St. Mary's midfielder Natalie Miller never expected to be recruited to play defense for Maryland's women's lacrosse team.

“I was confused more than anything else, because I've played midfield all my life and I'm going to play ‘D,' which will be different,” said the senior, adding that it took only a split-second to realize she easily could handle the position switch if it meant a chance to play for the two-time defending national champions.

Glenelg midfielder Julia Salandra also is headed to Maryland, and although she said she wasn't recruited for a specific position, she, too, is prepared to play anywhere.

“I think it definitely could be a possibility that I would play defense,” Salandra said. “I'd be fine with it. When you get there, they figure out where you fit in best with the other players there. … My sister [Taylor Salandra] went to Maryland, and she was playing defense in high school and ended up playing attack. Being a midfielder, you play attack and defense, so it's not like that's a scary thought.”

Like Miller and Salandra, many of the top midfielders in girls lacrosse have to be prepared to play attack, midfield or defense in college. High school coaches usually put their best players in the midfield because they have the speed, skill and stamina to play on both ends. College coaches often look there for players with the potential to stand out at one end of the field or the other.

Towson University coach Sonia LaMonica said she has become more focused on midfielders, and that most coaches look for more and more of them in their recruiting because of the athleticism and speed they can bring to every position.

“These are the players that give you an athletic edge,” she said. “Attackers need to be able to ride hard. Defenders need to be able to run the ball and clear the ball efficiently. And at our level, it's hard to do that if you don't have good foot speed, good stick skills. Midfielders tend to have that package. They're players who bring another edge to their game.”

Maryland coach Cathy Reese said she looks for the best fit, regardless of a recruit's position. About half of her starters are playing positions different from what they did in high school.

“Sometimes you see a player in the midfield and you think, ‘She's going to be a defender for us,'?” Reese said. “But it kind of happens both ways. Sometimes middies find a home on offense or defense. Sometimes you have top-of-the-line attackers or defenders. The top players, they'll go anywhere you need them.”

Like Reese and LaMonica, most college coaches try to recruit the best athletes and put them in the best positions to excel, even if it's not the one they've always played. Three of Maryland's starting defenders — Alice Mercer (Century), Morgan Torggler (Severna Park) and Nadine Hadnagy — played midfield in high school.

Mercer, an All-America defender at Maryland, is a prime example of how versatility is critical for high school players aiming to play top-level college lacrosse.

She led Century with 67 goals as a senior but was more comfortable on defense, which she played for her club team. However, she said, the experience at midfield helped her game.

“A lot of it has to do with having the ball in your stick and carrying the ball,” Mercer said. “On defense, the only time you have the ball in your stick for a long period of time is when you're clearing the ball, which is usually just a straight shot up the field where you're not dodging and your stick skills aren't tested. But I think that it's good to have those skills, because if you do cross the [restraining line] and you have a double team on you, you're capable of running out of it because your stick skills are sharp.”

As the game has evolved, the players have become bigger, stronger and faster, and many high school players feel as Mercer does. Having more skills enhances their stock with college coaches.

“I think we know it all,” Salandra said. “We get a little bit of defense and a little bit of attack and we have to run the whole field. We play both positions and we're very versatile. We might not be as good at attack or as good at defense as anyone who plays there full time, but we can hold our ground and we have the foundation to become just as good.”

Catonsville's Andrea McTaggart, also headed to Maryland, said she thinks she, too, is likely to play defense for the Terps.

“I'm very excited about it, because even though I've played midfield my whole life, I think I'm a more defensive-minded person and I think it's fun to lock people down. I'm hoping it will give me more of a chance to play, because Maryland does recruit a lot of midfielders, but there's a lot of great talent at Maryland and I don't come in with any expectations.”

St. Mary's coach Kelly (Kasper) Carter, a Century graduate and former All-America midfielder at Maryland, said she tells her players to hone their skills and their instincts so that they can play more than one position.

“You tell them to be dynamic and be able to do both, so you have a better chance in college to play right away,” Carter said. “If you go in and say, ‘I'm a low attacker and I just play behind the crease,' you're going to be up against five other people. If you're a midfielder, you can be placed anywhere and you still can excel at that position. I think the ones who really want to play for you will eat that up. They'll play wherever you want them to.”

katherine.dunn@baltsun.com

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