King’s newfound confidence carries women’s lacrosse
By Greg Dudek
Comment Staff
Freshman midfielder Alex King did not know what she walked into when she joined the Bridgewater State University women’s lacrosse team this spring.
Transferring from Quincy College, King arrived late to the team and said she was nervous how everything would go with a new team in a new setting.
King said she lacked confidence when she first started playing for the Lady Bears, but after some stellar play through the first three weeks of the season, she has nothing but confidence now.
“Coming into this season I was really nervous because I transferred in and didn’t really know anyone,” King said. “My confidence level was really low. I started off and I couldn’t have done it without the team. I just felt so welcomed so I felt comfortable on the field. Once I started scoring, they started feeding to me, and now my confidence level has gotten better and better.”
King has exploded onto the scene for the Lady Bears, as she leads the team in goals with 21.
She has scored in six of Bridgewater State’s seven games, surprising not only herself, but the rest of the team as well.
“I think it is the mentality that she has, she is completely fearless,” said Bridgewater State head coach Holly Drown. “She doesn’t act like a freshman. She doesn’t play like a freshman and that’s what we are looking for this year.”
While King has made the transition from high school to the collegiate game look easy, it was anything but easy for her. She came to Bridgewater State feeling like an outsider, but credits the team for making her feel at home.
The comfort she has with her teammates has moved onto the field, as it is tough to see any lack of confidence in the player who just keeps finding the back of the net.
“Especially being a new player when you come out as a freshman you’re nervous,” said senior midfielder and captain Taylor Clancy. “But you can’t even tell. She might be freaking out in her head, but her performance says otherwise. With every game her confidence is getting better and better.”
King’s collegiate career started off with a bang, as in the opening game of the season on March 4 versus Mount Holyoke College, King netted the game-winner on a free position shot with 19 seconds left in regulation.
The goal to give the Lady Bears their first win of the season was exactly what King needed.
“I was so nervous on the line,” King said. “I probably wasn’t going to take the shot, until there was a timeout so we went off the field and my coach was like, ‘You can do it Alex.’ I was just thinking there is a reason why everything worked out the way it did. So, I’m just going to take the shot and hopefully it will go in. I took it and it went in and that right there was the start to my confidence.”
King continued her strong play with six goals on March 12 in a 15-13 win over Lasell College. She did not stop there, as she followed it up with a five-goal performance in an 18-16 loss to the University of New England.
Recently, King had two goals in a 17-5 win over Salve Regina University on March 20 and against Eastern Connecticut State University on Tuesday, King scored four goals in an 18-8 win.
For her performances, King has already been named Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Rookie of the Week twice this season.
And with the majority of the season still left, the plan isn’t for King to stop here.
“I just think she is going to get better and better,” Drown said. “She wasn’t even going to be playing lacrosse as of fall. Every practice she is getting more confident and getting better. And that is what we are going to need from her in the future.”
King and the rest of the Lady Bears take on the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth on Thursday. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m.
Greg Dudek is The Comment’s Editor-In-Chief. Follow him on Twitter at gdudek10 or email him at gdudek@student.bridgew.edu.
