File Photos Courtesy of Mark Campbell

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. -- The University of Delaware women’s lacrosse team had five players earn All-Colonial Athletic Association honors, it was announced at the CAA Awards banquet on the eve of the 2009 CAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship, which is being hosted by top-seed William & Mary. The teams were selected based on a vote of the league’s eight head coaches.

Seniors Jessica Cerveny (bottom, right) and Erin Zimmerman (top, right) garnered First Team accolades, senior captain Deb Sloan and junior Emily Schaknowski earned Second Team honors, and freshman Stephanie Allen was selected to the All-Rookie Team.

Cerveny, a native of Islip, N.Y. (Islip HS), ranks among the top-five in the conference in three categories. She ranks No. 1 in goals against average at 8.54 per game, No. 2 in save percentage (.494), and fifth in groundballs per game with 2.75. She has started all 16 games for the Blue Hens this year, playing the full 60 minutes in all but one game. She has played 955:26 in goal this season and made 133 saves while allowing 136 goals. Her three goals allowed against Drexel on Apr. 10 was a CAA opponent low this season. She also made a season-high 14 saves against three different opponents. This is the second straight year Cerveny has earned this honor.

Zimmerman (Malven, Pa.), a converted true defender turned midfielder for this, her senior season, did a little bit of everything for the Hens this season. She was particularly impressive on defense, causing a team-high 21 turnovers. Offensively, she scored seven points on four goals and three assists. She scored a pivotal goal to help Delaware beat Old Dominion, 9-8 in the conference opener on Apr. 3. Also, her 40 groundballs this season rank second on the team.

Sloan (Thornton, Pa./West Chester East) was the team’s leading goal scorer with 20 goals. She ranks second on the team in points with 27. Sidelined with a back injury for four games and only seeing limited time in a few others, the senior captain still managed to be one of the team’s most productive offensive players and its leader.

She posted three hat tricks on the season, giving her 12 for her career. She is the team’s active leader in that category. Sloan was most impressive in the Blue Hens’ two games during the week ending Apr. 19, for which she earned the CAA’s Player of the Week. She first scored two goals in the 10-6 win over James Madison, and then followed that performance with a career-high five goals and one assist as the Blue Hens defeated George Mason, 14-8.

This is the third year Sloan has received All-Conference honors, as she was named to the All-Rookie Team as a freshman in 2006 and earned All-CAA Second Team in 2007.

Schaknowski, a native of Wading River, N.Y. (Shoreham-Wading River HS), was the Hens’ leading scorer with 29 points on 17 goals and 12 assists. Coming off her First Team Selection last season, she led the team in assists and shots (60) and ranked third in goals scored. She scored multiple goals in four games this season, and had a season-high four-point afternoon (two goals, two assists) including the assist on the winning goal in the thrilling 9-8 victory over ODU.

Allen (Montgomery, N.Y./Pine Bush HS) came on strong for the Blue Hens in the conference season. She bounced the winning goal over the shoulder of ODU goalkeeper and Rookie of the Year winner Sarah Geary in the CAA opener and then two days later scored a team season-high six goals to lead the Hens past William & Mary, 15-11. She had a streak of seven straight games with at least one goal that lasted from Mar. 21 through Apr. 10. She had five multiple goal performances on the year, including two hat tricks. Her 18 goals for the season ranks second on the team and her 20 points ranks fifth.

This marks the third straight year under Head Coach Kim Ciarrocca that at least five Blue Hens won All-CAA end of the season honors. No. 2 Delaware takes on No. 3 seed ODU in the second semifinal game at Albert-Daly Field tomorrow at 7:30 p.m. The winner of that game advances to the finals on Sat., 1 p.m. and faces the winner of the first semifinal game at 5:30 between No. 1 William & Mary and No. 4 Towson.

AGATE:

2009 ALL-CAA WOMEN’S LACROSSE TEAM

FIRST TEAM
Ashley Holofcener, William & Mary, A
Ashley Kellogg, Old Dominion, A
Meggie McNamara, Towson, A
Corrine Gandolfi, Hofstra, M
Grace Golden, William & Mary, M
Kim Griffin, James Madison, M
Kelly Kimener, Old Dominion, M
Nikki Marcinik, Towson, M
Maggie Bridges, George Mason, D
Julie Ondrako, Towson, D
Erin Zimmerman, Delaware, D
Jessica Cerveny, Delaware, GK

SECOND TEAM
Jaime Dardine, James Madison, A
Liz Falco, Hofstra, A
Madalyn Jamison, George Mason, A
Katie Lawson, Drexel, M
Emily Schaknowski, Delaware, M
Deb Sloan, Delaware, M
Molly Wannen, William & Mary, M
Britt Woodfield, Towson, M
Lindsey Belle, Old Dominion, D
Sarah Jonson, William & Mary, D
Alysse Ruszkowski, Hofstra, D
Sarah Geary, Old Dominion, GK

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Kelly Kimener, Old Dominion
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Julie Ondrako, Towson
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR: Sarah Geary, Old Dominion
COACH OF THE YEAR: Sue Stahl, Old Dominion

ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
Stephanie Allen, Delaware, M
Lisa Bernardini, Old Dominion, M
Cally Chakrian, James Madison, D
Emily Ellisen, George Mason, M
Sarah Geary, Old Dominion, GK
Ashley Kimener, James Madison, M
Sarah Mulvey, William & Mary, D
Mary Teeters, Towson, GK
Charlotte Wood, Drexel, A
Monica Zabel, James Madison, M