ELON, N.C. – After three straight games on the road, the Elon women’s lacrosse team (4-1) returns home to Rudd Field to host Albany (0-1) in its next game on Friday, March 4, at 6 p.m.
Last Time Out
The Phoenix nearly kept its perfect record intact but was not quite able to complete a full comeback in its last game at Vanderbilt, falling 10-9, on Sunday. Trailing by five, 10-5, with less than four minutes to play, scores by Maeve Cowley, Kelsey Dupere and Stephanie Asher pulled the maroon and gold within two. A caused turnover by Alexis Zadjura and ground ball pickup by Dupere led to a man-up goal by Asher with just 62 seconds left on the clock to close the gap to just one, 10-9. Elon’s Melanie McHugh won the ensuing draw but a turnover by the Phoenix allowed the Commodores to grab the ball and run out the clock. Prior to the game in Nashville, Tenn., the Phoenix claimed its first win over a ranked opponent with a 7-6 final at No. 10 Duke on Feb. 25. With the game tied with six seconds remaining, Sloane Kessler found Shelby Scanlin who got the ball in the left side of the net to score the game winner.
Scouting the Great Danes
Albany has advanced to the America East title game for the last four straight years and gone on to the NCAA Tournament twice, including last season. The Great Danes return eight starters from 2015 and welcome five newcomers to the 2016 squad as the team was picked second n the America East preseason coaches’ poll. Albany, who is receiving votes in both national polls, opened the season last Saturday with a 9-5 setback against Cornell and plays just its second game of the year against the Phoenix this weekend. Alie Jimerson tallied three-points in the game against the Big Red after one goal and two assists, while Julie Cryderman netted two scores. Goalie Courtney Henderson posted nine saves in the game off 21 shots faced.
The Series
Friday marks the first all-time meeting between the Phoenix and the Great Danes.
Program First
After a 4-1 start to the season and its first win over a ranked opponent, the Elon women’s lacrosse team is receiving votes in both of the latest women’s lacrosse national Division I polls. It marks the first time in program history that the team has received votes in either poll. The Phoenix is one of five teams receiving votes in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division I Poll, which ranks the top 20 teams, and is one of 11 programs with votes in Inside Lacrosse’s media poll.
Conference/National Rankings
Just a few games into the season, the Phoenix ranks near the top of the Colonial Athletic Association in several statistical categories. The team is third in ground balls (15.2/game), second in shots (25.6/game) and second in shots on goal (20.0/game). Stephanie Asher ranks 19th nationally and first in the league with her 14 goals this year and is second in the CAA in scoring with 2.8 goals per game, while Sloane Kessler ranks third with her 2.6 goals/game. Asher and Kessler rank first and fifth, respectively, in shots per game with 7.6 and 5.0, while Rachel Ramirez is fourth in saves (5.4/game) and third ground balls (2.6/game).
Next Up
Elon remains home at Rudd Field to host Holy Cross in its next game on Saturday, March 12, at 11 a.m.