TicketsCINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati lacrosse team will begin its 16th season Friday when it hosts Kent State at 3 p.m.
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PRESEASON PICKS
Junior midfielder Ava Goeller and senior defender Dani Mlkvy earned Preseason All-AAC selections.
Goeller (Bel Air, Md.) was a Second-Team selection last year. She started and played in all 17 games, tallying 44 goals, 15 assists, 44 draw controls and 26 ground balls for the Bearcats, second on the team in the first three of those. Goeller ranked sixth overall in the AAC for goals per game (2.59 avg/g) and second for free-position goals (0.88 avg/g). She was also ranked 11th nationally for shots per game at 7.82. After only one season with the Bearcats, Goeller has found a way to place herself throughout multiple records in the program's record book.
Mlkvy (Berlin, N.J) was a unanimous selection. She started in all 17 games and led the Bearcats in draw controls (81) ground balls (38) and caused turnovers (22) during the 2022 season. Mlkvy ranked fourth in the AAC for ground balls (2.24 avg/g) and third for draw controls (4.76 avg/g). The senior was also an AAC First-Teamer last year, joining Goeller as two of three captains as well.
RETURNING CONTRIBUTORS
The Bearcats are also geared to return Grace Wehland (20 goals, seven assists), Elizabeth Murphy (14 goals, 21 assists), Kylie Gioia (14 goals, six assists as a freshman) and senior Peyton Mottice (seven goals, three assists), as well as senior captain Morgan Bates, who joins Goeller and Mlkvy in that role. UC also returns defensive stalwarts Tori Accardo, Sophia Finotti and Grace Hirschmann, among others.
LID-LIFTERS
Cincinnati fell to Marquette (16-13) and Ohio State (18-9) in last year's season and home openers, respectively. The Buckeye matchup also came during an unseasonably cool evening. Its veteran-heavy 2021 team defeated Marquette, 20-19, in the Sheakley Athletics Center bubble, which was meant to mark the first full-time season in Nippert Stadium until winter weather prevailed.
SERIES HISTORY
UC leads 4-0, with all of them over the last four years. Cincinnati won on the road last March 4, 17-11, behind an eventual season-high 42 shots (28 on goal). The Bearcats extended their lead by a goal in each quarter before a 5-2 margin to close it out. Kylie Nause scored five goals on seven shots, while Ava Goeller earned a hat trick.
It started with a 19-8 win in 2019, which was Kent State's first-ever contest, followed by a 25-8 road win in the finale before the COVID shutdown, also marking a school-record for goals. The Bearcats took a 15-5 win in Nippert Stadium in 2021.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
The goalkeeper battle has largely come down to Akron transfer Ashley Lapp, who started 27 contests over the last two years, and freshman Ellie Puente. Lapp had 16 saves against six goals in a win for the first matchup, then had 14 saves in an 11-6 defeat the second time.
Should Puente earn the nod, she will be the third freshman to start the opener at keeper of the last four years (Sophie O'Brien in 2022, Gianna Pope in 2020).
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Free Admission
PRESEASON PICKS
Junior midfielder Ava Goeller and senior defender Dani Mlkvy earned Preseason All-AAC selections.
Goeller (Bel Air, Md.) was a Second-Team selection last year. She started and played in all 17 games, tallying 44 goals, 15 assists, 44 draw controls and 26 ground balls for the Bearcats, second on the team in the first three of those. Goeller ranked sixth overall in the AAC for goals per game (2.59 avg/g) and second for free-position goals (0.88 avg/g). She was also ranked 11th nationally for shots per game at 7.82. After only one season with the Bearcats, Goeller has found a way to place herself throughout multiple records in the program's record book.
Mlkvy (Berlin, N.J) was a unanimous selection. She started in all 17 games and led the Bearcats in draw controls (81) ground balls (38) and caused turnovers (22) during the 2022 season. Mlkvy ranked fourth in the AAC for ground balls (2.24 avg/g) and third for draw controls (4.76 avg/g). The senior was also an AAC First-Teamer last year, joining Goeller as two of three captains as well.
RETURNING CONTRIBUTORS
The Bearcats are also geared to return Grace Wehland (20 goals, seven assists), Elizabeth Murphy (14 goals, 21 assists), Kylie Gioia (14 goals, six assists as a freshman) and senior Peyton Mottice (seven goals, three assists), as well as senior captain Morgan Bates, who joins Goeller and Mlkvy in that role. UC also returns defensive stalwarts Tori Accardo, Sophia Finotti and Grace Hirschmann, among others.
LID-LIFTERS
Cincinnati fell to Marquette (16-13) and Ohio State (18-9) in last year's season and home openers, respectively. The Buckeye matchup also came during an unseasonably cool evening. Its veteran-heavy 2021 team defeated Marquette, 20-19, in the Sheakley Athletics Center bubble, which was meant to mark the first full-time season in Nippert Stadium until winter weather prevailed.
SERIES HISTORY
UC leads 4-0, with all of them over the last four years. Cincinnati won on the road last March 4, 17-11, behind an eventual season-high 42 shots (28 on goal). The Bearcats extended their lead by a goal in each quarter before a 5-2 margin to close it out. Kylie Nause scored five goals on seven shots, while Ava Goeller earned a hat trick.
It started with a 19-8 win in 2019, which was Kent State's first-ever contest, followed by a 25-8 road win in the finale before the COVID shutdown, also marking a school-record for goals. The Bearcats took a 15-5 win in Nippert Stadium in 2021.
BETWEEN THE PIPES
The goalkeeper battle has largely come down to Akron transfer Ashley Lapp, who started 27 contests over the last two years, and freshman Ellie Puente. Lapp had 16 saves against six goals in a win for the first matchup, then had 14 saves in an 11-6 defeat the second time.
Should Puente earn the nod, she will be the third freshman to start the opener at keeper of the last four years (Sophie O'Brien in 2022, Gianna Pope in 2020).