Tickets// THE OPENING DRAW
Following two games on the road, the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team will return home this weekend as the Bearcats will play host to #24 Georgetown in a 12 p.m. opening draw inside Nippert Stadium Saturday afternoon. The game between the Bearcats (6-3, 0-2 BIG EAST) and Hoyas (5-4, 1-1) will be part of UC's 2018 National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration that will also include several other teams playing at home Saturday.
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Oliver (@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.
// DRESS CODE: WEAR PINK
Saturday's game will be the team's annual Pink Game, which this year is being presented by UC Health. The game, which strives to help bring awareness to breast cancer and the continued fight to find a cure, is a cause the team is passionate about as the disease has effected several family members. Prior to the game Saturday, the first 250 fans in attendance will receive pink T-shirts.
// NATIONAL DAY
Saturday will be National Girls and Women in Sports Day at UC with the Bearcats' game with Georgetown being one over several events taking place on campus. Along with a panel discussion, pre-game activities and a tour of campus, registered participants will also be able to take in several different sporting events on the day, including lacrosse (12 p.m. at Nippert Stadium), baseball vs. Houston (12 p.m. at Marge Schott Stadium), track & field hosting the Oliver Nikoloff Open (all day at Gettler Stadium) and women's soccer vs. Bowling Green (4 p.m. at Nippert Stadium).
// GOING LIVE
All 10 home games on the schedule this season will be streamed live by BearcatsTV will all airing free of charge. Visit the lacrosse schedule page on GoBearcats.com and click WATCH next to the game you want to view. A link for live stats can be found on the schedule as well.
// EXPERIENCE UC
Once again in 2018, all home games will be part of the Experience UC initiative, which is geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending women's basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming and diving and track and field home events.
// QUICK SHOTS
• UC continues to lead the NCAA in ground balls per game at 26.56 this week
• The Bearcats also rank highly in the nation in caused turnovers (#17) and shot percentage (#24)
• Rushford and Borzillo each rank in the national Top 25 in multiple categories, including points per game
• Both also are among the best in the BIG EAST in several offensive categories
• UC is ranked in the Top 4 in six different categories in the BIG EAST (through March 28)
• The Bearcats lost at Temple, 9-8, in double overtime in their last game played
• UC is now 3-5 in overtime games and 9-12 all-time in one-goal games
• Rushford continues to have a hot hand as she now has scored 29 goals in 9 games, already placing her eighth on the program's season goal scoring chart just past the halfway point of the season
// AMONG THE BEST - TEAM
Through Wednesday night's games across the nation, the Bearcats remained among the best in the nation in several statistical categories as UC is the NCAA leader in ground balls per game, averaging 25.56 per contest. The Bearcats also rank 17th nationally with 10.89 caused turnovers per game and sit 24th with a 45.3 shot percentage.
// KEYS TO SUCCESS
The offense and defense have both improved this season and that has helped the Bearcats to a 6-3 start, meaning UC needs just one more win to tie its season record for wins in a campaign. To get to this point, through nine games, the Bearcats have scored 124 goals and allowed 101 for a +23 differential in scoring. To put in perspective, here is how 2018 stacks up with the previous 10 seasons of UC lacrosse:
• The 124 goals are the most through nine games, surpassing the 118 scored last year, and marks only the fourth time UC has scored 100+ through nine games
• The 101 allowed are the fourth-fewest through nine games into a season in program history
• Combined, the +23 differential is just the third time UC has been in the advantage through nine games in program history with the previous best being a +11 in 2016
// AMONG THE BEST - INDIVIDUAL
To get to where UC is as a team, several players have been lighting it up offensively with both Monica Borzillo and McKenna Rushford leading the offensive charge. Nationally, Borzillo is in the Top 25 in three categories, ranking 18th in points per game (4.78), 23rd in assists per game (2.00) and 25th in total points (43) while Rushford ranks 21st in points per game (4.67) and 25th in free-position goals per game (1.11). But, its not just the offense that is contributing as goalie Giuliana Durso currently ranks 24th in saves per game (9.89) and is 26th in total saves (89).
