EMMITSBURG, MD. – Heading on the road for the first time since the conference opener, Fairfield University women's lacrosse returns to action Wednesday afternoon with a trip to Maryland to take on Mount St. Mary's for the first time in conference play. Opening draw between the Stags and the Mountaineers is slated for 12:00 p.m.
STAGS SCOUTING REPORT
With four wins to open the MAAC calendar the Stags head into the weekend riding an overall five-game win streak. Fairfield has yet to allow more than nine goals to a conference opponent and as a team remain amongst the top 50 schools in the nation in a number of statistical categories as accolades continue to roll in this season. Five players have reached century totals in points, draws, and ground balls, and a program record set with 12 draw controls by Nicollette LaVista against Marist, a game that also saw her become just the second player in school history to surpass 200 draw controls for their career.
For the season, Elizabeth Talluto paces the offense with a team-best 36 goals and 44 total points, followed closely by Libby Rowe with 25 goals and 16 assists. Olivia Doody sits third on the team with 18 goals and 23 helpers and Ellie Grefenstette rounds out a group of four players with 40 or more points for the Stags as she has tallied 24 goals and 16 dimes. Defensively, the Stags are led by Lindsey Barnes who paces both the caused turnover department with 30 while also collecting 27 ground balls, and Rylee Harrell has a season-best 58 draw controls for the squad, followed by 54 from LaVista and 24 from Rowe to top the Stags' numbers this season.
SCOUTING THE MOUNT ST. MARY'S MOUNTAINEERS
At 3-10 on the season The Mount enter the midweek at 2-3 in league play after pulling out an overtime victory over Niagara to open the MAAC slate and a win over Iona last Wednesday. Both wins for the Mountaineers have come at home this season, while they have fallen on the road at Manhattan, Siena, and Canisius.
With 32 points on the year Dani Donoghue has scored 28 goals for The Mount this season and sits two points ahead of Abby Osmeyer who has scored 25 with five helpers. Erin Anderson sits third and leads the assist numbers with 18 and 10 goals to round a trio of 25+ point scorers, with three other tallying at least 15. Defensively all but eight players have at least one ground balland four have at least 20 led by Madison Bradley with 34 and Abigail Zeigenfuse with 29. Margaret Lonergan paced the caused turnovers forcing 24 and on the draw Logan Cook has 27 draw controls.
CONFERENCE SUPERLATIVES
With a pair of strong performances to keep her side undefeated in league play, Fairfield University women's lacrosse graduate student Caroline Mangan was named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Week Monday afternoon. In a pair of games against Quinnipiac and Siena, the Fairfield co-captain forced seven turnovers in and notched four ground balls in addition five draw controls to help lead the Stags to both home victories.
Following a week that saw her score 12 points across a pair of games to open conference season, Fairfield University women's lacrosse senior Olivia Doody has been named the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference last week. Doody's 12 points came off of seven goals and five assists along with three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers defensively.
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.
SURPASSING THE CENTURY MARK
Joining a series of accolades for the Stags this season Caroline Mangan surpassed 100 career ground balls in the MAAC opener against Iona. Rylee Harrell in that same game surpassed 100 draw controls for her career and has already surpassed a single-season best mark this season to pace the team.
In addition, 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
DOWN THE ROAD
Following the midweek trip the Stags will return home Saturday for their final regular season appearance on campus when they take on Niagara. Opening draw between the Stags and Purple Eagles is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. to kick off a lacrosse doubleheader from Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.
