WATERVILLE, Maine – The North Atlantic Conference released its postseason awards for women's lacrosse on Thursday and the Husson University women's lacrosse team earned two major awards and five all-conference honors.
Sophomore Kate Boehmcke was voted co-played of the year and picked up an all-conference selection following being one of the top all-around players in the North Atlantic Conference after a standout sophomore season, helping the Eagles clinch the number one seed in the NAC championship game. Boehmcke led Husson in goals (39), shots on goal (62) and draw controls (75), in addition to tying for the team lead in game-winning goals (3), while placing tied for second in ground balls (41) and second in assists (17) and points (56). In the NAC, Boehmcke ranked first in goals, fourth in assists, fourth in points, tied for third in ground balls, fifth in caused turnovers and first in draw controls. Boehmcke scored at least two goals in every game for the Eagles, including eight hat tricks and three four-goal games. Boehmcke was named NAC player of the week once and NAC defensive player of the week once during the season.
Freshman Lauren Small was named conference rookie of the year, in addition to making the all-conference team. Small made an instant impact on the Husson backline, as she instantly became one of the top defenders on Husson, in addition to the North Atlantic Conference. Small finished second on the Eagles and fourth in the conference in caused turnovers with 27, while also ranking tied for second on the team and tied for third in the league with 41 ground balls. Small, who was a three-time NAC rookie of the week selection during the season, recorded at least one caused turnover in every game this season, including three games with at least three caused turnovers and one game with four takeaways.
Senior Averi Baker was tabbed as an all-conference selection after she put together another strong season for Husson in her final year in the green and gold, as she led the team and finished second in the NAC in both assists (27) and points (64), in addition to ranking second on the team and third in the conference in goals (37). Baker also finished second on the team and fourth in the conference with 40 draw controls, while also tallying 20 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers, as she earned NAC player of the week three times during the season. Baker recorded five hat tricks during her senior season, including a five and seven goal performance over the course of the year, as she became Husson's all-time points leader and became the first player in program history to surpass 200 career points.
Senior Laela Martinez got an all-conference nod after being one of the best two-way players in the conference during the season, especially excelling for the Eagles on defense. Martinez ranks first in the NAC in caused turnovers with 44, as she became the all-time leader for Husson women's lacrosse in caused turnovers, in addition to surpassing the program record for single-season caused turnovers. Additionally, Martinez is second in the conference and leads the Eagles in ground balls with 47, while also placing third on the team and eighth in the conference in draw controls. Martinez was a three-time NAC defensive player of the week this season, as she recorded three games this season with at least five caused turnovers. On offense, Martinez was third on the team and ninth in the league with 24 goals, while also adding 12 assists, as she posted three hat tricks on the year, including one four-goal game.
Junior Jory Boyd picked up the final all-conference honor for the Eagles after ranking fourth on the Eagles and seventh in the NAC in caused turnovers with 23, in addition to fifth on the team and ninth in the conference with 35 ground balls. Had two games with five caused turnovers and two additional games with three takeaways. Additionally, Boyd was also named to the all-sportsmanship team.
The Eagles open the NCAA tournament against No. 13 Gettysburg College on Saturday at 1 p.m. on the campus of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
