Laura Brindley ’16 (L.B.): Who or what inspired you to play lacrosse?

Nikki Sharkin ’17 (N.S.): My town is really big on lacrosse. It’s like how soccer is normal to most people, but in Summit, lacrosse is what you start out with. My brother started before me and it was one of those things you are expected to do. I started in second grade, so I have been playing for a while.

L.B.: You also play field hockey at Wellesley. How does your approach to the two sports differ?

N.S.: They are completely different. I start training for lacrosse in the winter, so the training is different. We do fewer short sprints and it is more long-distance sprinting. The people on the teams are also very different and adjusting at first is hard. We go straight from field hockey into lacrosse training and you don’t really know the first- years who came in because you didn’t spend the fall with them. Once you get into season, it is very natural and you become best friends with everyone.

L.B.: Aside from your injury, what has been the most exciting or memorable moment of this season?

N.S.: It was exciting when we beat Emerson. We lost to Emerson last year, and the assistant coach my first year is now their head coach, so it’s kind of one of those rivalries. We wanted to beat her because she beat us last year. We went into that game with fire under our feet, so it was exciting when we won.

L.B.: Describe what led to your broken wrist last Saturday against Mount Holyoke.

N.S.: [Mount Holyoke] was clearing the ball out of their defensive end and I was defending the girl who got the clear. She changed direction suddenly and it rained that day, so my feet slipped from under me and I fell back on my left hand. My arms were straight, so it just cracked.

L.B.: Will you be healed in time for field hockey season this fall?

N.S.: The recovery time is three months, so I should be back in early August. I can still run throughout the summer and will start going to physical therapy. I just can’t play until early August.

L.B.: Do you have any pre-game rituals?

N.S.: It depends what day it is. If it is a Wednesday game, then I eat lunch in the Lulu, go to Starbucks and get an iced coffee. Before every game, I drink this green powder that is a bunch of mushed up vegetables. I like to lead the team in dancing, but sometimes I don’t get everyone up.

L.B.: What is the best part about being a midfielder?

N.S.: It is awesome to play on both sides because you can see both ends of [the game]. It is nice to be able to cause errors on the other team that lead you onto attack so you can score. You are a part of everything.

L.B.: If you could give a word of advice to a prospective student who wants to play both field hockey and lacrosse at Wellesley, what would it be?

N.S.: Get ready to devote a lot of time, but you won’t regret your decision to do both.

Blue Lacrosse closed out its season on Saturday with a 16-13 loss against MIT on Saturday in the NEWMAC Quarterfinals.

Photo courtesy of wellesleyblue.com

Laura Brindley ’16 (L.B.): Who or what inspired you to play lacrosse?

Mary Lemay ’17 (M.L.): I come from a very lacrosse-oriented town, so the high school team and the female players were a big inspiration growing up. I would say my dad was who encouraged me to get involved with lacrosse.

L.B.: Why did you decide to play at Wellesley?

M.L.: I knew I wanted to play lacrosse in college since I was young. The question is more about why I decided to play sports at Wellesley. I visited the school and fell in love with the environment and the academics. I stayed with the team, so they were my first introduction to Wellesley, and I loved their team chemistry and atmosphere.

L.B.: Did you play any other sports growing up?

M.L.: I played field hockey for as long as I’ve played lacrosse. I actually played field hockey for two years at Wellesley.

L.B.: What is the best part about playing attack?

M.L.: Attack is a position where you get to be really creative, which is why I like it. I think that a lot of it is reactionary. Depending on who is defending you or what defense you are up against, it can alter your strategy for the game, which I find very exciting.

L.B.: Besides at Wellesley, where is your favorite

place to play a lacrosse game?

M.L.: In high school, we played in the state finals at

a stadium in Worcester, MA. I forget the name of the

stadium though.

L.B.: Do you have any pre-game rituals?

M.L.: Yes! I like to get a pre-game back crack.

L.B.: What are some of your personal and team goals for the rest of this season?

M.L.: I think that our team goal is to get better every day. If we do that, we will be really successful this season. I would say that my personal goal is to also get better every day to help the team get better.

L.B.: What is the hardest part about being a student-athlete?

