March 7, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - The sixth-ranked Penn State women's lacrosse team opens up a three-game home stand as they welcome No. 18 James Madison University to the Penn State Lacrosse Field for a 4 p.m. affair on Wednesday afternoon.
THE MATCH-UP
- This marks the 31st meeting all-time between the two schools with the Nittany Lions holding the 19-11 edge.
- The teams met each year between 1981-2004 before taking an eight-year hiatus and resuming competition in 2013. Over the last four years, the Dukes have sandwiched two wins between two Penn State victories as all games have been decided by just a single goal.
- Last season's game needed extra time as Katie O'Donnell sent the Lions home happy with a goal just 1:18 into the extra session. Madison Carter registered a career-high six goals in the contest as Penn State never led and came from down four to capture the 18-17 victory.
TOP-TEN PERFORMER
- With 19 assists so far this season not only does senior Steph Lazo lead the Big Ten and rank second in the nation, but her 65 career assists is now the tenth highest total in Penn State history. Lazo is only four assists shy of moving into ninth all time.
- Lazo's 39 points also leads the Big Ten and is tied for second in the country while her 20 goals rank second in the Big Ten behind teammate Madison Carter's 22 scores, which tie for the ninth highest total in the country.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD
- Penn State currently sits at 6-0, their best start to a season in 26 years, however, four out of their next five games are against opponents ranked inside the IWLCA poll to begin the week.
- James Madison (No. 18), Colorado (No. 10), Princeton (No. 9) and Johns Hopkins (No. 19), only their Big Ten Conference opener on Saturday March 18 is against unranked Rutgers.
- Penn State is one of just seven schools to remain unbeaten so far this season.
POSSESSION IS KEY
- Penn State has held a commanding lead in draw controls in 5-of-6 games this season, in turn they have raced out to some pretty big leads. However, against Loyola on Saturday the Greyhounds held the 13-8 lead for draws and pressured the Nittany Lions most of the game keeping it tight.
- Penn State is sixth in the country averaging 15.83 draw controls per contest with Madison Carter pacing the team with 36 on the season or six per game, good for tenth in the country.
SCOUTING JAMES MADISON
- JMU finished last season 10-10 overall while going 5-1 in the Colonial Athletic Conference. The Dukes made a first round exit in the NCAA Tournament after a 9-8 loss to Stanford.
- The Dukes are more than doubling up their opponents on the season scoring 88 goals and allowing just 43. Most of that scoring has been done over their last two games where they have registered 15 and 21 goals respectively and had an average margin of victory of 15.5 goals.
- JMU is paced by four players with double-digit goals already this season in Kristen Gaudian (15), Hanna Haven (13), Margaret Tucker Fogarty (12) and Elena Romesburg (11). Katie Kerrigan leads the team with 22 points and 15 assists.
- Emily Poelma has started all six games between the pipes this season and has an 8.13 goals against average and a .548 save percentage.
NEXT UP
- The Nittany Lions remain home as they welcome in No. 10 Colorado on Sunday afternoon for a 12 p.m. affair.