Marissa Pasquarello is a standout goalie from the ADVNC North Bay and NDP 2027 team committed to play at Colorado Mesa, starting next fall.
Marissa grew up outside Sacramento, playing a variety of sports. Her dad, Tony Pasquarello was watching her play basketball one day, when a teammate's mom told him about a local lacrosse program.
Marissa, playing on her first lacrosse team.
“As soon as I tried lacrosse, it just felt different than the other sports I had played,” Marissa said. “It just had something different. I loved it right away. I just knew right away that lacrosse was my sport.”
“Tony has played a lot of sports and just loves sports,” said Marissa’s mom, Jennifer Pasquarello. “He was always coaching and helping Marissa in those other sports. I think lacrosse was so appealing to Marissa in part because Tony had zero knowledge of the sport. So Marissa was really free to explore and learn lacrosse on her own. And her passion and skill developed from there.”
“I did like that lacrosse was really my sport,” Marissa said. “Beyond that, I found a lot of good friends through lacrosse. I’ve always felt a really close bond with my teammates in lacrosse. It’s a very heart touching sport. I found a real family atmosphere on my lacrosse teams.”
“When she started lacrosse, I saw her passion for the sport,” Tony Pasquarello recalled. “She stopped playing other sports pretty quick, and all she wanted to do was play lacrosse. It was really gratifying to see her passion and enthusiasm for this new sport. It was clear she found something that she really wanted to get better at and excel at.”
When Marissa started lacrosse, she played attack and midfield. She loved it. But when her coach would ask for volunteers to play goalie, Marissa was always one of the only players who wanted to get in the crease. “As soon as I started playing goalie, I just knew that was my position,” Marissa said. “I loved it so much because stopping all the goals and being the focal part of the defense was awesome. I love the feeling of helping my team win a game and all of my teammates running over and celebrating with me.”
Marissa played rec league lacrosse for a few years, and then played for a couple of travel teams. As she got into high school at Oak Ridge in El Dorado Hills, CA, she switched to play for ADVNC.
Marissa and her ADVNC 2027 teammates.
“I was looking for a team where I had tighter bonds with my teammates,” Marissa said. “As soon as I started playing for ADVNC, I knew that was my team. I bonded with the other girls instantly, on day one. And ever since then, they have become my second family. I call them my sisters. I have also bonded with Brooke Eubanks (ADVNC Girls Director) super well. Brooke has been there for me since day one. She has helped me on the sideline so much. I’m just so grateful for ADVNC.”
Living in the Sacramento area, Marissa and her parents had to drive about 2 hours each way to the ADVNC practice in Marin. But it was a sacrifice the Pasquarello’s were willing to make.
“Brooke Eubanks was great, and the ADVNC coaches and teammates have all been great,” Jennifer Pasquarello said. “There was already some built in camaraderie with some other girls on the ADVNC team who live near us in Sacramento and Tahoe. So it was a tough drive, but worth it.”
Heading into her recruiting summer, Marissa relied on Brooke Eubanks and ADVNC to help her.
“Coach Brooke helped prepare me for the recruiting process,” Marissa said. “She helped me narrow down my list of colleges to focus on. She gave me advice on how to approach and how to talk to coaches both over email and the phone.”
“At first, Marissa had a list of about 20 schools,” Tony Pasquarello said. “Brooke helped her narrow it down to about 10 schools that were realistic for her to pursue. Having been a college coach herself, Brooke is very knowledgeable about the college recruiting process and what every player in her program should expect. She is also very connected to many college coaches. Brooke was very instrumental for us and offered a lot of assistance.”
One day, Marissa had a phone call with Ashley Delaney, head coach at Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, CO. “After talking with Coach Delaney, I just knew that Colorado Mesa was the school I was meant to go to,” Marissa said. “I can’t even fully explain how much Coach D and I bonded. Then I visited the campus and I knew even more strongly that it was the school for me. She’s always there for the team and she’s everything I want in a coach. I also loved meeting all the players there. And I love Colorado as a whole.”
Marissa, (2nd from right) with her future teammates at Colorado Mesa.
Marissa came back home and then went back to Colorado Mesa for an official visit. Coach Delaney offered Marissa a spot on the team during that visit. “When Coach offered me a spot on her team, she told me I could take some to think about it. I said, ‘What is there to think about?!’ I was about to cry, I was so happy. I gave Coach Delaney a big hug!”
“When Marissa and Jennifer called me to tell me the good news, I think I started to cry a little too,” said Tony Pasquarello. “I was on my way to play a cornhole tournament at the time. I ended up winning the tournament too. It was a really awesome day!”
Marissa credits many people who have helped her along the way. Starting with her first individual goalie coach Bella Crivello, a former Oak Ridge player. Bella provided the foundation and became like a big sister to her. Her current goalie coach Kaley Gunning, also a former Oak Ridge player and current goalie at the University of Oregon. Kaley’s style in the crease is one Marissa wants to follow. Ashley Laing, a former Oak Ridge player and former UC Davis goalie, served as her individual goalie coach during her early high school years. Ashley really prepared her for the college recruiting circuit tournaments. Isaac Campbell, ADVNC Girls Goalie Coach, has also had a big impact on her. And finally Krystalin Respicio, current goalie at UC Davis and previous club teammate, it was her inspiration to play wearing sweatpants.
“Sweat pants are my good luck charm,” said Marissa. “I can’t go to a game without them. I started wearing them to try it out, and had a good game. So I wore them the next game, and had another good game. So that was it! I wear them all the time when I’m on the field.”
Marissa is a standout goalie at Oak Ridge High School.
With this part of the journey behind them, the Pasquarello’s have this advice for parents with young players. “Let the passion for the game come from the child, first,” Jennifer Pasquarello said. “If they have the passion and the drive to play more, they’re going to work harder and take it further than if it was parent-driven. Mistakes will happen, but when they learn to work through those through more practice, that’s when the real improvement happens.”
“It has to come from the child, and it has to come from their heart,” Tony Pasquarello said. “So let your child decide what sport to play or not play. Then you connect them with teams or trainers, and let them improve on their own timeline. But when the young athlete makes their own decision, they will have more passion for their own improvement.”
Marissa has this advice for young players who aspire to follow in her footsteps. “Don’t let mistakes affect the way you play. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn, grow and become better. So stay positive and keep your head up. And always give your best effort.”