WHEN AND WHERE
Fairfield University women's lacrosse will open the 2022 season this Saturday, taking a trip up north to take on Holy Cross. Opening draw between the Stags and the Crusaders is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Kuzniewski Field.
HISTORY VS HOLY CROSS
In a series that dates back to 1997, Saturday's season opener between Stags and Crusaders will mark the 19th time the two sides have faced off, with Holy Cross holding a slim 10-8 advantage in the all-time series. The two teams last faced off in 2020, a two-goal victory in what was also the season opener for both clubs. Five different Stags found the back of the net in that match, but a second-half run by Holy Cross proved to be the difference in a 10-8 win for the Crusaders.
RECAPPING THE 2021 SEASON
2021 marked another historic season for Fairfield women's lacrosse, as the team went 10-1 in the regular season, en route to earning their third consecutive MAAC championship and earned a bid into the NCAA Tournament. With the win Fairfield becomes just the second school in conference history to claim three consecutive conference titles, and move into a tie with Canisius for the most championships in the 22-year history of the MAAC with six titles all-time.
The schedule included 11 matches in a shortened season amid the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Stags would only face MAAC opponents in those contests, opening the year with six straight wins before suffering the first loss on Apr. 10 against Siena. Fairfield regained its footing in the next match, a 14-6 thrashing of Iona, and went on to win the final three games of the regular season.
Marist would be the first opponent in the quarterfinals, and it took overtime to settle the score, with the Stags pulling out an overtime winner off the stick of Kelly Horning, her sixth of the game to advance to the semifinals. Taking on Niagara for a spot in the championship, the Stags would net a goal late in the first half to level the game at five going into the break. Out of the half, the two sides would trade the first four goals of the half, before Fairfield score seven of the next eight goals to put the game out of reach and advance to the title game.
The Stags' would square off against Siena in the championship game, and avenged their loss to the Saints in the regular season, taking a 12-8 win to secure the program's third straight championship. The win also sent the Fairfield to the NCAA Tournament where they would fall to No. 4 seed Boston College, who went on to win the National Championship.
SCOUTING THE STAGS
2021 MAAC Midfielder of the Year Kelly Horning leads the Stags into 2022 as she returns for her graduate season. An all-around threat Horning led the team with 37 goals, while also finishing atop the stat sheet in draw controls, (55), ground balls (45), and forced turnovers (28).
Horning is joined on offense alongside Ellie Grefenstette who netted 31 goals last season. Defensively Nicollette LaVista finished second on the team last year with 51 draw controls. Goalkeeper Olivia Conquest returns for Fairfield after starting all 15 games between the pipes last season, posting a 13-1 record, .463 save percentage, and 10.78 goals against average.
SCOUTING THE CRUSADERS
Holy Cross finished the 2021 season 2-4 in what was a shortened season for the Crusaders amid the Pandemic. Jolie Creo led the team in goals and assists with 27 scores and nine helpers. Grant Izzy was the only other player to reach double figures in the scoring column with 14 goals including a pair from free position. Grace Flink led the defensive efforts collecting a team-high 20 ground balls, nearly double the next highest mark, and Creo led the draw control totals with 12 on the year.
STAGS EARN TOP SPOT IN MAAC PRESEASON COACHES' POLL
With less than two weeks before the season opener for Fairfield University Women's Lacrosse, the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) announced the results of the 2022 Preseason Coaches' Poll, with the Stags tabbed to finish atop the conference standings once again.
The three-time defending MAAC champions, Fairfield took home 77 overall points in the poll, including six first-place nods, finishing just ahead of 2019 and 2021Â runner-up Siena with 75 points and the remaining three votes. Monmouth, Niagara, and Quinnipiac round out the top five, followed by Marist, Canisius, Manhattan, and Iona who make up No. 6 through No. 9 in the poll.
HORNING NAMED MAAC PRESEASON PLAYER OF THE YEAR
In addition to the Coaches' poll, Kelly Horning was named the 2022 Preseason Player of the Year, after leading the team with 37 goals last season. Horning and Caroline Mangan were selected as Preseason All-MAAC.
Horning's preseason nod comes as she returns to the Stags for a fifth-year after garnering MAAC Midfielder of the Year honors following the 2021 regular season and has made the All-MAAC First-Team squad in each of the last two seasons.
Mangan was the 2021 MAAC Championship MVP after racking up eight caused turnover in the Stags' run to the title. She was also an All-MAAC Second Team honoree, compiling 18 caused turnovers and 14 ground balls while often charged with marking one of the opposition's top attackers.
SEASON BREAKDOWN
The 2022 schedule includes 16 dates overall, including seven games within the friendly confines of Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium. The first half of the schedule features matchups from five different conferences before an eight-game MAAC slate as the Stags look to claim their fourth consecutive conference championship.
LOOKING AHEAD
Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action Wednesday, Feb. 16 for the home opener from Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium against UConn. Opening draw between the Stags and the Huskies is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.
