TicketsMarch 7, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
STORY LINES
The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team plays its home season opener on Sunday, March 8 at 11:30 a.m. against Villanova at Nippert Stadium. The Bearcats return home after a season-opening four-game road swing in which they earned three victories. Villanova visits the Queen City after a 20-6 loss at Louisville on Friday night.
Cincinnati will be looking to bounce back from an 18-9 loss to nationally ranked Johns Hopkins on Wednesday. Senior Lindsey Marshall scored four goals and had an assist for the Bearcats but the Blue Jays pushed out to a 9-4 halftime lead and held on for the victory.
UC will work with Villanova in conjunction with the charitable organization, Friends of Jaclyn (FOJ), to raise public awareness about pediatric brain tumors. The teams will wear special warm-up jerseys prior to the game to signify their support of FOJ.
Cincinnati is third in the BIG EAST in ground balls per game (23.25), second in fouls per game (27.50) and leads the league in saves (40). Freshman Laura Simanski is ranked third in the conference with her 3.5 goal per game average, freshman Lauren Houck is ranked sixth with her 1.50 assist per game average, freshman LB Zinkand is ranked third with 3.75 ground balls per game, and freshman Katherine Russo leads the league with 9.50 saves per game.
Sophomore Natalie Starvaggi began the 2009 season with a hat trick in the season opener at Presbyterian and has scored a goal in each of UC's last two games. Lauren Houck waited two games to score her first goal of 2009 (at Robert Morris) and has tallied a goal in UC's last two games.
Sophomore Lynsey Burton scored the first goal in UC history last season, on a free position attempt at the 22:10 mark of the first period at Vanderbilt on Feb. 14, 2008. Burton, a sophomore, repeated her season-opening goal scoring performance in 2009, scoring at the 28:05 mark of the first period at Presbyterian on Feb. 15. Burton's goal against PC gave the Bearcats a 1-0 lead that they did not relinquish. In the team's trip to the Steel City, Burton scored UC's first goal against Duquesne and against Robert Morris.
Freshman Laura Simanski helped the Bearcats to a 3-0 start in their first season of BIG EAST play totaling 13 goals to begin the year. She also had six ground balls, six draw controls and six caused turnovers over the three contests. Simanski averaged 4.3 goals per game and had a program-record six goals in an 11-10 overtime win against Robert Morris on Feb. 22. She also had a score in overtime to go along with four ground balls, three draw controls and three caused turnovers at Robert Morris. She was named the BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week for the week of Feb. 23.
Freshman Katherine Russo was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the week of Feb. 23. Russo helped hold UC's first three opponents to 10 goals or less, had 14 saves in an 11-8 win at Duquesne on Feb. 20, and recorded nine saves in the 11-10 overtime win against Robert Morris on Feb. 22.
Fans of the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team are encouraged to wear pink when attending the March 15 game against Vanderbilt at Nippert Stadium as UC works to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer. The Bearcats will wear pink uniforms during the game against the Commodores as a way raise awareness for the disease. The game against Vanderbilt will begin at Noon.
Lindsey Marshall, Patty Kelly, Natalie Starvaggi and Paige Stratton are the 2009 captains. The group of leaders provide solid experience for the 2009 squad that includes 15 newcomers.
The University of Cincinnati's lacrosse team was recently featured in Lacrosse Magazine, where they were praised for their involvement with the community, including raising awareness for breast cancer, service with the Marine Corps Toys for Tots campaign, and involvement with the 82nd Engineer Support Company (ESC), in Camp Ramadi, Iraq.
A QUICK LOOK AT VILLANOVA
Villanova has a 1-2 overall record so far this season. The Wildcats won their season opener against Central Connecticut State, 13-5, but have lost their last two games, at Iona (15-10) and at Louisville (20-6). The Wildcats are coached by Jebb Chagan, who is in his fifth year at the helm of the Villanova lacrosse program. Statistically, Taryn McKenna leads the team with 10 points and eight goals while Taylor Lucy and Carly Miller have found the back of the net five times each. Kim Wisniewski and Maggie Langan each have a team-high seven ground balls. Langan has started all three games in goal for Villanova and has 24 saves and a 12.80 goals-against average.