Senior Ellie Hilling earned first team all-region accolades Tuesday from the IWLCA.

Five Earn IWLCA West/Mid-West All-Region Accolades

May 7, 2013

NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Five University of Notre Dame women’s lacrosse student-athletes have earned IWLCA West/Mid-West All-Region accolades, including three first teamers, the organization announced Tuesday.

Senior Ellie Hilling, junior Margaret Smith and sophomore Barbara Sullivan all received first team scrolls, while senior Jenny Granger and freshman Stephanie Peragallo garnered second team accolades. Sixteen student-athletes were selected to each team, so Notre Dame represented almost 19 percent of the first team and almost 16 percent of both teams.

The five selections marks the eighth straight year the Irish have brought home at least five all-region performers. The first team accolades are the second for Smith and Sullivan and the first for Hilling. Granger and Peragallo are also being recognized for the first time.

Granger, Hilling, Smith and Sullivan earned first team all-BIG EAST accolades last Wednesday night.

The IWLCA honored 128 student-athletes in Division I with a selection on one of the all-region teams for 2013. These athletes are now eligible for inclusion on the IWLCA All-America teams, which will be announced May 17. The IWLCA will honor the All-Americans at the IWLCA All-America banquet May 25 at the Radisson Hotel Valley Forge in King of Prussia, Pa.

With the addition of these five, Notre Dame now has 63 all-region performers all-time, including 36 first team standouts.

Granger turned in an impressive senior campaign as the co-captain started all 16 games and led the Irish in goals (31) and assists (22). She had 10 games with two or more goals, including a streak of nine games in a row from March 2 to April 12. Her season high came when she scored five times and totaled seven points in a thrilling 16-15 double overtime win at Louisville. Granger also had six games with two or more assists, including a season-high four in a 14-5 win over Marquette. She earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll once (March 25) after scoring four goals and dishing out three assists in wins over Rutgers and Villanova.

The East Setauket, N.Y., native sits tied for fourth in the BIG EAST in assists per game (1.38), sixth in points per game (3.31) and 10th in goals a game (1.94).

Hilling had a spectacular senior season between the pipes, starting all 16 games, as she secured her place in the Irish record books by taking over first in school goalie history for minutes played (4,091:58), games played (70), games won (44) and saves (522). She also sits second in goals-against average (9.79) and seventh in save percentage (.439).

The Rochester, N.Y., product had 12 games with six or more saves, including nine games with double-digit totals. She also had eight games with two or more ground balls, including six in a win over Georgetown, tying her career high. Hilling earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll twice (March 25, April 15) – once after 20 saves and seven ground balls in wins over Rutgers and Villanova and again after 24 saves and eight ground balls in a 1-1 week against Loyola and Georgetown.

Smith turned in another productive all-around year after a third team All-American campaign just a year ago as she registered 14 goals, 35 ground balls, 35 caused draw controls and 33 caused turnovers, while starting all 16 games. She is first in caused turnovers, second in draw controls, third in ground balls and tied for sixth in goals on the team. Smith also places first in the BIG EAST and eighth nationally in caused turnovers per game (2.06).

The Westminster, Md., had a goal in nine games, including a season-high four goals in a 13-8 win over Ohio State. She also recorded two or more ground balls in 11 games, two or more draw controls in nine games and two or more caused turnovers in nine games.

Smith earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Week accolades March 4 after scoring six goals, collecting five ground balls and six draw controls and causing eight turnovers in wins over Ohio State and Duquesne. The co-captain also earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll after collecting eight ground balls and causing nine turnovers in a 1-1 week against Northwestern and Marquette.

Despite earning first team all-region and second team all-BIG EAST honors a year ago, Sullivan is considered by many to have had a breakout campaign in her second year in the Irish blue and gold. Not only did she lead the Irish in ground balls (49) and draw controls (62) and finish second in caused turnovers (32), but she also led the BIG EAST in ground balls per game (3.06), was second in caused turnovers per game (2.00) and third in draw controls per game (3.88). Nationally, Sullivan was seventh in ground balls per game, ninth in caused turnovers per game and 23rd in draw controls per game.

Sullivan started all 16 games and had two or more ground balls in 14 games, two or more draw controls in 12 games and two or more caused turnovers in 10 or more games. She tied the school record with nine draw controls in a 12-11 win at Vanderbilt and had a remarkable six or more draw controls in six games. The Garden City, N.Y., native also came within two each of tying the school record for most ground balls and most caused turnovers in a game.

The Tewaaraton Trophy nominee earned a spot on the BIG EAST’s Weekly Honor Roll three times this season – once after 12 ground balls, two draw controls and seven caused turnovers in wins over Detroit and Boston, another time after five ground balls and nine draw controls in a win over Vanderbilt and finally after seven ground balls, 10 draw controls and seven caused turnovers in victories over Louisville and Cincinnati.

Sullivan also chipped in the first two goals and assists of her career and broke the school record for draw controls in a season with 62. She also sits in a tie for eighth in school history with 32 caused turnovers.

Peragallo hit the ground running in her first year with the Irish, starting all 16 games at defense and providing a powerful one-two punch with Sullivan as the last line of defense.

The Hauppauge, N.Y., native sits second on the team in ground balls (37) and third on the team in caused turnovers (31). Her caused turnover numbers also place her third in the BIG EAST and 13th nationally in caused turnovers per game (1.94). Peragallo has 11 games with two or more ground balls and 10 games with two or more caused turnovers.

Notre Dame (12-4) opens NCAA Championship play at 8 p.m. (ET) Friday when it meets Stanford (13-5) in the first round at Northwestern’s Lakeside Field in Evanston, Ill., with the winner playing the host Wildcats at 2 p.m. (ET) Sunday.

Fans can follow the matchup with the Cardinal through game tracker and live video stream. The stream is free of charge and will be broadcast through the Northwestern website with student commentators. Links for both can be found on UND.com.

Facebook (Facebook.com/NDWLAX) and Twitter (@NDWomensLax) updates will also be available throughout the game.

West/Mid-West Region

First Team

Bridget Bianco, Northwestern, So., G

Nikki Boltja, Louisville, Jr., A

Erin Fitzgerald, Northwestern, Sr., A

Gabby Flibotte, Northwestern, Sr., D

Katie Guy, Penn State, Sr., D

Kate Henrich, Denver, Sr., D

Ellie Hilling, Notre Dame, Sr., G

Amanda Johansen, USC, Fr., M

Amanda Kidder, Duquesne, So., M

Kelly Lechner, Penn State, So., M

Maggie McCormick, Penn State, So., A

Jill Remenapp, Denver, So., A

Maggie Smith, Notre Dame, Jr., M

Barb Sullivan, Notre Dame, So., D

Megan Takacs, California, Sr., A

Taylor Thornton, Northwestern, Sr., M

Second Team

Jackie Cifarelli, Ohio State, So., A

Elizabeth Datino, UC Davis, Sr., A

Jenny Granger, Notre Dame, Sr., A

Hannah Hook, Denver, So., G

Anna Kim, Stanford, Jr., M

Taylor Kuzma, Ohio State, Jr., D

Alyssa Leonard, Northwestern, Jr., A

Morgan Leonard, Canisius, Sr., M

Cary Linthicum, Vanderbilt, Sr., A

Jenna Mosketti, Penn State, Fr., M

Monica Negron, Louisville, Jr., D

Rachel Ozer, Stanford, Jr., A

Stephanie Peragallo, Notre Dame, Fr., D

Tori Quinn, Canisius, So., A

Kara Secora, Denver, Sr., A

Courtney Tarleton, USC, Fr., D

–ND–