POUGHKEEPSIE, New York - Following its final scrimmages of the fall, the Marist women's lacrosse team and Head Coach Jessica O'Brien have announced three captains for the upcoming season. Seniors Natalie Bonaroti, Olivia Pitonzo and Abigail Witczak will lead the Red Foxes in 2017 as determined by a team vote.
“Natalie, Olivia and Abby have all showcased their ability to lead on and off the field over the last three years,” O'Brien said. “They have earned the respect from their teammates and coaching staff and I feel confident they will be able to continue to build the type of culture needed for a winning program. The entire senior class is capable of impacting this year's team and I anticipate working alongside each of them as well as the captains to better our program for the season.”
Bonaroti enjoyed a comeback season last year, starting all 17 games at midfield for Marist. She was one of five Red Foxes to post double-digit totals in ground balls (10) and draw controls (15) in 2016 and she had eight caused turnovers. Bonaroti was a MAAC All-Rookie Team honoree in 2014 and has earned a spot on the MAAC All-Academic Team the past two seasons.
A tertiary scorer on Marist's offense, Pitonzo racked up 36 points last spring. She netted 14 goals and her 22 assists were second on the team and eighth most in a single season in program history. She posted career highs of five assists and six points in the MAAC opener vs. Iona on March 26 and went 5-for-14 on free position attempts.
In the 2016 season opener against Sacred Heart, Witczak broke the program record for wins by a goalkeeper with the 23rd victory of her career. She helped lead Marist to three one-goal wins in 2016, going 8-7 overall and making 123 saves in the cage. Witczak begins her final season with a 9.70 goals against average, the lowest in Marist women's lacrosse history, and her 347 saves place her fifth all time. She was a member of the MAAC All-Tournament and All-Academic Teams last year.
Marist finished 9-8 overall and 6-2 in Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play in 2016. The Red Foxes earned the no. 2 seed in the MAAC Tournament, earned a bye in the quarterfinal round and competed in the conference semifinals for the fifth straight season.
