By Natalie Fiorilli | The Duquesne Duke
Everyone knows the old mantra: in sports: teammates are like family.
But for sisters Meredith and Millie Micho of the Duquesne women’s lacrosse team, it’s quite literal.
This season, freshman defender Millie Micho joined senior midfielder Meredith Micho on the team as well as on campus at Duquesne. Coach Mike Scerbo has enjoyed having the sisters on the team, especially in the way that they have helped one another improve both on and off the pitch.
“They are different in so many ways, but that is a wonderful thing because they complement each other tremendously,” Scerbo said. “It is not often we see them go head-to-head in practice but when they do, they push each other to be the best they can, and the sibling competitiveness comes out.”
This spring, the Michos have both earned playing time, and have even competed on the pitch together.
During her senior year, Meredith has racked up four goals and four assists so far, picking up 16 ground balls and leading the team with 19 draw controls. On the defensive end, Millie has secured seven ground balls and has forced seven turnovers. The freshman recorded her first point on an assist in the Dukes’ win over Saint Francis in March.
The two hadn’t competed together since Millie made the varsity squad her freshman year at Rock Canyon High School in their hometown of Highlands Ranch, Colo.
“We’ve definitely gotten a lot of playing time [together],” Millie said. “That was one of my fears coming in. You say you play together, but you’re just practicing together. I’ve gotten to see the field a lot, and it’s been a lot of fun.”
As sisters, the duo are comfortable playing with one another and, most importantly, are able to critique one another. According to Scerbo, the Michos’ ability to communicate has set an example for the team as a whole and has strengthened the bond between all the players.
Whether it means staying after practice to fine-tune their skills or simply being honest about one another’s weaknesses, they have both contributed to each other’s success on the field. Even as a senior, having Millie on the team has been a positive experience for Meredith.
“It’s really nice, actually,” Meredith said. “It’s like a home away from home. I’m just so close with Millie that I feel comfortable telling her the good and the bad, and that’s something that our team has really worked on.”
The two not only share a passion for lacrosse but also have similar career visions, as they are both students in the nursing school. For Millie, having an older sister to guide her during her freshman year has been a very helpful transition into college and has surely improved her ability on the field.
Despite their similarities, Millie explained that at first she was hesitant to choose the same college as Meredith.
“I actually used to be so against coming here. You’d have to break my arm to get me to go to the same school as her,” Millie joked. “I think if anything, having her to step into college lacrosse definitely gave me somebody to talk to at the end of the day, and she knew what I was going through, and it made all the difference.”
