TicketsCINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati lacrosse team will look to build off an emotional Wednesday road victory when it faces its biggest test of the year, this time at No. 4 James Madison on Sunday (12 p.m.).
The Bearcats' 10-5 record marks their second-most wins in program history behind the 2019 squad that reached the AAC's first-ever championship game (12-7).
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LAST TIME OUT
Cincinnati earned its first-ever win over Louisville on Wednesday, with Ava Goeller sending a rocket over the goalkeeper's head for the overtime clincher. Lauren Ottensmeyer scored four goals for her seventh hat trick, while Kylie Gioia collected her third hat trick in five games while making her first start of the season. Ashley Lapp also notched 12 saves.
UC allowed three-straight scores in the fourth quarter but never trailed after 3-2 in the first. It was the team's third overtime game, improving to 2-1 in those (defeating Davidson and falling to Ohio State). All were by 13-12 scores, and Cincinnati won the following contest each time.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the first all-time matchup between the Bearcats and Dukes, and Cincinnati is seeking its first-ever ranked win. The Bearcats have previously faced No. 19 Michigan and No. 8 Florida, also on the road.
MLKVY ON THE CUSP
Dani Mlkvy's four draw controls at Louisville gave her 97 for the year, tying her sister, Sam, for the 2019 school record. The two were teammates over 2020 and 2021 and combine for the top five-such seasons at the school. Mlkvy was an AAC First-Team honoree last year and picked to the preseason group as well. Her career-high was 14 at Ohio State on Feb. 28, and she leads the AAC (while ranking 15th nationally) with 6.47 draw controls per game.
BLUEPRINT TO SUCCESS?
Cincinnati is 9-0 when leading at the half (9-5 on Wednesday), compared to 0-5 when trailing. It won its only time tying, which was 4-4 at Central Michigan. Gioia has also proven to be a major x-factor for the squad, which is 5-0 when she scores multiple times. She has 17 points in her last six games, including five goals, after having 20 all of 2022 as a freshman. UC is also 8-1 when Goeller gets multiple too, and the Bearcats' 31.1 shots per game leads the AAC.
CALLAGHAN HITS 50
Freshman Camryn Callaghan scored her 50th goal on Wednesday, ranking seventh nationally (most among freshmen) and second in the AAC. The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native has 11 hat tricks that includes tying the school record of eight goals against Marquette on Feb. 19. She is third in school history behind Monica Borzillo (61 in 2019) and Kylie Nause (63 in 2022).
GOELLER REPEATING HER SUCCESS
Goeller was a Second-Team All-AAC performer last year and named to the preseason team as well. Her 36 goals this season are second on the team, as were her 44 last season behind Nause's record-breaking year. She has also pulled in eight draw controls the last two games. Her 134 shots taken last year marked a program record.
TALKING DEFENSE
Mlkvy and Ottensmeyer combined to cause five turnovers on Wednesday, helping Cincinnati to its second-straight game of double-digits in that category. The Bearcats have allowed single-digit goals in seven games this season, which includes their fewest-ever allowed against Temple and Vanderbilt.
Mlkvy, Kimora Bailey, Sophia Finotti, Grace Hirschmann and Alexis Rich have started every game this season on the defender front.
LAPP ON TAP
Lapp, a Texas native, registered 12 saves against Louisville, including five each in the first and fourth quarters. She also had 11 against Temple and 12 at Youngstown State, both wins as well. Her 10.71 GAA currently ranks second in single-season school history, behind Meg Gulmi's 10.00 in 2016. That GAA mark is also up by 2.23 from her 2022 season at Akron.
The Bearcats' 10-5 record marks their second-most wins in program history behind the 2019 squad that reached the AAC's first-ever championship game (12-7).
ESPN+ | Live Stats
LAST TIME OUT
Cincinnati earned its first-ever win over Louisville on Wednesday, with Ava Goeller sending a rocket over the goalkeeper's head for the overtime clincher. Lauren Ottensmeyer scored four goals for her seventh hat trick, while Kylie Gioia collected her third hat trick in five games while making her first start of the season. Ashley Lapp also notched 12 saves.
UC allowed three-straight scores in the fourth quarter but never trailed after 3-2 in the first. It was the team's third overtime game, improving to 2-1 in those (defeating Davidson and falling to Ohio State). All were by 13-12 scores, and Cincinnati won the following contest each time.
SERIES HISTORY
This is the first all-time matchup between the Bearcats and Dukes, and Cincinnati is seeking its first-ever ranked win. The Bearcats have previously faced No. 19 Michigan and No. 8 Florida, also on the road.
MLKVY ON THE CUSP
Dani Mlkvy's four draw controls at Louisville gave her 97 for the year, tying her sister, Sam, for the 2019 school record. The two were teammates over 2020 and 2021 and combine for the top five-such seasons at the school. Mlkvy was an AAC First-Team honoree last year and picked to the preseason group as well. Her career-high was 14 at Ohio State on Feb. 28, and she leads the AAC (while ranking 15th nationally) with 6.47 draw controls per game.
BLUEPRINT TO SUCCESS?
Cincinnati is 9-0 when leading at the half (9-5 on Wednesday), compared to 0-5 when trailing. It won its only time tying, which was 4-4 at Central Michigan. Gioia has also proven to be a major x-factor for the squad, which is 5-0 when she scores multiple times. She has 17 points in her last six games, including five goals, after having 20 all of 2022 as a freshman. UC is also 8-1 when Goeller gets multiple too, and the Bearcats' 31.1 shots per game leads the AAC.
CALLAGHAN HITS 50
Freshman Camryn Callaghan scored her 50th goal on Wednesday, ranking seventh nationally (most among freshmen) and second in the AAC. The Upper Arlington, Ohio, native has 11 hat tricks that includes tying the school record of eight goals against Marquette on Feb. 19. She is third in school history behind Monica Borzillo (61 in 2019) and Kylie Nause (63 in 2022).
GOELLER REPEATING HER SUCCESS
Goeller was a Second-Team All-AAC performer last year and named to the preseason team as well. Her 36 goals this season are second on the team, as were her 44 last season behind Nause's record-breaking year. She has also pulled in eight draw controls the last two games. Her 134 shots taken last year marked a program record.
TALKING DEFENSE
Mlkvy and Ottensmeyer combined to cause five turnovers on Wednesday, helping Cincinnati to its second-straight game of double-digits in that category. The Bearcats have allowed single-digit goals in seven games this season, which includes their fewest-ever allowed against Temple and Vanderbilt.
Mlkvy, Kimora Bailey, Sophia Finotti, Grace Hirschmann and Alexis Rich have started every game this season on the defender front.
LAPP ON TAP
Lapp, a Texas native, registered 12 saves against Louisville, including five each in the first and fourth quarters. She also had 11 against Temple and 12 at Youngstown State, both wins as well. Her 10.71 GAA currently ranks second in single-season school history, behind Meg Gulmi's 10.00 in 2016. That GAA mark is also up by 2.23 from her 2022 season at Akron.