Double Trouble: Talented twins lead Merrimack lacrosse

By Mike McMahon, The Eagle-Tribune



NORTH ANDOVER — Maddie and Mia Basile, sophomore twin sisters on Merrimack College's 2-1 women's lacrosse team, have opponents doing double takes.

These two personify identical twins. They look and even sound alike. In fact, the only distinguishable difference between the two is the number six on Mia's shirt, and the number eight on Maddie's.

The sisters from Hampden, Mass., started playing lacrosse in sixth grade, and there has never been a time since when they haven't been paired together.

Fast forward seven years from when they first stepped on the field, and the sisters are two of the deadliest threats on Merrimack's roster, making up two of the team's top-three scorers.

They have that sixth sense for each other.

"It's weird, because I always seem to know where she is, or I can always anticipate what she's going to do," said Mia, who had five goals in an 18-14 win over Bentley last week; two of those goals were assisted by Maddie.

"Both of us know what and where the other is doing. I know when she is going to make a cut, and I know what her next move is, and that makes it so easy for us to play together."

Added Maddie, "I always know where she is on the field, and I think she always knows where I am out there. Part of it is because we've been playing together for so long, but I know part of it is because we know each other so well, too."

During their senior year at Minnechaug Regional High in Wilbraham, they started their college searches. Wherever they went, it was going to be a package deal.

"We looked at a ton of schools," Maddie said. "It was never really talked about, but we wanted to go to the same school. We were both looking at the same schools and we would visit together. I think we both knew that we wanted to keep playing together.

"We went to UMass, a lot of schools. I think the ones we were looking at knew that it would be both of us, or neither of us. It's really strange, though, because we really never said it to each other, and our parents never said anything to us about going to the same school. I think it was almost assumed, and it just happened that way."

The sisters have never played against each other, and were split on whether or not they'd ever like to.

"I'd like to give it a shot, maybe once," said Maddie. "One of our teammates, Lauren Leddy, her sister plays for Bryant and it was a big thrill for her to play against her. I'd like to do it, but only once. It might be fun. Someone would have bragging rights."

Added Mia, "No thanks! I am perfectly happy playing with her. I know I'd like this more than going against her."

This season, both sisters have 12 points in three games. Maddie has 10 goals and two assists, while Mia has rifled nine goals and three helpers.

Combined, the sisters have 155 points in 40 games over the course of their relatively young collegiate careers.

Both had tremendous freshman seasons, and came the closest they ever have to competing against each other. Both were vying for the Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year award. Maddie finished with 39 goals and 30 assists, but Mia took home the honor with 62 points (43 goals) in 17 games.

"I was happy for her," said Maddie. "It was so great for one of us to win that. I was proud of her. We never really even thought about it until the end of the year."