FSC: Streby Competes for Poland at ELF U21 Women’s Lacrosse Championship
via FSC website/press release (photos at site)
LAKELAND, Fla. – Upcoming Florida Southern College sophomore, Kenzie Streby recently concluded a trip to Prague, Czech Republic where she represented Poland at the European Lacrosse Federation Under 21 Women’s Lacrosse Championships.
“This was an absolutely incredible experience,” Kenzie Streby commented. “European lacrosse has a culture and energy to it that is unmatched compared to the states. I am just so grateful to be a part of a team that not only loves the sport of lacrosse, but also loves each other. Playing in the Euros was a once in a lifetime experience that I wouldn’t trade for the world!”
Streby, who completed her freshman campaign at Florida Southern this past spring with a trip to the 2023 NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse National Semifinals, played in six games for the Moccasins where she registered two points on one goal and one assist, each in Sunshine State Conference games. She recorded her first collegiate point as an assist against Florida Tech on April 19 before scoring her first collegiate goal against Palm Beach Atlantic on April 22.
“The training and technical skills from FSC made me a more well rounded athlete,” Streby added. “In lacrosse, people tend to favor their dominant hand, but because of my training at FSC I was able to develop my left hand more which gave me a huge advantage at the Euros and allowed me to play both sides of the fan. I think the most notable part of my training from FSC came from the weight room under the guidance of Dan Kirk. Compared to last time I played for Poland to this European championship I felt much stronger and that gave me an advantage, especially when shooting and driving to the cage.”
A native of Gahanna, Ohio turned her Red and White Moccasin jersey in for the Red and White of Poland where she traveled to Prague for a week of competition in the ELF U21 Women’s Lacrosse Championship.
Streby helped guide Poland to a 2-2-1 record through five games with a team-best 18 points with a team-best 15 goals while adding three assists.
She, like the rest of the U21 Poland team, started the tournament off slow, falling in the first two games, 10-9 to Italy and 17-3 to Sweden. Streby recorded three points in the two games, with a pair of goals against Italy and an assist against Sweden.
After falling behind 0-2 in the team standings, Poland battled Spain to the final whistle for an 8-8 tie where Streby found the back of the net three times, to finish with three points in the game.
Looking for the team’s first win at the tournament, Streby strapped up and put the team on her back showcasing four goals and one assist to lift Poland over Isreal, 13-11. Her first goal was to bring it to a 2-2 tie before she scored the team’s ninth, 10th, and 12th goals, the game-winning goal.
Streby left her best for last, facing Spain once again, she posted six goals and one assist on Friday morning to finish off the tournament with 15 total goals and three assists. She opened the contest just 56-seconds in with a free position goal before stringing together Poland’s second, seventh, ninth, 11th and 13th goals of the game for the win.
When asked about the most important take away from the trip to Prague and playing for Poland this summer Streby said, “Culture and team dynamics can make or break a performance. Whenever a mistake was made or something would go wrong, there was never a moment of doubt from anyone on the team and encouragement was the only thing coming from the sidelines. One of my most important takeaways from this experience was to never take things for granted. This was such a special event and I am so grateful to have been a part of it.”
Streby returns to Florida Southern on August 19 for her sophomore year as a Marine Biology and Environmental Studies student-athlete.
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