The Suffolk University lacrosse team, in just their second season, is in the hunt for their first playoff appearance in program history. At the head of this playoff push is sophomore attacker Julia Dickinson.
Dickinson got her start in lacrosse in her hometown of Pittsford, New York. Her older sister played lacrosse as a defender, so she was always at games and around the sport.
Dickinson talked about how a typical sibling rivalry led her to take up the role of an attacker.
“My sister played defense growing up, so you know, having a sibling, I always wanted to do the opposite. That’s how I got my start playing attacker and it just stuck,” said Dickinson.
Head coach Carolynn Keal noticed Dickinson at a club tournament and pitched her vision for what Dickinson could bring to the team. She was hesitant at first, but decided to come to Suffolk after meeting with coach Keal and seeing her vision for the team.
Playing for a new program was also something Dickinson had to consider during the recruitment process. Being able to build the culture and set the standard was important to Dickinson when choosing Suffolk.
The loss of Ally Colburn, one of the top point scorers for Suffolk last season, forced Dickinson to step into a different role. Last season, she was the primary feeder, quarterbacking the Suffolk offense, looking to set up her teammates on scoring opportunities.
“Julia is a dynamic and well-rounded attacker with exceptional field vision. She consistently keeps her head up, looking to create opportunities for her teammates, while also recognizing when it’s time to take control and attack the net herself,” said Keal. “This year she has developed into an even more complete player, contributing with a balanced mix of goals and assists.”
Building team chemistry is a big reason Suffolk has seen more success this season. Being a new program has allowed the Rams to retain a lot of their players from last season. The roster size helped everyone to get close as a team and connect with each other; they have been able to carry that energy into this year.
The stats back this up as Suffolk ranks fifth in the conference in assists per game and fourth in goals per game. Dickinson has had a lot of success on offense, ranking fourth in the conference in goals per game, a success which she credits to her team.
“It’s a team effort. I’ve been able to capitalize on the opportunity the team creates, the experience and confidence gained from last year helps,” said Dickinson. “I create opportunities for my teammates and it works the same the other way around. They create opportunities for me.”
Suffolk will look to turn this offensive success into some crucial wins as the playoff race heats up. Suffolk currently sits at 5-7 with five games left in their season. The Rams’ next opponent will be a conference clash against Western New England University.
“Making the playoffs has been a goal of ours since the beginning of the year. As a team we take it one game at a time and not get too far ahead of ourselves,” said Dickinson. “It drives us, every single game is important.”