M.L.: The time commitment. For example, away games during the week like for the game last Wednesday, we had to leave at 1:30 and we got back at 9:30. That is mentally and physically exhausting and takes a lot of time out of your day.

L.B.: Is your training any different this season than it was last season? If so, how?

M.L.: I was abroad in the fall [in Dublin, Ireland], so I came back and we have a new coach and seven new first years. It’s a slightly different team dynamic and a new system. I don’t think I have personally changed very much, but our team values have changed.

L.B.: Who is your favorite professional athlete?

M.L.: My favorite professional athlete is Vince Wilfork. He plays for Houston now, but he was my favorite when he played for the Patriots. Wellesley Lacrosse will face Regis College at home on Wednesday, March 16 at 4 p.m.

Photo courtesy of Alex Berman Photography

McDonald’s:

McDonald’s offers a leaf lettuce salad with diced apples, grape tomatoes and chili tortilla lime chips on the side. In terms of dressings, one can choose between the cilantro lime glaze and Newman’s Own low-fat balsamic vinaigrette to top off the yummy, vegan salad. For a drink, one can order iced tea, lemonade, drip coffee or orange juice to complete the meal.

Chipotle:

Chipotle prides itself in catering to the needs of a diverse customer base which includes vegans. Chipotle offers a vegan burrito option made  up of a soft or crispy corn tortilla, white or brown cilantro-lime rice, black and pinto beans, fajita vegetables, salsa and romaine lettuce. But have no fear! Chipotle’s famous guacamole is also vegan, so one can get a filling, well-rounded meal at Chipotle without the risk of consuming gelatin, dairy or meat.

Subway:

Like Chipotle, Subway is proud of the fact that it can cater to the dietary needs of a wide range of customers, including vegans. Subway’s vegan bread choices include 9-grain wheat, ciabatta, hearty Italian, honey oat, Italian (white), roasted garlic and sourdough. One can choose to add avocado, banana peppers, cucumbers, falafel, green peppers, lettuce, onions, olives, pickles or tomatoes. Finally, the vegan-friendly condiments include deli brown mustard, fat free sweet onion, red wine vinegar and yellow mustard. If you are craving something sweet to finish off your meal, go ahead and splurge on raisins, apple slices or Baked Lays to treat yourself without risking the exposure to dairy, meat or eggs.

Chick-Fil-A:

Chick-Fil-A does not sound like the ideal place for a vegan to find a quality meal, but it is  still possible to eat there and get a well-balanced vegan meal. One can order a salad without cheese and add black bean relish, broccoli florets, strawberry slices, grape tomatoes, harvest nut granola, honey roasted sunflower kernels, red and green apple pieces and shredded carrots. After, one can choose between light Italian dressing and reduced fat raspberry vinaigrette dressing to have a delicious and substantial meal.

Panera Bread:

Panera Bread offers a wide range of delicious vegan options that will satisfy anyone at any time of day. For breakfast, one can have an everything or blueberry bagel and a cup of coffee to start the day off right. For a snack, one can choose between a French baguette side portion and a fruit cup to ensure a good source of energy without the risk of consuming dairy. For lunch or dinner, one can choose between the Mediterranean Vegetarian Sandwich without cheese and the Soba Noodle Bowl with edamame.

Although it may not always seem easy to eat out at fast-food restaurants as a vegan, it is definitely possible and the options are fabulous.

Photo courtesy of spicytasty.com

After narrowly defeating the New York Knicks 105-104 on Friday night at TD Garden, the Celtics were not able to sustain their momentum through Saturday night’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. For both games, Isaiah Thomas led the team in scoring with 32 points and eight assists on Friday and 27 points on Saturday. Meanwhile, Celtics center-forward Jared Sullinger dominated the rebounds for the Celtics, getting 11 rebounds on Friday and 13 rebounds on Saturday. Saturday’s loss gives the Celtics a season record of 38-26 and a second place standing in the Atlantic Conference behind the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors have a season record of 41-19, so if the Celtics start a solid winning streak during the next few games, they could take the number one spot from the Raptors and have a good chance at making the playoffs. The Celtics will play the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday, March 9 at TD Garden at 7 p.m.

