Brian Tedder/Collegian

For someone who played in just 14 games for the Massachusetts women’s lacrosse team coming into this season, junior attack Julie Pasquantonio is quietly emerging as a weapon off the bench for UMass coach Alexis Venechanos. Pasquantonio is a unique player. She is a hybrid attack that can play on draw units, attack units and defensive units. In lacrosse, there are no “starters;” there are lineups that are used for different situations. According to Venechanos, Pasquantonio is useful at reading the offense from behind the goal. She also has one of the best sticks on the team; Pasquantonio is second on the team to junior attack Kaytlin McCormick (15) in shots-on-goal with 11. Her one assist is not a telling statistic because it is early in the season. Venechanos believes Pasquantonio is one of the team’s best players on the ball. “Certain teams need certain lifts,” Venechanos said of Pasquantonio’s ability to find open teammates on the field. “She moves the ball well and a lot of the things that she does are very important and vital to our team’s success and we’ve been very pleased with her stepping up to that role.” Pasquantonio hasn’t reached the sort of notoriety to make opposing teams plan for her, but this can only help the Minutewomen, as she’s emerged as the fourth scoring threat behind McCormick, senior captain Kathleen Typadis and freshman attack Jackie Lyons. Venechanos knows that Pasquantonio can split defenders and score, especially around the eight-meter line, but more often than not, she will use Pasquantonio to feed or spell the aforementioned attacks during the game.

Pasquantonio coming off the bench is not because she is an inferior player. In terms of need, she is better suited to come off the bench and gain experience while working with different units. The Minutewomen are a young team right now, and one of the biggest issues they’re dealing with is team chemistry. A freshman is seeing significant time at every position and the Maroon and White need time to get everything to click. Venechanos feels that Pasquantonio is more suited for the transition game, as opposed to starting the action. “We think she does well coming out of some transition situations and some set [plays],” Venechanos said. “That’s her strength right now. When she’s in there at attack, we think that we’re pretty dynamic and multi-dimensional.”

Pasquantonio is a physical player who is elusive and quick. She is an important role player on the team and Venechanos is grooming many other players to play such roles as well.

Pasquantonio is a well-rounded player that makes her perfect for the utility role that she plays on the team. She will have to work on cutting down her turnovers, but another person with many turnovers is the team’s leading-scorer, McCormick. Both are intense players who have their share of yellow cards.

Venechanos is an offensive-minded coach and preaches moving the ball around in order to create openings, instead of running over opposing defenders. Pasquantonio is a great player in this style of offense because she is very selfless and will find her teammates instead of attacking the goal. Pasquantonio will put her skills to use today during the team’s first away game against Dartmouth.

Mike Gillmeister can be reached at [email protected].