East Coast Fall Showcase Takeaways: High-Ceiling 2029s and 2030s

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>To kick off November, <a href="https://prepgirlslacrosse.com/author/rileykennedy/" data-type="link" data-id="https://prepgirlslacrosse.com/author/rileykennedy/">Riley Kennedy</a> and I traveled north to the Nutmeg State this past weekend for Sound Lacrosse's East Coast Fall Showcase, held Nov. 1 at Greenwich Country Day School in Greenwich, Connecticut. Coaches from some of the nation's best Division I programs were on hand Sunday, leading small-group sessions with athletes from the 2028 through 2031 classes before taking the sideline during games. In this piece, highlighted by a strong Darien contingent, we look at four emerging names in the 2029 class, along with a 2030 who made an early impression in front of some top programs.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Stay tuned, as Riley and I will have more coverage from the event throughout this week.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Coaches List:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"><!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>BOSTON UNIVERSITY - Jake Versprille</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>COLGATE - Alyssa Guido</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>COLUMBIA - Emma Munchnik</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>CLEMSON - Landyn White</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>FAIRFIELD - Caroline Mangan</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>JACKSONVILLE - Haley Warden</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>JOHNS HOPKINS - Jillian Girardi</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>NOTRE DAME - Caroline Curnal</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>PITT - Jennifer Poretto</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>RUTGERS - Livy Rosenzweig</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>UCONN - Katie Frederick</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>UMASS - Katie Moses</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --> <!-- wp:list-item --> <li><strong>YALE - Colleen Smith</strong></li> <!-- /wp:list-item --></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89963"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae91748396c7"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='89963' first='Caroline' last='Galligan'] caught my eye right away in Sunday's full-field games. A lefty attacker from Darien who plays her club ball with the CT Grizzlies, Galligan spent much of the day at midfield, and coaches on site liked what they saw. So did I. Galligan has track speed, and her ability to punt-return the clear as a midfielder was breathtaking. There were at least a half-dozen possessions in which she caught it in the defensive end or forced a turnover and took off upfield at a blistering pace, leaving everyone in the dust behind her. She was untouchable in open space. She finished the event the same way, sprinting upfield on the final play and delivering a strike to a teammate for the assist. Galligan has a nonstop motor and never seems to run out of gas, and it was something to see firsthand.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["70616"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae96a304aae4"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='70616' first='Lauren' last='Crisafulli'] put herself on coaches' radars Sunday. The Sound Lacrosse and New Canaan product turned in one of the event's best all-around performances. On one possession, she hit a right-to-left split and finished with her left from the low angle. I was convinced she was a full-blown lefty until I saw her do just as much damage with her right. She is as ambidextrous as any 2029 I saw Sunday, or this fall, for that matter. A few possessions later, she knifed her way downhill and scored again, and she mixed in a nice sidearm rip on another play. Crisafulli was at her best in the full-field games late Sunday. Truly impossible to stop. She is an alpha who wants the ball in her stick, and for good reason. Crisafulli can create offense for herself and her teammates at will.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89968"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae927403397d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">[player_tooltip player_id='89968' first='Kelty' last='Shea'] is another Darien talent who put together a stellar day Sunday. A true plug-and-play option, Shea can quarterback the offense from behind the cage or move to midfield, where she takes the draw and plays both ends. Her size jumps out immediately, and it's exactly what coaches want. She was at her best from “X,” where her length and playmaking made her a tough cover. In 1v1s, she showed off a well-developed dodge to get above GLE and go topside. Shea possesses a laser of a shot, and she is confident letting it fly. In the full-field games, she also got downhill and finished with authority. I like her game a lot, and I see her coming off the board early next September.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89575"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae96a304ab36"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The Darien young guns put on a show Sunday, and one of my favorites to watch was CT Grizzlies product [player_tooltip player_id='89575' first='Kaitlyn' last='Cruikshank']. Cruikshank spent a lot of time at defensive midfield, and I could see that becoming her full-time role. She is a gritty 1v1 defender who makes her matchup earn every inch. Her ability to read outlet passes stood out, too. In one instance, Cruikshank jumped the passing lane and came up with a leaping interception near midfield that led to quick offense the other way. That might be her biggest separator: how quickly she can flip the field. Whether she is taking it coast to coast herself or forcing turnovers in transition, Cruikshank can change a game in a hurry. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["89982"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6ae9e586ec1f0"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">When it comes to [player_tooltip player_id='89982' first='Taylor' last='Lishnoff']'s game, it begins with her length and strength, and she knows how to use both. A true dual threat, she can bully her way inside through contact, then either finish herself or deliver a high-level drop-off feed on the doorstep. She can do damage from the outside, too. On Sunday, she found open space around the 12-meter and unloaded a time-and-room rip. Lishnoff generates a lot of power from distance and does a nice job of holding her space when she's open, which led to numerous quality looks for the Wilton talent. Her versatility and consistent ability to make the right read stood out among a loaded group. While I didn't get to see as much of Lishnoff on Sunday as I would have liked, she is a player I look forward to seeing more of as her recruiting year approaches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->