// IN THE LEAGUE - TEAM
As a team, the Bearcats also have found their way into the Top 4 in six categories in the BIG EAST, including #1 in ground balls per game (26.56) and #2 in shot percentage (45.3). UC also is #3 in a trio of categories, including caused turnovers per game (10.67), goals against average (11.09) and save percentage (47.1) while also ranking #4 in saves per game (10.00).
// IN THE LEAGUE - INDIVIDUAL
Rushford and Borzillo are both in the Top 10 of the individual scoring categories as the duo ranks #4 (4.67) and #3 (4.78), respectively, in points per game. Rushford also sits #3 in free-position goals per game (1.11), #5 in goals per game (3.22) and #9 in assists per game (1.44) while Borzillo ranks tied for #3 in assists per game (2.00) and tied for #8 in goals per game (2.78). Two other Bearcats can find their name in the Top 10 of categories, including Morgan Dukes, who is #5 in ground balls per game (2.89) and Durso, who is in the Top 5 of three goalie categories: #3 in saves per game (9.89), #4 in save percentage (47.3) and #5 in goals against average (11.16).
// RECAP: DOUBLE OT LOSS AT TEMPLE
The Bearcats took the lead first with Rushford scoring at 27:01 in the first half before the score was tied by TU less than four minutes later. UC reclaimed the lead once again as Taylor Gysin scored at 18:02, but, the Owls tied it at 2-2 at 15:54 with their second of the game. The Bearcats would go on to score the next two goals as Rushford cashed in from a free-position shot and Sam Mlkvy added a goal to make 4-2 with 11:25 remaining as Mlkvy's tally came just 13 seconds after Rushford. TU pulled one back to make it 4-3 before Kate Carney scored for a 5-3 lead and Amanda Donovan added a goal with under two minutes remaining for a 6-3 advantage. The game went to halftime at 6-4 with the hosts scoring at 1:07 remaining. Following the intermission, neither team was able to score for the first 13 minutes of action until the hosts netted back-to-back goals within one minute of each other for a 6-6 score. Rushford struck again at 16:14 for a 7-6 lead, but the Owls scored twice in a 40 second span for their first lead of the day at 8-7 with just over 10 minutes remaining. After some back and forth attempts and forced turnovers, UC tied the game with 4:33 remaining in regulation as Rushford found the back of the cage for the fourth time on the day and the UC defense held to force overtime. In the first overtime period, both teams had several chances to win the game, but had their attempts turned away by the goalies with Durso stopping a pair of shots. The second overtime came with TU controlling the draw before Maddie Gebert scored under one minute into the second extra session to give the Owls the victory, 9-8.
// TOO CLOSE
With the loss in overtime, the Bearcats fell to 3-5 all-time in such games and saw a two-game winning streak in overtime contests snapped. That last time UC was involved in an overtime contest was during the 2015 season when the Bearcats pulled out an 11-10 victory over visiting Stetson on March 4. The last time UC played a BIG EAST opponent in an overtime game was also the last double overtime contest the Bearcats have played, falling in Philadelphia at Villanova, 16-15, on April 30, 2010. Overall, the Bearcats are now 9-12 all-time in one-goal games in their 10-plus years of play.
// RUSHING IN
Rushford's four goals moved her to 29 scores on the season, which ranks her tied for the eighth-most goals scored in a single season in program history. Rushford, who also added one assist to finish with five points on the day, has tallied 42 points on the year, which not only places her seventh on the single-season chart, but also makes her just the eighth Bearcats player to record 40 or more points in a single season. She and Monica Borzillo (43 points) are both over that threshold just nine games into the season.
// CLOSING IN
Through nine games, UC has already tied for the third-best win total in program history. In the 11 years the program has competed at the varsity level, UC has won six games three times (2014, 2017, 2018) and seven games twice (2009, 2013).
