Demorest, GA - One year after coming within seconds of claiming the USA South Championship Tournament title to go with a regular season crown already earned, Head Coach Emily Jacquette knows her team is eager to get back on the field and complete a journey started two years ago with the debut of Lady Lion lacrosse. 

"We're excited to be back, 2014 set a very solid foundation for our program and where we want to go," said Jacquette of her team's impressive spring from a year ago. "And we feel like 2015 with the challenging schedule that we have this year and a great group of freshmen, it's going to be an exciting year.  We're working on fundamentals, working on formulating our strategy for the new year, but we're just excited to be back."

If the 2014 season is the foundation, then the bar will be high for the 2015 squad as last year's team earned a 14-3 overall record going a perfect 8-0 in USA South action during the regular season.  However, the year ended in heartbreak for the Lady Lions as an overtime win by Meredith in the USA South title game denied PC a tournament championship and a spot in the NCAA National Tournament in just the program's second year of existence. 

The 2014 USA South Championship game has set the stage, however, for what is becoming a budding rivalry not only in the league but in the region as well as the Avenging Angels of Meredith come to Walker Athletic Complex on March 21 for a 12:00 pm contest.  

"I have a lot of respect for the Meredith program, they started the same year we did, and I think what both of our programs have been able to demonstrate is that age does not define ability," said Jacquette looking ahead to the March 21 showdown. "For both of us, we've been competing with young teams.  But, what that has done for us is attracted a lot of attention to our conference, and both of our teams respect each other, each team wants to win...it will definitely be a good one."

There will be some new pieces yet to experience the rivalry coming in this season as Coach Jacquette brought in her third recruiting class in her tenure at Piedmont including a midfielder and two players both on the defensive and attacking fronts.  Though plenty of veterans return for Jacquette in 2015 including the triple threat of KAYLA JONES, MCKYNSEY DOUGLAS, and ALEXIS NARDUCCI in the attack, the Piedmont Head Coach knows her team will benefit from the new additions this spring.

"We have some great athletes in our freshmen class," said Jacquette of the new Lady Lions in 2015. "We've added Francesca (Malabad) on the defensive end, Caitlin (O'Brien) on the offensive end, ASHLEY BRUNNER will be running some midfield for us.  They're just athletic, hungry to learn the game.  They want to contribute to the success we've had, but also be a part of the future as well."

The youth coming in won't necessarily have to shoulder a large load as Piedmont returns its top three goalscorers with last season's USA South Rookie of the Year (KAYLA JONES) included in that group.  Jones scored an outrageous 44 to tie with Narducci in that column, but neither were the top scorer as Douglas topped the charts with her 61 in 2014, a single-season best for PC's newest program.

"I've really challenged them this year to teach the girls that are younger than them joining the unit, to be the example, but also to set the bar higher for themselves.  How can we get better this year, continue to capitalize on those strengths that we have on the offensive end.

"That unit is intact, they are a force to be reckoned with, and they are excited about building off of what they were able to start last year."

Though all three of the deadly combination can score, Jones' ability to set up her teammates is something that Jacquette has pointed to as a focus for the beginning of 2015.  

"Having their ability not only to score, but to set each other up to score, that's equally important to us.  Not only to score but to assist as well, and that's really something that we've focused on to start this year."

Jones is one of the returning leaders in assists on this year's version with 36 helpers in 2014 as she was 3rd in that category amongst all USA South players a year ago. The leader in that column in the USA South - none other than returning midfielder MAGGIE MCDANIEL for PC.  

McDaniel is one of the two top contributors returning in midfield for Piedmont that Jacquette spoke of when asked about the group as the coach also referenced junior CAHNER MANNS as big keys not only on the offensive end, but also in stopping the opposition as well.

"That's the model that we have for our midfielders, to be the all-around players that can statistically set us up to score, but also keep the balls out of our own cage at our defensive end," said Jacquette.  "They're (McDaniel & Manns) two 1st team All-Conference performers that are probably the most self-less players on our team.  They want to make everybody else look good, and we are just really fortunate and excited to have them."

Though the excitement around a team mostly intact from a year ago that scored nearly 18 goals per game is to be expected, Jacquette kept it simple when asked about Hendrix in the season opener.  

"We want to make sure that we possess the ball, maintain possession, and are able to put the ball in the cage.  We want to work on our fundamentals, be sound in our catching and throwing, and how we communicate and work together.  That's all we're focused on right now, doing the little things well, that will set the stage for the 2015 season."

Live coverage of the Friday afternoon season opener vs. Hendrix will be carried on the Mane Event Broadcasting Network with video and live stats available for all home Lady Lion lacrosse contests this season. The contest vs. the visiting Warriors is set to start at 2:00 pm ET moved up from an original 4:00 pm start due to the winter weather rolling through the Peach State. 

For more information on the Piedmont women's lacrosse program, follow Piedmont on Twitter (@PiedmontWLAX or @PiedmontLions), like the Lions on Facebook (facebook.com/PiedmontCollegeLions), or sign up for the Lions' Roar text-messaging score & news alerts through the "All-Access" pulldown menu on the main page at PiedmontLions.com.