Superlative Seniors

Women’s lacrosse earns top seed at nationals: checking in with Maggie Von Massenhausen ’17 and Claire Smoker ’17.

Superlative Seniors
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Superlative Seniors

Women’s lacrosse earns top seed at nationals: checking in with Maggie Von Massenhausen ’17 and Claire Smoker ’17.

Before Maggie von Massenhausen ’17 (left) came to SCU, she had never played a day of lacrosse. Soccer was her game. The transition—to goalie, no less—was brutal. “After my first tournament, my legs were just covered in bruises,” she says. “I wasn’t moving my hands.” She got better and eventually, great. A talented senior class that included Claire Smoker ’17 (right) led SCU to a 12–2 regular season and a second seed in the US Lacrosse WCLA playoffs. After winning the opening match 15–4 over Texas A&M, Santa Clara dropped three heartbreakers by a total of three goals. The Broncos finished eighth, with Smoker earning a spot on the 2017 WCLA Division I All-Tournament. Both win special spots in hearts at the Alumni Association, where mothers Maria von Massenhausen ’87 and Mary Modeste Smoker ’81 work.

Maria and Maggie Von Massenhausen with Claire and Mary Smoker

Maggie and Claire with their mothers, Maria von Massenhausen ’87 (far left) and Mary Modeste Smoker ’81 (far right) of the Alumni Association. Photo by Charles Barry

post-image Senior lacrosse players Maggie von Massenhausen ’17 (left) and Claire Smoker (right). Photo by Charles Barry

Before Maggie von Massenhausen ’17 (left) came to SCU, she had never played a day of lacrosse. Soccer was her game. The transition—to goalie, no less—was brutal. “After my first tournament, my legs were just covered in bruises,” she says. “I wasn’t moving my hands.” She got better and eventually, great. A talented senior class that included Claire Smoker ’17 (right) led SCU to a 12–2 regular season and a second seed in the US Lacrosse WCLA playoffs. After winning the opening match 15–4 over Texas A&M, Santa Clara dropped three heartbreakers by a total of three goals. The Broncos finished eighth, with Smoker earning a spot on the 2017 WCLA Division I All-Tournament. Both win special spots in hearts at the Alumni Association, where mothers Maria von Massenhausen ’87 and Mary Modeste Smoker ’81 work.

Maria and Maggie Von Massenhausen with Claire and Mary Smoker

Maggie and Claire with their mothers, Maria von Massenhausen ’87 (far left) and Mary Modeste Smoker ’81 (far right) of the Alumni Association. Photo by Charles Barry

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