TicketsMarch 24, 2009
Complete Release in PDF Format
STORY LINES
The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team returns to Nippert Stadium after a 10-day break from game action, taking on Fresno State at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. The Bearcats are looking to snap a two-game losing skid while Fresno State is looking for its first win of the 2009 season.
Cincinnati has played back-to-back ranked opponents prior to their game against the Bulldogs. The Bearcats lost, 20-8, at No. 19/20 Ohio State, and fell, 19-7, to No. 10/10 Vanderbilt. Freshman Laura Simanski and senior Lindsey Marshall have been unphased by the ranked opponents, scoring a combined 11 points over the last two games. Marshall recorded a hat trick at Ohio State and Simanski tallied four goals against the Commodores. The duo had one assist apiece over the two-game span.
Against Vanderbilt, the two teams traded goals early in the first half with Cincinnati taking a 3-2 lead at the 20:58 mark of the first period. Vanderbilt responded with six unanswered goals and pushed out to an 11-4 halftime lead that the Bearcats were unable to overcome. Simanski recorded her fifth hat trick of the season while Marshall, Jenn Doran, and MacKenzie Parsons each recorded a goal for Cincinnati.
Katherine Russo, who has started all six matches for the Bearcats, was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll for the second time this season after her peformance against nationally ranked Johns Hopkins and Villanova. Russo gave up 18 goals for the week, but had 22 saves, including two crucial saves with 23 and 17 seconds remaining in the victory over Villanova. She was also named to the Honor Roll for the week of Feb. 23. So far this season she has a 12.32 goals-against average and has posted an impressive 73 saves.
Cincinnati opened the 2009 season with three straight victories but has earned only one win over its last four games. One dramatic difference on the stat sheet between the first three games and the last three are fouls. In UC's 3-0 start, the Bearcats committed 71 fouls (65 for opponents). In their last four games, they have 142 fouls (93 for opponents).
MacKenzie Parsons has been consistent offensively over the last four games, scoring five goals. Parsons has controlled 12 draws in the last four games and has seven goals and 16 draw controls on the season.
Cincinnati ranks 11th nationally (games through March 22) with 21.29 ground balls per game. Russo is ranked 15th nationally with 10.0 saves per game and has the 37th best save percentage (.453). Marshall is ranked fourth in the nation with 2.67 caused turnovers per game while LB Zinkand is ranked 15th with 3.29 ground balls per game and Simanski is ranked 21st with 3.14 goals per game.
Fresno State is in its first season, similar to the Bearcats last season. The Bulldogs have not won a game in five tries and have not played a game since March 6, a 20-0 loss at Oregon. Cincinnati earned its first win in program history in its fourth game of the 2008 inaugural season, a 12-7 win against Saint Mary's (Calif.).
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.
Cincinnati's game against Detroit on April 29 has been moved to April 27. The Bearcats will play Detroit on April 27 at 7 p.m. at Indian Hills High School in Cincinnati.
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 Fresno State
Fresno State is 0-5-0 in its inaugural season of play. Heather Jack scored the Bulldogs' first-ever goal against Stanford (second game of the season) with 4:21 left in the game. The Bulldogs are coached by Sue Behme, spent nine seasons as the head coach of Division III Nazareth College. Behme is 136-66 overall as a head coach. Five players have scored one goal for Fresno State. Diana Aguilar has spent the most time in goal, recording 27 saves over five games. Allie Zachariades leads the team with a team-high six ground balls in 2009.