The Shippensburg University women's lacrosse team opens its season at 4 p.m. Tuesday against Holy Family from Robb Sports Complex. It is the first of four consecutive home games to start the season for the Raiders, who were voted eighth in the 2013 PSAC Preseason Coaches' Poll.

Shippensburg has won at least eight games in each of the last four seasons but is seeking to climb higher in the league standings this season under second-year head coach Ashley Manion, who is assisted this year by Krista Mann.

The Raiders are looking to return to the PSAC tournament for the first time since 2007. SU was picked eighth out of 12 teams in the 2013 PSAC Preseason Coaches' Poll, up one spot from last year. The Top 6 teams will advance to the postseason.

The 2013 squad will be led by senior captains Lindsey Kennedy and Sarah Chrencik. A total of 16 players return from last year's team, including seniors Roxanne Brown, Jenna Simmons and Erin Hains.

Attack

SU returns a lot of depth on attack. The most veteran returning player is senior Roxanne Brown, who has scored 29 goals and recorded 11 assists in 45 career games. Brown scored a career-high 16 goals last season.

Junior Kayla Dalzell was a valuable weapon who worked primarily off the bench but tallied 20 goals. Dalzell also had seven assists last year and has tallied 22 goals through two seasons.

Sophomores Courtney Kennedy and Sheila Johnson made significant contributions as rookies and will be counted on for their scoring punch. Kennedy was fourth on the team with 26 goals and eight assists. Johnson scored 16 goals and had three assists.

Junior Ashley Pope is a veteran of 21 career games and has tallied five goals. Sophomore Garrie Grenfell played in 16 of 17 games last season, netting 10 goals and recording three assists.

Freshmen Natasha Capecci, Tanisha Joseph and Kathy Flanagan join the squad and hope to make an impact in their debut seasons.

Midfield

Senior Lindsey Kennedy has earned All-PSAC accolades after each of her three previous seasons and is one of the team's co-captains this season. Kennedy finished up the 2012 season with team highs of 37 goals and 28 assists – the latter of which is one short of the single-season school record – and led the team with 49 draw controls.

Through three years, she has scored 83 goals and recorded 54 assists to complement 115 draw controls and 109 groundball pickups.

Junior Bennett Widlake is one of the team's most valuable players both offensively and defensively. Last season, Widlake was all across the score sheet with 33 goals (second-most on team) and a team-high 27 caused turnovers. She also had nine assists and 37 draw controls (third-most on team).

In two seasons, Widlake has netted 50 goals and recorded 12 assists in just 30 games to go along with 58 draw controls and 31 caused turnovers.

Junior Amanda Krok has appeared in 26 games over her first two seasons with the Raiders, compiling 10 goals and two assists while winning 19 draw controls.

Defense

Senior Sarah Chrencik is the team's other co-captain alongside Lindsey Kennedy. Chrencik has started every game in each of the last two seasons as one of SU's dependable back-line players. Through 49 career contests, Chrencik has 63 groundball pickups and 25 caused turnovers in addition to 22 draw controls.

Junior Liz French has earned All-PSAC First Team honors as a defender after each of her two collegiate seasons to date. Last season, French tallied a team-high 37 groundballs in addition to recording 39 draw controls and 17 caused turnovers. In just two years with the Raiders, French has already recorded 73 groundball pickups and 67 draw controls as a shutdown defender. She also has 29 career caused turnovers.

Senior Jenna Simmons, like Chrencik, has developed into a mainstay along the back lines for the Raiders. Simmons has also started every game over the last two years and has recorded 37 groundball pickups in 39 career games.

Junior Kayla Weaver saw her playing time increase in the second half of her sophomore season. She has played in 19 games through two years.

SU boasts solid depth in the back field as juniors Sarah Burkarth and Carly Ruberti complement senior Erin Hains as returners. Burkarth made 15 starts last season, while Ruberti appeared in 13 games. Hains is a veteran of 19 contests with the Raiders.

Sophomore Mercedes Rolon joins the squad from Alvernia College while freshman Brooke Olsen hopes to impress in her freshman season.

Goalkeeper

Freshmen Ally Frymoyer and Summer Elgogari will be the two goaltenders on the roster in 2013. Frymoyer excelled with Upper Merion High School outside of Philadelphia, where she earned All-Suburban One League honors. Elgogari played for Wilson High School.