VanderMeulen has been leading the way, netting a team-high 20 goals thus far.
“She’s fairly relentless—she wants to have the ball,” Miller said. “Division I lacrosse is getting pretty physical, and so she’s been drawing the best defender and she’s getting beaten up pretty significantly every game, and yet she keeps going.”
Sunday’s game against Bryant, despite not affecting the Crimson’s postseason chances, still promises to be intense, as the matchup pits Miller against one of her former players.
Bryant coach Karen Healy played women’s lacrosse for Syracuse University in 2002, when current Harvard coach Miller was coaching at SU.
“I know she’ll get them fired up,” Miller said. “They are making the difficult transition from Division II to Division I, and I think that’s a tough, tough road. But I do think the kids will play hard and they’ll compete.”
Regardless of the opponent, the Crimson knows it’s going to take a team-wide effort to play well this weekend.
“One of the reasons we are where we are, and are in a good position for the rest of the season,” Miller said, “is because of how unselfish this group is.”