Boston Bruins (NHL)

After nearly losing their lead from the first period, the Bruins came back and defeated the Florida Panthers 5-4 in the last minute of overtime at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida on Monday. The Bruins had just come off a loss to the Washington Capitols at home where they lost 2-1 in overtime. On Monday, the Bruins opened the first period with three goals in the first 13 minutes of play; one goal each from center Patrice Bergeron, right wing David Pastrnak and right wing Brett Connolly. However, the Panthers were able to rally during the second and third periods to tie the game 4-4 at the end of regular play. When it appeared that the game would end in a tie with just over a minute left in overtime, the new Bruins right wing Lee Stempniak scored the winning goal to secure the Bruins’ win. Stempniak only joined the Bruins on Feb. 29 when he was acquired from the New Jersey Devils. The Bruins’ victory over the Panthers increased their divisional ranking from third place to tied for second place with the Panthers and just behind the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bruins will play the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday, March 8 at Tampa Bay at 7:30 p.m. and will play the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday, March 10 at TD Garden at 7 p.m.

New England Revolution (MLS)

The Revolution opened its season with a 3-3 tie against the Houston Dynamo at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston on Sunday. Revolution forward Diego Fagundez scored the first goal for the Revolution a few minutes after kickoff, giving the Revolution a burst of confidence for the first game of the season. Though Fagundez’s goal made for an optimistic start for Revolution fans, the Revolution defense ultimately ruined the Revolution’s chance for a win just before halftime when the Revolution defense allowed for Dynamo midfielder Cristian Maidana to score. The second half resulted in two goals for each team with the teams alternating goals. Revolution forward Charlie Davies and midfielder Daigo Kobayashi scored the goals to keep the game at a tie. The Revolution player of the game was without a doubt Fagundez, who scored one goal and assisted the other two. The Revolution will play D.C. United on Saturday, March 12 at Gillette Stadium at 3 p.m.

Photo courtesy of sports.yahoo.com

Abena Asare ’18 had a rookie season last year that has already made her one of the most decorated Blue Track and Field athletes in history. She was named the 2015 NEWMAC Rookie of the Year and holds school records in the indoor and outdoor long jump, the indoor high jump and the indoor and outdoor triple jump. Her best long jump so far this season has been 5.79m, which is just under 19 feet. Last year, Asare was 9th in the long jump at NCAA Nationals and she is currently ranked 6th this year in the Division III national ranking. Along with long jump, triple jump and high jump, Asare also runs sprints and takes part in sprinting relays. Asare hails from Berlin, NJ where she grew up playing several sports, but ultimately deciding that track was what suited her best. Wellesley News spoke with Asare to discuss her goals for the remainder of the indoor track season and what she has done differently to improve on her already impressive jumping record.

Laura Brindley ’16 (L.B.): Who or what inspired you to do track?

Abena Asare ’18 (A.A.): Probably my dad. He was the one who pushed me to do track. I have done track since I was 8 years old. He did track in high school and elementary school and he is a person who I look up to and he is always at meets cheering me on.

L.B.: Why did you decide to do track at Wellesley?

A.A.: At first I was not too sure about doing track, but I would say that after talking to Coach Meg [LaBella] and Coach Phil [Jennings] who seemed very positive about the track team here at Wellesley and said that it would be a great experience. When I came to Spring Open Campus and met the team, I felt a close bond with the team. I felt that track was something that I always loved to do and I felt that being able to do it at Wellesley was a great opportunity. It was not something that would take away from my academics since Wellesley is DIII.

L.B.: Did you do any other sports growing up?

A.A.: I did cheerleading, soccer and basketball for a year. Track was definitely the sport that stuck with me. I danced for a little bit too.

L.B.: What is your favorite workout to do at practice?

A.A.: I would say our jump days. There are certain days when we really focus on technique. Coach Meg will get out the high jump mats to perfect our landing technique and technique in the air. Those workouts have helped me focus on techniques that I would not necessarily focus on all the time.

L.B.: What are some of your personal goals for the rest of indoor and going into outdoor?