// SCOUTING: #24 GEORGETOWN
The Hoyas entered the week with the #24 ranking in the latest IWLCA Division I Coaches Poll with a 5-3 before dropping a 17-5 decision at #2 Maryland Wednesday night to fall to 5-4 overall. It was Georgetown's second game in a row against a Top 10 team after it fell at home to #8 Florida, 16-11, over the weekend. Offensively, both Taylor Gebhardt (25) and Michaele Bruno (20) have scored 20 or more goals on the season and join Emily Ehle with 20 or more points as the trio have recorded 28, 25 and 28, respectively. Defensively, Haelle Chomo has seen most of the action in the cage, stopping 70 shots and allowing 108 goals so far this season (13.94 goals against average).
// SERIES HISTORY
The Bearcats and Hoyas have met each of the last nine years in a row as members of the BIG EAST with Georgetown winning all nine meetings. The last time the two teams met came last year in Washington, D.C., with the Hoyas taking a 19-7 victory. The last time the series was played in Cincinnati came during the 2016 season with the visitors winning, 10-5.
// GOING TO EUROPE
This summer, the Bearcats will be going international as they will travel to both the Netherlands and Greece where they will play against some top international competition. The team is currently accepting gifts that will go toward the UC Athletics Women's Excellence Fund in support of the lacrosse program and their June trip across the pond. For more information and to give your gift, visit: http://bit.ly/CinLAXGreece.
// NEXT TIME
The Bearcats will play a pair of games in the BIG EAST next week, first traveling to Vanderbilt and then playing host to #25 Denver. First, UC will head to Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, April 4, for a 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) game with the Commodores before returning home on Saturday, April 7, for a Noon ET game against the visiting Pioneers. The game with DU, which will be played at Gettler Stadium, will also by Alumni Day as the program will celebrate the first 10 years of alumni ahead of the game.
Following two games on the road, the University of Cincinnati lacrosse team will return home this weekend as the Bearcats will play host to #24 Georgetown in a 12 p.m. opening draw inside Nippert Stadium Saturday afternoon. The game between the Bearcats (6-3, 0-2 BIG EAST) and Hoyas (5-4, 1-1) will be part of UC's 2018 National Girls and Women in Sports Day Celebration that will also include several other teams playing at home Saturday.
// FOLLOW US
GoBearcats.com is your one-stop destination for all things UC Athletics. Socially, the team can also be followed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram with all using the handle GoBearcatsLAX. Head Coach Gina Oliver (@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.
// DRESS CODE: WEAR PINK
Saturday's game will be the team's annual Pink Game, which this year is being presented by UC Health. The game, which strives to help bring awareness to breast cancer and the continued fight to find a cure, is a cause the team is passionate about as the disease has effected several family members. Prior to the game Saturday, the first 250 fans in attendance will receive pink T-shirts.
// NATIONAL DAY
Saturday will be National Girls and Women in Sports Day at UC with the Bearcats' game with Georgetown being one over several events taking place on campus. Along with a panel discussion, pre-game activities and a tour of campus, registered participants will also be able to take in several different sporting events on the day, including lacrosse (12 p.m. at Nippert Stadium), baseball vs. Houston (12 p.m. at Marge Schott Stadium), track & field hosting the Oliver Nikoloff Open (all day at Gettler Stadium) and women's soccer vs. Bowling Green (4 p.m. at Nippert Stadium).
// GOING LIVE
All 10 home games on the schedule this season will be streamed live by BearcatsTV will all airing free of charge. Visit the lacrosse schedule page on GoBearcats.com and click WATCH next to the game you want to view. A link for live stats can be found on the schedule as well.
// EXPERIENCE UC
Once again in 2018, all home games will be part of the Experience UC initiative, which is geared toward inviting the community to campus to see firsthand the great things about and surrounding the university. Experience UC includes complimentary admission for patrons attending women's basketball, lacrosse, volleyball, women's tennis, men's and women's soccer, swimming and diving and track and field home events.
