NEW ROCHELLE, N.Y. - With the non-conference season now in the books Fairfield University women's lacrosse returns to action this Wednesday as they open Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference play with a trip to New York to take on Iona. Opening draw between the Stags and the Gaels is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.

STAGS SCOUTING REPORT

Fairfield wrapped up their eight-game non-conference schedule at 5-3, and are riding a streak of three victories in its last four contests, with the lone loss coming at Drexel 10-9 on Mar. 11. Most recently, the Stags traveled across town amidst a four-game road trip, taking down Sacred Heart 15-7 exactly two weeks prior to Wednesday's trip to Iona which serves as the close of the road stint.

One of the top scoring offenses in the nation, the Stags enter Wednesday 31^st amongst all Division I schools, scoring 13.5 goals per game while also averaging 5.88 assists per game which currently slots 30^th in the country. From free position, Fairfield sits fourth amongst all DI teams, scoring on those chances at a 60% clip, and the offense is also placed 27^th at 19.38 points per contest. Elizabeth Talluto leads the Stags offense with 25 goals and 30 points on the year and sits tied for 32^nd in all of Division I in goals per game at 3.12 per. Libby Rowe paces the assist totals with 51 while standing tied for 46^th in the country to highlight a plethora of top national statistics for the squad on both sides of the field.

The Stags currently stand fourth in the nation in caused turnovers per game, forcing an average of 11.88 per contest, and sit near the top of the tables at 30^th in the country with 14.88 draw controls per game while slotting 36^th in the nation in draw control percentage at .536. Defensively, Lindsey Barnes leads the team and stands fifth in the nation with 2.5 caused turnovers per game and Rylee Harrell tops the draw totals for the Stags and is another player atop the national rankings, slotting 29^th in the nation at 5.62 draw controls per game.

NCAA Statistics are as of Mar. 24, 2023

LOOKING BACK ON THE ALL-TIME SERIES

The Stags have dominated the all-time series against Iona, having won each of the previous 21 meetings against the Gaels dating back to the inaugural meeting in 2005. Most recently the two sides squared off on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium, with Fairfield taking an 18-11 victory on Mar. 30, 2022.

SCOUTING THE IONA GAELS

Iona enters Wednesday's game with the Stags one game into the MAAC calendar after falling 13-9 to Siena on Saturday but finished the non-conference season an impressive 6-2. Atop the offensive statistics is Kira Varada with a team-best 26 goals, Amber Brewster with 21 goals and Micaela FitzPatrick with 18 goals and 19 assists leads the point tallies for the Gaels. Varada, one of the top two-way players in the MAAC also paces the team in all defensive statistical categories with 36 ground balls, 32 caused turnovers and 48 draw controls.

CONFERENCE SUPERLATIVES

After a stellar performance in a pair of games, Fairfield University women's lacrosse senior Lindsey Barnes was named the MAAC defensive player of the week as announced by the league office last month. The award for the Malvern, Pa. native marks the first of her career as the first Stag to claim a women's lacrosse weekly honor this season, just three weeks into the campaign.

Barnes was a force on defense for the Stags, causing a career-high eight turnovers by UAlbany players, the most by any player in a Division I game this season. She also collected six ground balls in the road performance against the Great Danes, before causing two turnovers and collecting a single draw control in the win over Hofstra.

SURPASSING THE CENTURY MARK

Three members of the Stags' offense have surpassed 100 goals for their career during the 2023 campaign with the newest member of the club, Elizabeth Talluto adding her name to the group as part of her 21-goal total coming into this weekend. Back in the first road game of the year at UConn, Libby Rowe joined the Fairfield women's lacrosse 100-point list for her career after a career-high six-goal performance against the Huskies. In addition to Rowe's achievement, classmate Ellie Grefenstette eclipsed the century point plateau herself at UAlbany, registering multiple points in the contest.

PRESEASON PRIZES

Given their dominance, particularly in the MAAC postseason, it's no surprise that the Stags were once again picked as the favorites to win the conference championship as voted on by the league's nine head coaches. Fairfield earned seven of nine first-place votes to top out the poll and placed three players on the all-preseason roster. Amongst the trio of honorees was Talluto, as well as LaVista, and Mangan, a testament to the Stags' strength at all positions heading into the season.

All-in-all the Stags garnered seven of the nine total first-place votes in the poll and received a total of 78 points to top out the standings. MAAC newcomers Mount St. Mary's place tied for second in the poll alongside Siena who both placed with 68 points and received one of the two remaining top bids. In fourth slotted Niagara which earned 51 points before another slight drop in points to the fifth spot with Canisius who totaled 39. Iona placed sixth in the poll, followed by Manhattan, Marist, and Quinnipiac to round out the nine-team MAAC contingent.

DOWN THE ROAD

Fairfield women's lacrosse will return home Saturday to open the month of April with three consecutive home games beginning Apr. 1 when they host Marist on Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium with opening draw set for 4:00 p.m. following the men's game.