A.A.: Right now I am ranked 6th in DIII, so I hope to go to Nationals. We are going into ECACs this coming week, so I am hoping to jump really well there. If I don’t beat my personal best, I hope to jump really well. Going into outdoor, I would like to win DIIIs again for outdoor. I would like to win the All-New England title and eventually go to Outdoor Nationals in that too.

L.B.: Have you done anything differently this year in terms of training than you did last year?

A.A.: This year, we focused on speed more in the beginning. Last year, I was injured with a sprained ankle, so I guess that was a factor. This year I have been running the 60m more, so the speed is what translated into my better jumps this year. It showed last year in outdoors and this year we are just starting earlier.

L.B.: What is the hardest thing about long jump, triple jump and high jump?

A.A.: The hardest thing is resetting yourself after every jump. It is an event that is very mental in the fact that if you mess up the first jump, then you psych yourself out for your next jumps, so you need to not focus on your previous jump and just focus on the jumps ahead of you. That is something that I have been able to fix over the past couple years. You have to focus on the jump ahead of you and not focus on the jump behind you.

L.B.: Do you have any pre-meet rituals?

A.A.: I just take time to focus. On the bus, I put my headphones in and kind of zone people out. During the meet, I just focus on what I have to do and think ahead about what my goals are for the meet and go after them.

L.B.: Who is your favorite professional athlete?

A.A.: I would say Sanya Richards-Ross who is a track runner. I have been obsessed with her as long as I can remember. She’s a great athlete and role model for women. She is passionate about what she does and she is also passionate about getting children to stay active, which is also what I am passionate about. I have stalked her at Penn Relays and online. She tweeted at me once in middle school!

L.B.: What is one word of advice you would give to someone hoping to improve in sprinting or jumping?

A.A.: I would say that you need to focus. You can do anything you set your mind to. Nothing comes easy. It all comes down to training and what you do in practice. Practice is the time to improve. If you want to see results, you have to put in the work early on!

Photo courtesy of Frank Poulin Photography

Despite having suffered a heartbreaking loss to the Utah Jazz 93-111 on Friday, the Celtics played with more heart and confidence on Sunday that led to a win against the Denver Nuggets.  The Celtics defeated the Nuggets 121-101 at Pepsi Center in Denver. Like Friday’s game against the Jazz, Celtics guard Isaiah Thomas was the star scorer of the game, leading the team with 22 points and 12 assists. The Celtics started the game determined to win and never let that goal out of sight. At halftime, the Celtics led 64-49, which gave them the confidence they needed to pull off a 20 point win against the Nuggets, who were ranked fourth in the Northwest Division with a season record of 22-33. The confidence from Sunday’s win was not quite strong enough to defeat the Minnesota Timberwolves, who barely defeated the Celtics 124-122 on Monday. The Celtics had a sleepy first quarter, trailing the Timberwolves 23-31, but they managed to pull themselves together and get within arms’ reach of a victory. The Celtics leading scorer against the Timberwolves was small forward Jae Crowder, who led the team with 27 points and three assists. Though the Celtics lost to a team with a losing record this season, this loss did not affect their conference or division standing. The Celtics are still ranked second in the Atlantic Division behind the Toronto Raptors with a 33-25 record. The Celtics will play the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at TD Garden.

Boston Bruins (NHL)

The Bruins defeated the Dallas Stars 7-3 on Saturday at American Airlines Arena in Dallas, which capped off the Bruins’ two weeks of away games in which they won four out of the six games they played. The Bruins leading scorer on Saturday was left wing Brad Marchand, who scored two goals and made one assist. Marchand is currently ranked fourth in the NHL in number of goals scored this season, making him one of the most valuable players on the team. This game also showed the importance of a goalie’s perseverance; the Bruins were down 3-1 at the end of the first period, but Bruins goalie Tuukka Rask went on to save 26 goals throughout the rest of the game. On Monday, the Bruins played the Columbus Blue Jackets at TD Garden, but the first home game in weeks did not prove to be helpful for the Bruins’ season record. The Bruins lost to the Blue Jackets 4-6, due in part to a defense that was not up to par with the Blue Jackets’ offense, as Bruins Head Coach Claude Julien described in a post-game interview. After their loss to the Blue Jackets, the Bruins are ranked third in the Atlantic Division behind the Florida Panthers and the Tampa Bay Lightning with a record of 32-22. The Bruins will play the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at TD Garden.

