FAIRFIELD, Conn. – After picking up a pair of home wins to opening Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play, Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse hits the road for the first time in league action with a Wednesday trip to Monmouth. Opening draw in West Long Branch is slated for 3 p.m. live on ESPN3.
 
The Stags are 6-4 overall and 2-0 in the MAAC after last Thursday's 13-10 win over Niagara. Brenna Connolly dished out five assists and Olivia Russell scored four goals to power the attack matinee victory on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium. The Fairfield defense starred in the win, holding the Purple Eagles to one goal over a span of 33:03 as the Stags went on the 9-1 run that ultimately decided the game.
 
Following her five-assist day, Connolly now leads the MAAC and ranks 31st nationally with 1.90 assists per game. She also slots second in the MAAC in points per game (4.00) and total assists (19) and ranks third in total points with 40.
 
The MAAC's highest-scoring offense has also been piloted by Olivia Russell with a team-best 22 goals and 24 points from Kathleen Hulseman. A total of nine Stags have reached double-digit points this season, the most since the MAAC Championship campaign of 2015.
 
In the midfield, Erin Mammele is approaching history and she enters Wednesday just four draw controls from surpassing Riley Hellstein '17 for the all-time program record. Mammele has reeled in 167 draw controls in her career. She already owns the Fairfield single-game record (11) and single-season record (86) on the draw.
 
Mammele is also a part of the Fairfield defense that ranks second in the MAAC with an even 10 goals allowed by game. Paulina DiFatta has been the anchor of that unit, posting a .519 save percentage and 9.81 goals-against average – ranking second in the conference in both categories. The back line includes Mammele, Katie FitzPatrick, Erin Bauman, Megan Beach and Maggie Reynolds alongside two-way midfielders Kelly Horning and Jillian Winwood.
 
Scouting Monmouth
The Monmouth Hawks are 3-8 on the season and fell to 1-1 in the MAAC after Saturday's 14-3 loss at Marist. Monmouth's MAAC win came the previous Saturday with a 14-8 victory over visiting Quinnipiac. The Hawks are in their first season led by Head Coach Jordan Trautman.
 
Nicole Ceraso paces the Hawks' attack with 35 points by way of 15 goals and a conference-best 20 assists. Alexa Smith is Monmouth's top finishers with 24 goals this spring. All but six minutes in the cage have gone to Riley Brager, who owns a .402 save percentage (100 saves, 149 goals) and a 13.67 goals-against average in 654:01 in the cage.
 
Up Next
MAAC play returns to Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium next Wednesday, April 11, with a 3 p.m. visit from Quinnipiac as a part of the Stags' Lace Up With LAX initiative. The Stags will be collecting new children's sneakers (dark colors preferred) to be donated to Operation Hope. For every pair of sneakers collected, Bombas will also donate a pair of children's socks to Operation Hope.
 
The Bobcats, who will host Iona and Marist this week, are currently 5-5 overall and 1-1 in the MAAC with a loss at Monmouth (14-8) and a home win over Manhattan (11-6) on their ledger.