On March 3, 2002 the GW women’s lacrosse team made its first appearance as a Division I squad, beating Marist 10-3. The team, comprised of club players, walk-ons and just nine freshmen recruits, won just four games in their inaugural season and went 0-7 in the Atlantic 10.

Three years later, things have definitely changed.

In their fourth year of existence, the Colonials are 9-3 and 3-1 in A-10 play, and last week received eight votes in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association Poll. Before this year, GW lacrosse had a 19-29 record over three seasons.

But three years of mediocrity and team building is producing victories on the field against some of the nation’s best squads. In its first game of the season, GW beat the College of William and Mary, a team that has been in and out of the Top 25 this year. On March 30, the Colonials downed then No. 17 (IWLCA) Towson 11-10 in double overtime.

The Colonials’ only losses are to local rival George Mason, No.12 (IWLCA) John Hopkins, and St. Bonaventure.

“It’s definitely exciting and you feel like you are reaping the benefits from all the hard work you have put in,” senior co-captain Erin Berry said. “Sometimes during those freshman and sophomore years it was so hard. We were just getting hammered by teams and we were like a joke. Now people give us respect. It’s like a really big reward, especially for the nine seniors that are left. We came in here taking a huge risk trying to do something that hadn’t been done before. Now it’s awesome, people actually know who we are.”

Head coach Chrissy Lombard replaced former coach and program architect Jennifer Morris before this season. Lombard, who was a dominant player at Boston University, has infused the team with a new attitude and swagger.

“I think Coach Morris did a great job and I can’t imagine anyone doing a better job,” Berry said. “Chrissy learned a lot from her, she’s young and ambitious.”

“She’s so good herself it inspires all of us,” Berry added. “Being told what to do by someone who could easily do it and could show you up on the field is definitely a drive. Everyone is looking for her approval – if she gives you a compliment it’s a big thing.”

But the turning point for the program probably wasn’t Lombard becoming the head coach. It was when high school standout Laura Hostetler decided on GW.

“I wanted to be part of making a team known,” said Hostetler, a sophomore. “Making the program better is a challenge.”

Hostetler’s athleticism runs in the family. Her father, Doug, played football at Pennsylvania State University and her uncle, Jeff, led the New York Giants to a victory in Super Bowl XXV. Jeff also played for the Washington Redskins in 1997, his final season as pro.

Hostetler grew up in Ellicott City, Md., and holds state high school records for goals, assists and points.

Hostetler added the offensive punch the Colonials needed to compete at a high level.

“She was very important because we needed a player like that who could stand out,” Lombard said.

In her freshman campaign she did not disappoint, setting new program records for points (62) and goals (45). The awards and honors began to pour in, as she was named the A-10 Rookie of the Year and was named to the A-10 All-Conference First team and Womenslacrosse.com’s Division I All-American Rookie Team.

“Laura has been a great asset,” senior Jamie Lee added. “She has been a great complement to us. We definitely knew how to score before, but we didn’t have all that much production. In addition to being a great scorer she is a great feeder, which I think tends to be ignored.”

She has continued to come up big for GW in a season in which the Colonials have already set a new program record for victories with nine. Hostetler leads the team in points, goals and assists and is once again one of the A-10’s best offensive players. She has carried the Colonials on her back many times this season, including a six-goal performance against University of Denver earlier this month.

Beyond Hostetler, the core of the team is its nine seniors who have persevered through three losing seasons and have helped build program that is hitting its stride for the first time. Berry is the Colonials’ on-field leader and a key defender. Last season, she was named to the A-10 All-Conference team.

Classmates Heidi Mayer, Meghan McDonough and Lee have been mainstays for the Colonials. Mayer is the program’s all-time leader in points, McDonough is the all-time leader in assists and Lee is the all-time leader in goals.

“Last year we started to learn how to win,” Lombard said. “This year we are beating strong teams and we just got to keep it going.”

For the Colonials, the next goal is winning A-10 games. Their first three seasons they combined to win just five games in the conference. They have never made it to the A-10 Tournament.

“The conference is a different game because you never know how teams are going to step up,” Lombard said. “One of the goals the team set was not only making the conference (tournament) but to win the conference. They want that automatic bid (to the NCAA Tournament).”

Making the NCAAs now seems to be a realistic goal for this group.

“It’s everything right now. We have wanted it since freshman year and we really didn’t believe we could have it until this year,” Lee said. “It’s everything. We are working towards this year and nothing is more important than league games, other games count but the most important thing, the golden egg, is the A-10 crown.”

Even if the team’s nine seniors don’t reach their goal, their coach could not be prouder of what they have accomplished in four seasons.

“I told the team after the Towson game, when they came up with a big win in double overtime, that I was proud of them,” Lombard said. “They have something I can’t teach and that’s heart.”