Despite Ryan’s Injury, Lacrosse Still Able to Find the Back of the Net

When junior midfielder Rachael Ryan tore her ACL early in the 2008 season, it was a huge blow to the Columbia lacrosse team. Ryan was the Lions’ leading scorer last year with 35 goals and was going to be a key piece of the Light Blue’s offense this season.

Nevertheless, Columbia has hit double figures in goals scored in four of its first seven games this year. Senior midfielder Marisa Marcellino and junior attacker Holly Glynn, who both had strong 2007 campaigns, have provided an offensive spark for the Lions thus far.

Marcellino is a team captain for the second consecutive season. Last year, she found the back of the net 20 times and contributed a team-high 25 assists to lead Columbia with 45 points. She has started every game of her collegiate career and has continued to produce. Marcellino currently has 15 goals on the season and leads the Light Blue with 13 assists. She has scored more points in her career than any other Columbia lacrosse player in the program’s history. With eight games remaining, Marcellino will be sure to build upon her extensive accomplishments.

Glynn recorded the third-most tallies for the Lions last season with 23 and the second-highest number of assists with 17. This year, she has taken over for Ryan by leading the Light Blue with 24 goals. Glynn’s best performance this season was a seven-goal outburst at home against Lafayette. Not only did she lead the Lions to a 19-9 victory, but she also tied a Columbia lacrosse record for tallies in a game. In addition, Glynn contributed four of the team’s five goals in a loss at Dartmouth.

Marcellino and Glynn are not solely offensive minded—they are all-around players. In addition to scoring, Marcellino has forced four turnovers and grabbed nine ground balls. She leads the Lions with 22 draw controls this season as well. Glynn, meanwhile, has forced seven turnovers, added seven ground balls, and contributed 21 draw controls on the year.

Although the Lions lost their first two Ivy League games of the season, they have a shot at success behind the efforts of Marcellino and Glynn. The upperclassmen are forces to be reckoned with on the field, and they have shown the ability to lead their team through adversity. If these two women continue playing at their current level, Columbia’s opponents will have their hands full come game time.