Lacrosse Visits Ohio State Wednesday

// THE OPENING DRAW
The University of Cincinnati lacrosse team returns to action on the road Wednesday as the Bearcats travel north to Columbus for a 5 p.m. contest at Ohio State. The game will be played at the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on the OSU campus.

// QUICK SHOTS
• Cincinnati is 0-2 on the year while Ohio State is 3-1
• 2019 AAC Freshman of the Year Kylie Nause got back into a scoring groove at Marquette as the sophomore recorded the first hat trick of the year with three of the Bearcats' six goals against the Eagles
• Freshman Peyton Mottice is second in points on the team as she added one assist to bring her season total to four points on one goal and three assists
• Amanda Fess, who entered the year with 11 career goals, including nine last year, already has three to her credit this year

// SCOUTING: OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes are 3-1 on the year and saw their three-game season-opening winning streak snapped last time out as they fell at #12 Stony Brook, 20-7. OSU is 3-0 on the year at home with wins over Duquesne (11-9), Robert Morris (13-8) and Kent State (22-11). Sophie Baez leads the way with 10 points and is tied for the team lead in goals scored (7) with Chloe Johnson. Defensively, Jill Rizzo pas played most of the minutes in goal this year, stopping 35 shots and allowing 45 goals for a 12.66 goals against average.

// SERIES HISTORY: BEARCATS vs. BUCKEYES
Cincinnati is 1-7 all-time against Ohio State and last the most recent meeting, 16-6, last year in Cincinnati. Two years ago, the Bearcats won at home, 17-12, to mark the first time UC had come out on top in the series, snapping a six-game losing streak. The Buckeyes are 3-0 when they play host to the game and took the last meeting, 17-8, in 2017.

// GRAB A HAT
In last week's loss at Marquette, Kylie Nause led the way offensively as she netted a trio of goals, giving her her first hat trick of the season and the 11th of her career. After posting 10 last year, Nause has moved into a tie for #6 on the program's all-time hat trick list, equaling the output of Lindsey Marshall (2008-09).

// ROOKIES STARTING STRONG
So far this year, nine different players have scored at least one goal. Of those players, two are freshmen with both Peyton Mottice and Kenna Hancock having scored once each. Mottice is currently second on the team in points with four (1 goal, 3 assists) while Hancock is tied for second with three points (1 goal, 2 assists) after she scored her first collegiate goal in the Marquette game.

// MLKVY HONORED
Speaking of rookies, in her debut game (vs. Louisville), Dani Mlkvy recorded five caused turnovers, six ground balls and four draw controls as she marked one of the top scorers for the Louisville throughout. She led or tied for the team lead in all three categories with her five caused turnovers also ranking her tied for third on the program's single-game record ledger, one off the record of six recorded three times. For her efforts, the freshman was named to this week's AAC Honor Roll.

// MAKING DEBUTS
Mlkvy was one of eight freshmen that saw their first collegiate minutes against Louisville and one of four that earned a place in the starting lineup. The three other starters included Gianna Pope, Kenna Hancock and Peyton Mottice while the other rookies to see minutes included Tori Accardo, Sophia Finotti, Morgan Bates and Anna Green.

PREVIOUSLY NOTED
// THAT'S A FIRST
Late in the first half, the Bearcats cut the deficit to three goals (6-3) with Haley Brady scoring the goal. That goal, which Hancock assisted, was the first of Brady's career and came on her only shot of the day. Last year, as a freshman, Brady fired just three shots.

// DOUBLE
Late in the game, Amanda Fess scored back-to-back goals to bring UC to within six once again. Those two scores marked the first time in the senior's career that she has scored multiple goals in the same game.

LOOKING BACK AT 2019
// HISTORIC HAUL
The postseason awards for the American were announced with the Bearcats earning two major awards and seven all-conference honors. The two major awards mark the first time in program history UC has earned any while the seven all-conference selections more than double the previous all-time total of six earned in the last four years playing in the Big East Conference.

// TOP HONOR: FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
One of the first major awards earned is AAC Freshman of the Year and that went to Kylie Nause. The top scoring rookie in the league, Nause tallied 41 goals and four assists for 45 points. She has totaled 10 hat tricks on the year, including seven in a row at one point. 

// TOP HONOR: COACHING STAFF OF THE YEAR
The second major award saw the UC coaches earn the AAC Coaching Staff of the Year. Heading into the year, the Bearcats were picked to finish fifth in the AAC and miss the tournament. However, the team improved its overall win total for the fourth year in a row, doubled is all-time conference wins haul and challenged for the league crown, going 4-1 overall to earn the second seed in the tournament. The Bearcats broke numerous records throughout the year, including overall wins (12), conference wins (4), home wins (10), overall wins in a row (8), home wins in a row (10) and will post the first over .500 winning percentage in program history.

// FOUR ON FIRST TEAM
Four Bearcats earned AAC All-Conference First Team honors, including Monica Borzillo, Morgan Dukes, Sam Mlkvy and Nause. Borzillo, the first UC player to earn three awards in a career, earned her first on the first-team as she was also a unanimous selection. Mlkvy is the first midfield player to earn first-team honors at UC while Nause is the first freshman to earn first-team accolade (Borzillo was second team in 2017). Dukes is the second defender to earn a spot on the first team after Kyara Byner (2016).

// THREE ON SECOND TEAM
The Bearcats also had three women appearing on the second team including Amanda Donovan, Giuliana Durso and Adrianna Fess. Donovan is making her second appearance on a second team after earning the distinction in 2017 in the Big East. She also joins Borzillo as the only two Bearcats to earn multiple all-conference selections. Durso and Fess both earned their first accolades with Durso becoming the first UC goalie to receive an honor.

// 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. Coach Gina Thomas (@GinaOliverUC) also can be followed on Twitter.

// NEXT TIME
Next Wednesday, the Bearcats return to action at home as they are set to face #22 Virginia Tech. The game will begin at 4 p.m. and will be played at Gettler Stadium on campus.