Women’s Lacrosse Opens Two-Game Spring Break Swing vs. No. 2 North Carolina
ALBANY, N.Y. – After entering the national top-20 this week, University at Albany heads to Baltimore to face No. 2 North Carolina (6-1) on Friday at noon. The Danes will face the Tar Heels at the St. Paul’s School for Girls. UAlbany follows up Friday’s contest with a home game at John Fallon Field against Iona on Sunday at noon.
LAST TIME OUT
In its third game with 20 goals or more, the Danes downed Central Connecticut 21-3 at John Fallon Field on last Saturday afternoon. Sophomore attack Dakotah Savitcheff led the Danes with seven goals. Christine Johnson led John Battaglino’s squad with six draw controls. Freshman Emma Powlin added five to help UAlbany control the game in the midfield. In the cage, Courtney Henderson had four saves to advance her record to 4-0 in 2015. Dakotah Savitcheff became just the fifth Division I Dane to score seven goals or more in a single game
SERIES HISTORY - UNC
UAlbany is 0-2 against the Tar Heels, having last met in 2012. In its second game of the year, the Purple & Gold fell 16-7 in Chapel Hill. Rachel Bowles and Nichole Eamer are the only returners to record points in that contest. The Danes also fell 18-6 in 2008.
SERIES HISTORY - IONA
Battaglino’s squad has never faced Iona since the Gaels established a program in 2005.
BOWLES APPROACHNG CENTURY MARK
Rachel Bowles is two goals away from 100 for her career. In addition, the junior ranks eighth in Division I program history in career points with 129. The D-I record is 192, set by Kate Fontana.
THIS WEEK IN UALBANY WOMEN’S LACROSSE
After a 21-3 rout of Central Connecticut on Saturday afternoon, University at Albany women’s lacrosse broke through the Inside Lacrosse top-20 media poll at No. 19 in Week 5.
The Danes are receiving votes in the IWLCA Poll, leading the nation in scoring margin (+13.25), and scoring offense (19.75 goals per game). The Purple & Gold’s 25-goal game against Manhattan on Feb. 25 stands as the highest-scoring game in NCAA Division I this season.
Individually, Maureen Keggins leads the nation points per game (6.25) and assists per game (3.50). Rachel Bowles is also tied for second in goals per game (4.00) and seventh in points per game (5.25).
In UAlbany’s victory on Saturday, Dakotah Savitcheff scored seven goals to be named America East Offensive Player of the Week. The sophomore attack became one of just five players in D-I program history to score seven goals or more in a single game. The All-Rookie selection from one season ago ranks third on the team with 14 points through four games.
BOWLES & JIMERSON DOUBLE UP ON AMERICA EAST AWARDS
Bowles took Offensive Player of the Week accolades with a 12-point week, including six goals in a 12-11 comeback win at Cornell on Saturday afternoon. The junior also scored five goals against Manhattan in UAlbany’s record-breaking 25-7 win against Manhattan last Wednesday. Of her 15 shots last week, 11 found the back of the cage. She is now ranked ninth in Division I program history with 123 career points, passing Mel Rorie this past week.
Jimerson went for three goals and three assists against Manhattan and two assists against Cornell to take Rookie of the Week honors. The freshman ranks third on the team in points with 10, and second in assists with seven. She ranks third in the conference in assists per game with 2.33.
KEGGINS & POWLIN EARN AMERICA EAST HONORS
With a 21-goal performance from University at Albany women’s lacrosse (1-0) on Feb. 21 at Quinnipiac, senior Maureen Keggins and freshman Emma Powlin earned America East Women’s Lacrosse weekly awards, the conference announced Monday.
Keggins became one of just four Division I Danes to tally nine points in a single game, and one of nine to record nine or more. She scored 23 goals and had 15 assists in 2014 to rank fourth on the team in points and second among returning players.
In her first career appearance, Emma Powlin scored four goals to take Rookie of the Week honors. In addition, the freshman picked up four ground balls, four draw controls and caused two turnovers in UAlbany’s 21-5 victory at Quinnipiac.
SYRACUSE GAME SET FOR TIME WARNER CABLE SPORTSCHANNEL
On April 19 at 1 p.m., the Purple & Gold’s match-up against Syracuse in the Carrier Dome will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel. Last year, UAlbany took the NCAA finalist Syracuse to the brink, falling by just two goals.
BOWLES NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN
Junior midfielder Rachel Bowles was selected as an Inside Lacrosse preseason Third Team All-American, as part of the 2015 Face-Off Yearbook. Bowles earned the honor after being named the America East Co-Offensive Player of the year one season ago. The junior was an IWLCA Northeast All-Region First Team pick, and ranked as high as second in the nation in points per game in 2014. Following her sophomore campaign, Bowles ranks 10th in Division I program history with 82 goals.
DANES PICKED SECOND IN AMERICA EAST PRESEASON POLL
The Danes earned 29 total points to come up seven points shy of first-place Stony Brook. New Hampshire took third with 27 points and one first-place vote. Vermont’s 21 points were good for fourth, while UMBC took fifth with 17 points. Binghamton (11) and brand-new women’s lacrosse program UMass Lowell (6) rounded out the poll. This is the third straight season the Purple & Gold was picked to finish second in the America East Preseason Coaches Poll.
ABOUT NO. 2 NORTH CAROLINA
The Tar Heels stand at No. 2 in the IWLCA Poll thanks to a 6-1 record, including three-straight wins. North Carolina’s lone loss came to Maryland on the road, 13-11. UNC ranks eighth nationally in draw controls per game (15.00) and third in ground balls per game (21.57).
ABOUT IONA
Iona is 3-3 overall with wins over Sacred Heart, first-year program UMass Lowell and St. Bonaventure. The Gaels have played five of their first six games at home. Mary Kate McCormick leads the Gaels in points with 26 on 11 goals and 15 assists.