// QUICK SHOTS
• UC continues to lead the NCAA in ground balls per game at 26.56 this week
• The Bearcats also rank highly in the nation in caused turnovers (#17) and shot percentage (#24)
• Rushford and Borzillo each rank in the national Top 25 in multiple categories, including points per game
• Both also are among the best in the BIG EAST in several offensive categories
• UC is ranked in the Top 4 in six different categories in the BIG EAST (through March 28)
• The Bearcats lost at Temple, 9-8, in double overtime in their last game played
• UC is now 3-5 in overtime games and 9-12 all-time in one-goal games
• Rushford continues to have a hot hand as she now has scored 29 goals in 9 games, already placing her eighth on the program's season goal scoring chart just past the halfway point of the season
// AMONG THE BEST - TEAM
Through Wednesday night's games across the nation, the Bearcats remained among the best in the nation in several statistical categories as UC is the NCAA leader in ground balls per game, averaging 25.56 per contest. The Bearcats also rank 17th nationally with 10.89 caused turnovers per game and sit 24th with a 45.3 shot percentage.
// KEYS TO SUCCESS
The offense and defense have both improved this season and that has helped the Bearcats to a 6-3 start, meaning UC needs just one more win to tie its season record for wins in a campaign. To get to this point, through nine games, the Bearcats have scored 124 goals and allowed 101 for a +23 differential in scoring. To put in perspective, here is how 2018 stacks up with the previous 10 seasons of UC lacrosse:
• The 124 goals are the most through nine games, surpassing the 118 scored last year, and marks only the fourth time UC has scored 100+ through nine games
• The 101 allowed are the fourth-fewest through nine games into a season in program history
• Combined, the +23 differential is just the third time UC has been in the advantage through nine games in program history with the previous best being a +11 in 2016
// AMONG THE BEST - INDIVIDUAL
To get to where UC is as a team, several players have been lighting it up offensively with both Monica Borzillo and McKenna Rushford leading the offensive charge. Nationally, Borzillo is in the Top 25 in three categories, ranking 18th in points per game (4.78), 23rd in assists per game (2.00) and 25th in total points (43) while Rushford ranks 21st in points per game (4.67) and 25th in free-position goals per game (1.11). But, its not just the offense that is contributing as goalie Giuliana Durso currently ranks 24th in saves per game (9.89) and is 26th in total saves (89).
// IN THE LEAGUE - TEAM
As a team, the Bearcats also have found their way into the Top 4 in six categories in the BIG EAST, including #1 in ground balls per game (26.56) and #2 in shot percentage (45.3). UC also is #3 in a trio of categories, including caused turnovers per game (10.67), goals against average (11.09) and save percentage (47.1) while also ranking #4 in saves per game (10.00).
// IN THE LEAGUE - INDIVIDUAL
Rushford and Borzillo are both in the Top 10 of the individual scoring categories as the duo ranks #4 (4.67) and #3 (4.78), respectively, in points per game. Rushford also sits #3 in free-position goals per game (1.11), #5 in goals per game (3.22) and #9 in assists per game (1.44) while Borzillo ranks tied for #3 in assists per game (2.00) and tied for #8 in goals per game (2.78). Two other Bearcats can find their name in the Top 10 of categories, including Morgan Dukes, who is #5 in ground balls per game (2.89) and Durso, who is in the Top 5 of three goalie categories: #3 in saves per game (9.89), #4 in save percentage (47.3) and #5 in goals against average (11.16).