Photo courtesy of Pressherald.com

Although it is exciting to watch the greatest players in the NBA score copious amounts of points, one could argue that constant scoring can take the thrill of scoring away from the game if it happens too often. This year’s record high of 369 points easily overtook last year’s record of 321 total points scored, which overtook 2014’s record of 318 points. The past three years have each set the bar higher for the following year, and it appears each All-Star team has a goal to encapsulate the previous year’s record. As young athletes, many were told by coaches “points win games, but defense wins championships.” In the NBA All-Star Game, however, this assertion does not show to be true, as both teams scored insanely high amounts of points, and defense was a mere footnote in the game’s highlights.

In order to have an exciting game of basketball, a few interceptions and defensive fouls are necessary to keep the audience on the edge of their seats and keep the game close enough that either team could take a lead at any moment. Unlike football and soccer, where it can be evident who will win the game early on, basketball is known for its quick turnarounds and emphasis on defense and plays. Of course, the team that scores the most is the more successful team during that particular game, but watching players simply alternate who scores baskets makes the excitement of a regular basketball game diminish and mainly profiles the accomplishments of players that would appear to be “ball hogs.”

Hopefully, next year’s NBA All-Star game will be a more exciting game of basketball with more defensive plays and less emphasis on slamming the ball into the basket as quickly and frequently as possible.

Photo courtesy of CBS Sports

Laura Brindley  ’16 (L.B.): Who or what inspired you to play squash?

Gabriella Wynne ’16 (G.W.): I got into squash when I started playing with my dad late in elementary school. My high school did not have a team, so I played by myself or with my family. It really bonded us!

L.B.: What made you want to play squash at Wellesley?

G.W.: I knew I wanted to continue playing in college to have a routine and a built-in workout. Playing sports has always helped me manage my time better. As a prospie though, what ultimately sold me was how tight-knit the team was!

L.B.: Describe a normal day at practice.

G.W.: Normally, we start with a team chat to talk about our most recent matches or to discuss the focus of the practice. We then do a team body warm up and break out into groups of three per court to do some basic warm up and shot specific drills.

L.B.: Has your team done anything different this year than in previous years in terms of training or competition?

G.W.: Over the past few years, we have been focusing more on fitness. Our strength training coaches have been supporting us by creating extra conditioning workouts and tailoring our lift sessions for squash. We really appreciate it!

L.B.: What has been the highlight of your Blue Squash career?

G.W.: Winning Seven Sisters in 2014 was definitely a highlight for me. Wellesley had not won the tournament in 12 years and fighting for that trophy was a major success for the team. It was great to see all of our hard work pay off.

L.B.: As captain, do you have any extra responsibilities? What are they?

G.W.: As a captain, I mostly communicate between my coaches and teammates. I am here to listen to and support [my teammates] in any way I can so that we can get better results on and off the court and have a good team dynamic. It takes a lot of work and responsibility, but it is worth it when I see how far the team has come and how much my teammates have improved.

L.B.: Do you think you will continue to play squash after you graduate?

G.W.: Yes, definitely. I don’t know whether I will be able to play as often due to court availability, but ideally I would love to continue playing as regularly as possible.

L.B.: If you could play another sport at Wellesley, what would it be and why?

G.W.: I would probably play soccer. My mom’s family is from Brazil, so it’s in my blood and I played when I was younger.

L.B.: Who is your favorite professional athlete?

G.W.: I love watching Ramy Ashour play squash because his matches are always entertaining. He plays some great trick shots and always puts on a show.

L.B.: What is one word of advice you would give to an aspiring Blue Squash athlete?

G.W.: Balancing life as a student-athlete at Wellesley is challenging, so I would say persevere, and don’t be afraid to ask for support from your fellow teammates, coaches and even professors. There are moments when the commitment is a bit overwhelming, but ultimately it’s worth it for all the great experiences you will have!

Blue Squash will compete this Friday through Sunday at Yale at the College Squash Association Women’s Team Championship.

Photo courtesy of Miles Wells