FAIRFIELD, Conn. – Completing a stretch of three games in eight days within the familiar confines of Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium, Fairfield University women's lacrosse returns to action Saturday for another MAAC matchup as they take on Siena. Opening draw between only two remaining unbeatens in league play is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from Conway Field at Rafferty Stadium.
STAGS SCOUTING REPORT
With a trio of wins to open the MAAC calendar the Stags head into the weekend riding an overall four-game win streak coming off a defensive battle Wednesday that saw just 13 goals combined as the Fairfield defense held its opponent to four goals for the second consecutive game. The Stags remain amongst the top 50 schools in the nation in a number of statistical categories as accolades continue to roll in this season, with five players hitting century totals in points, draws, and ground balls, and a program record 12 draw controls set 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 33 goals and 41 total points, followed closely by Libby Rowe with 23 goals and 16 assists. Olivia Doody sits third on the team with an even 18 goals and 18 helpers and Ellie Grefenstette rounds out a group of four players with 30 or more points for the Stags as she has tallied 21 goals and 14 dimes. Defensively, the Stags are led by Lindsey Barnes who paces both the caused turnover department with 27 while also collecting 26 ground balls, and Rylee Harrell has a season-best 57 draw controls for the squad, followed by 45 from LaVista and 23 from Rowe to top the Stags' numbers this season.
SCOUTING THE SIENA SAINTS
The Stags will be taking on a Saints team that has won its first four conference games which included a defensive 8-6 game against Mount St. Mary's in the midweek, making them the only other undefeated team in the MAAC with one game in hand on Fairfield overall, with Siena's bye week coming at the end of the season opposite Stags.
With 24 goals and 17 assists Kelly Logue leads the team with 41 overall points while Grace Dobrzynski sits just two points back of her with 13 goals and a team best 26 helpers. Defensively Jordan Bentley and Laura Bonono lead with 35 draw controls apiece with Sabrina Krasner pacing the ground ball numbers with 37 at more then double the next most by any Saint.
CONFERENCE SUPERLATIVES
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 Monday afternoon. Doody's 12 points came off of seven goals and five assists along with three ground balls and a pair of caused turnovers defensively. With the MAAC calendar opening for the Stags last Wednesday at Iona the Newtown, Pa. native netted two goals while dishing out a season-best four assists. She would follow that on Saturday as Fairfield returned home to host Marist, scoring a career-high five goals in addition to a single helper.
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 to that point in the 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
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 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
Hitting the road after three straight home games, Fairfield women's lacrosse is back in action Wednesday for a trip down to Maryland for the first ever conference matchup with MAAC newcomers Mount St. Mary's. Opening draw is slated for 12:00 p.m. from Emmitsburg, Md.