// RECAP: DOUBLE OT LOSS AT TEMPLE
The Bearcats took the lead first with Rushford scoring at 27:01 in the first half before the score was tied by TU less than four minutes later. UC reclaimed the lead once again as Taylor Gysin scored at 18:02, but, the Owls tied it at 2-2 at 15:54 with their second of the game. The Bearcats would go on to score the next two goals as Rushford cashed in from a free-position shot and Sam Mlkvy added a goal to make 4-2 with 11:25 remaining as Mlkvy's tally came just 13 seconds after Rushford. TU pulled one back to make it 4-3 before Kate Carney scored for a 5-3 lead and Amanda Donovan added a goal with under two minutes remaining for a 6-3 advantage. The game went to halftime at 6-4 with the hosts scoring at 1:07 remaining. Following the intermission, neither team was able to score for the first 13 minutes of action until the hosts netted back-to-back goals within one minute of each other for a 6-6 score. Rushford struck again at 16:14 for a 7-6 lead, but the Owls scored twice in a 40 second span for their first lead of the day at 8-7 with just over 10 minutes remaining. After some back and forth attempts and forced turnovers, UC tied the game with 4:33 remaining in regulation as Rushford found the back of the cage for the fourth time on the day and the UC defense held to force overtime. In the first overtime period, both teams had several chances to win the game, but had their attempts turned away by the goalies with Durso stopping a pair of shots. The second overtime came with TU controlling the draw before Maddie Gebert scored under one minute into the second extra session to give the Owls the victory, 9-8.
// TOO CLOSE
With the loss in overtime, the Bearcats fell to 3-5 all-time in such games and saw a two-game winning streak in overtime contests snapped. That last time UC was involved in an overtime contest was during the 2015 season when the Bearcats pulled out an 11-10 victory over visiting Stetson on March 4. The last time UC played a BIG EAST opponent in an overtime game was also the last double overtime contest the Bearcats have played, falling in Philadelphia at Villanova, 16-15, on April 30, 2010. Overall, the Bearcats are now 9-12 all-time in one-goal games in their 10-plus years of play.
// RUSHING IN
Rushford's four goals moved her to 29 scores on the season, which ranks her tied for the eighth-most goals scored in a single season in program history. Rushford, who also added one assist to finish with five points on the day, has tallied 42 points on the year, which not only places her seventh on the single-season chart, but also makes her just the eighth Bearcats player to record 40 or more points in a single season. She and Monica Borzillo (43 points) are both over that threshold just nine games into the season.
// CLOSING IN
Through nine games, UC has already tied for the third-best win total in program history. In the 11 years the program has competed at the varsity level, UC has won six games three times (2014, 2017, 2018) and seven games twice (2009, 2013).
// SCOUTING: #24 GEORGETOWN
The Hoyas entered the week with the #24 ranking in the latest IWLCA Division I Coaches Poll with a 5-3 before dropping a 17-5 decision at #2 Maryland Wednesday night to fall to 5-4 overall. It was Georgetown's second game in a row against a Top 10 team after it fell at home to #8 Florida, 16-11, over the weekend. Offensively, both Taylor Gebhardt (25) and Michaele Bruno (20) have scored 20 or more goals on the season and join Emily Ehle with 20 or more points as the trio have recorded 28, 25 and 28, respectively. Defensively, Haelle Chomo has seen most of the action in the cage, stopping 70 shots and allowing 108 goals so far this season (13.94 goals against average).
// SERIES HISTORY
The Bearcats and Hoyas have met each of the last nine years in a row as members of the BIG EAST with Georgetown winning all nine meetings. The last time the two teams met came last year in Washington, D.C., with the Hoyas taking a 19-7 victory. The last time the series was played in Cincinnati came during the 2016 season with the visitors winning, 10-5.
// GOING TO EUROPE
This summer, the Bearcats will be going international as they will travel to both the Netherlands and Greece where they will play against some top international competition. The team is currently accepting gifts that will go toward the UC Athletics Women's Excellence Fund in support of the lacrosse program and their June trip across the pond. For more information and to give your gift, visit: http://bit.ly/CinLAXGreece.
// NEXT TIME
The Bearcats will play a pair of games in the BIG EAST next week, first traveling to Vanderbilt and then playing host to #25 Denver. First, UC will head to Nashville, Tenn., on Wednesday, April 4, for a 2 p.m. CT (3 p.m. ET) game with the Commodores before returning home on Saturday, April 7, for a Noon ET game against the visiting Pioneers. The game with DU, which will be played at Gettler Stadium, will also by Alumni Day as the program will celebrate the first 10 years of alumni ahead of the game.