Elizabeth Labows, a senior from Media, PA, plays defense for the Swarthmore women’s lacrosse team. Labows is a captain of the team this year and has recorded seven ground balls and eight caused turnovers so far this season.
Jacinta Fernandes-Brough: What are your goals and hopes for this season?
Elizabeth Labows: With this being a rebuilding year after our two-year pandemic break, we are really trying to find ourselves as a team. Finishing the season with a winning record is the main goal, and we’re looking to make our first playoff appearance since 2012, which would be a great way to end my career.
JF: What has been your most memorable moment of the season so far?
EL: Easily our win over Dickinson this past weekend. It was our first conference game of the season and also the first conference game in three years. With over 80 percent of the team having never played a conference game before this weekend, it was so exciting to see everyone step up and have their first opportunity to compete at the next level.
JF: What is your favorite thing to do with the team outside of practice?
EL: Post game/lift/practice meals — whether something elaborate the parents put together for our post game tailgates or Wednesday night Sharples salmon, team meals are always a great chance to relax and refuel together.
JF: Do you have any pre – or post-meet rituals?
EL: I am not one for superstitions so I don’t have anything too specific I stick to, but a good Sharples breakfast before Saturday games is always a must – coffee, orange juice, two eggs over medium, sausage, and the breakfast carb of the day.
JF: Why did you choose Swarthmore?
EL: In my college search, I was looking for an academically rigorous school where I could take classes across a variety of departments while playing lacrosse at a competitive level. Swarthmore checked those boxes and conveniently was right around the corner from home.
JF: What is your major and why?
EL: I’m a double major in math and studio art. These two areas of study balance each other out and allow me to problem solve in both creative and structured ways. I’ve always enjoyed STEM classes, in particular math, where there is a concrete solution you’re trying to seek, while art provides the opportunity for open-ended exploration. I get the best of both worlds.
JF: What is your favorite class you’ve taken at Swarthmore?
EL: Any of the ceramics classes with Syd Carpenter. I was lucky enough to take three classes with Syd and she pushed me and my art in new directions with exciting projects in a collaborative and engaging studio environment.
JF: Favorite Sharples bar?
EL: It’s a toss up between fish taco bar and Indian bar for sure.
