VILLANOVA, Pa. – Another fall season has come and gone for Villanova women's lacrosse as four playing dates across September and October are now in the rearview mirror.

"We're really proud of how our team came together this fall — the effort, energy and growth were awesome to see," associate head coach Kelsea Donnelly said. "You can tell these players are hungry and ready to make a statement this spring."

It's a young roster with eight newcomers after graduating two of the top scorers in program history, so the fall was a chance for the refreshed roster to jell.

"Our team changed a lot so we had to learn how to play with new people, figure out strengths and weaknesses and get to know each other a lot more because it was a whole new dynamic," senior Ashlyn Hickey said. "I think the reason our team is so good is because we really do care about each other and play for one another, not just ourselves."

This year, the 'Cats were able to get past some of the groundwork in a quicker fashion, allowing for installation of offensive and defensive systems earlier.

"We're very well technically and tactically prepared whereas in years past we've focused on a lot of skills in the fall," junior Emma Verhoest said. "We nailed those down the first month or so this year, then we've been putting in our systems so that's really prepared us for the season."

The playing slate started with a trip to head coach Jill Batcheller's alma mater of Syracuse where the Wildcats competed against Canisius as well as the Orange.

"Starting our fall ball playing such a high level team like Syracuse was great, none of us were scared which was really cool to see and we tried to show that we can compete at any level," junior Sophia Corretjer said. "Everyone went out and played like ourselves instead of worrying about our opponent."

Villanova's Parents Weekend brought families to the Main Line for an intrasquad scrimmage, which the Wildcats turned into a parent-player long toss competition (won by Hickey and her dad) and sixes action due to both roster constraints and the format's popularity ahead of the LA Olympics.

"That weekend is so important to our whole team," senior Juliet Walls said. "Family is our team's core value and making sure that we're spending a lot of time with our families and showing them how much they mean to us is a priority. It's so nice to make your parents proud but also bring them into what makes you happy every day."

Temple hosted this year's Philly 5 Play Day featuring the Big 5 squads outside of Penn, allowing the 'Cats to get looks at four different programs in a single day.

"Philly 5 is awesome, it's always so good to have competition and a bunch of rivals so close and in our backyard," Walls said. "It pushes us a lot because it's a long day and lets us learn how to push through the hardships of when you're tired. You get to your fourth game of the day and it's difficult but it helps us in the long run for when it's overtime in the spring and you can lean on your teammates like in the fall."

Moorestown High School served as the host for the finale of Villanova's fall ball schedule, squaring off with Cornell, Rutgers and Binghamton in neutral site contests.

"At Moorestown it was pouring rain and the weather was so off and on," junior Rose Christie said. "But most fun was embracing the weather and just having fun, having a positive energy towards it no matter the conditions."

But the biggest moments for the players were not the days competing against opponents, rather the practices spent building camaraderie. 

"My favorite memory from the fall was when we had a few people struggling to pass the run test. One day we were outside and the last one was about to pass, so we all stopped in our tracks and everyone went over to help her finish the last level," Corretjer said. "That goes to show how close we got and how much we want the person next to us to succeed."

All in all, the team looks to turn the dog days of the offseason into fuel for a successful spring season.

"We worked so hard this fall and really have pushed ourselves to what we didn't even know we could get to," Christie said. "Working that hard and pushing our teammates has inspired me that we're all doing this for a reason."

Villanova now gears up for its spring schedule, which will be announced in early December.

"Our fall ball season challenged us against great competition and helped us grow in every area," associate head coach Maddison Lesher-James said. "We've built strong team chemistry and sharpened our skills, now we're ready to carry that momentum into an exciting spring season."