Sewickley Academy grad coming into her own with Swarthmore lacrosse team

The Swarthmore College women’s lacrosse team was on spring break recently in Clearwater, Fla.

The Garnet took anything but a break, however, from their hot start to the 2023 season.

And one of the team leaders for Swarthmore is Sewickley Academy graduate Elizabeth Zack, a 5-foot-7 sophomore attacker.

In the early part of the season, Zack ranked second on the team in points with 14 goals and three assists, second in caused turnovers with six and first in shooting percentage at .667%, draw controls (18) and ground balls (15). She also collected a game-winning goal.

“We graduated a lot of great players last year, and we are working hard to fill their shoes,” Zack said. “I had more of a defensive role during my freshman season, and I am now taking on a more permanent position in the midfield. I am starting at center taking draws, and I have already passed the number of draw controls and goals that I had last season.

“Our preconference season has been a great chance for our team to develop, but I am looking forward to the competition of Centennial Conference play.”

Swarthmore coach Karen Borbee has been impressed by Zack’s early season performance. Borbee said Zack, who focused on her defensive play as a freshman, has become more of a versatile, all-around competitor for the Garnet.

“Ellie is having a strong start to her sophomore season. She has been a major contributor both offensively, defensively and in transition,” Borbee said. “Ellie is a competitor. She plays hard all the time and does a lot of the little things that help us stay competitive.

“Ellie has the speed, agility and quickness to catch defenders off guard. She has been a consistent scorer and a solid defender.”

Zack helped lead Sewickley to the state playoffs in her 2021 senior season as the Panthers, coached by Chelsea Cameron, defeated several larger schools in reaching the state event and finished with a 17-3 record.

In fact, Sewickley advanced to the PIAA semifinals for the first time in school history, and it was only the second time a WPIAL school played in the semifinals.

The seniors on that historic team — Mia DelVecchio, Emma DiSantis, Elsa Gordon, Ellie Hughes, J.J. Jardini, Mary Kai Kalenak, Victoria Keller, Kamryn Lightcap, Marta Michael and Zack — served as role models to their teammates and twice in their careers led the Panthers to states.

“The two Ellies (Hughes and Zack) have been best friends since birth. They set up each other really well,” Cameron said during that season.

Swarthmore, with Cameron’s assistance, recruited Zack for both lacrosse and field hockey, which is a fall sport. Zack competed in the two sports at Sewickley and was field hockey captain as a senior.

She was lauded as a WPIAL field hockey all-star in 2019 and 2020.

Swarthmore’s lacrosse team improved to 5-0 while in Florida thanks to a pair of decisive victories, a 13-3 win over Bridgewater State and a 14-1 win over Wittenburg.

Zack recorded a hat trick in both games. She also had a team-high seven draw controls and five ground balls against Wittenburg and has excelled with her expanded role in the attack by already surpassing her freshman total of nine goals.

Earlier, the Garnet defeated Eastern, 15-1, Widener, 8-6, and Immaculata, 19-3, as Zack netted a career-high total of four goals against Immaculata.

“Ellie will continue to develop as an all-around player and have a successful career here,” Borbee said. “She played a good deal as a (freshman), although mostly on the defensive side of the ball. As a sophomore, she added the offensive piece. So I’m sure she will only get better and continue to develop as a player and as a leader in the program.”

Swarthmore is a private liberal arts college located 11 miles from Philadelphia.

Zack is an environmental studies major, with minors in peace and conflict studies and linguistics. She graduated from Sewickley with highest honors and a global studies certificate.

“I did consider some other colleges, but I decided to choose a school that was an academic fit first,” Zack said. “Swarthmore has been a great fit in both academics and athletics, and I am extremely lucky to have the opportunity to play with two different groups of teammates and coaches.

“I am hoping to attend law school after Swarthmore.”