Cassie Diplock is scoring less this season and enjoying it more.

The Cony High School graduate and St. Joseph’s College junior scored 58 goals for the women’s lacrosse team last season and is already third on the Monks’ all-time scoring list. But she’s more concerned with team play and winning games than her own statistics.

Additional Photos

LOOKING FOR MORE: Cony graduate Cassie Diplock scored her 100th career goal recently for St. Joseph’s College and now has 104. Contributed photo

CASSIE DIPLOCK

“I’m only aware (of them) because my dad tells me,” she said.

So far this season, Diplock has 20 goals and four assists. The Monks have a new coach in Amanda Cahoon, who has put a special emphasis on team play.

“It’s completely different,” Diplock said. “She has higher expectations of us, but I like the way she does things. I don’t think it’s affected me, I just had to learn to play a different way. She’s stressing we win and lose as a team.”

The Monks were 4-3 heading into Tuesday night’s game against the University of Maine at Farmington. They’ve taken their lumps against a couple of non-conference opponents, including a 21-3 loss to Bates.

“When we played Bates, it was definitely a challenge,” said Diplock, who scored all three of her team’s goals. “But we learned a lot, too. We need to keep our heads up, win or lose.”

Cahoon had never seen Diplock play before she became head coach and didn’t really get a sense of her ability during indoor practice. In fact, she didn’t see her in action until the team’s first game.

“I was pleasantly surprised,” Cahoon said. “She definitely has . . . a passion for the game. She is hungry for the goal.”

Diplock is quick, strong and decisive, skills she developed in four years of high school lacrosse and honed in college. She said she’s become more of a team player in college because the level of play is so much higher. She already has more assists than she did a year ago and Cahoon added Diplock has immersed herself in the team concept.

“She’s become a huge team player,” Cahoon said. “She’s working hard at midfield and getting back on defense.”

Diplock excelled in soccer in high school and played it her freshman year at St. Joe’s, but lacrosse is her first love. She’s fairly ambidextrous and protects the ball well, but Cahoon said her greatest attribute as a scorer is her confidence.

“I don’t get psyched out very much by pressure,” Diplock said. “That’s my favorite time to play.”

Diplock was listed on the Great Northeast Athletic Conference weekly honor roll this week for the second consecutive week after scoring six goals in two games. She leads the team in game-winners with three but also has tallied 13 ground balls, caused eight turnovers and gained four draw controls. When it comes time to score, though, she usually comes through. She works well with teammate Macy Pagurko, another junior and Cony graduate who has 12 goals and four assists so far.

“The two of them tend to run things on attack,” Cahoon said. “They are the ones that are hungry for the goals.”

Diplock became the third St. Joe’s player to record 100 career goals during the Bates contest and now has 104, trailing Alyssa Marchant (203) and Lauren Hagerman (130).

An exercise science major, Diplock hopes to get into physical therapy or athletic training following graduation. With an undergraduate enrollment just over 1,000 students, the school on the shores of Sebago Lake has been a great fit for Diplock.

“The school atmosphere is awesome,” she said. “It’s small and so family-like.”

Gary Hawkins — 621-5638

ghawkins@centralmaine.com

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