. Each week is a problem. Taking part in in the perfect convention in Division 1 girls’s lacrosse is one thing that Boissoneault relishes. She wouldn’t need it another means.

“It was fairly superior competing within the ACC,” Boissonneault mentioned. “We pleasure ourselves on enjoying within the hardest convention within the nation. We all know we belong and that first 12 months constructed our confidence. We now know what to anticipate and are prepared for the problem.”

The Panthers could have the powerful job of changing All-ACC second-team goalie Paulina Diffatta, however Boissonneault is assured that graduate pupil switch from Syracuse, Hanna Van Middelem, might be up for the problem. Freshman Molly Cain is the backup goalie.

Lacrosse has been enormous in Maryland and many of the East Coast for many years, however the sport has grown all through the nation over the past 15-20 years. Boissonneault has seen the game develop within the Pittsburgh space and is hoping to construct a distinguished program that may appeal to recruits.