UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State women's lacrosse team travels for their final regular season road game at No. 14 Rutgers on Saturday, April 23. First draw vs. the Scarlet Knights is at noon streamed live on B1G+.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Saturday, April 23 | Noon
Live Stats | Watch
SERIES HISTORY
• Penn State leads 21-1 in the all-time series vs. RU since their first matchup in 1978.
• PSU's first loss to the Scarlet Knights occurred in their last matchup in 2021. PSU won the first game of the series and their season opener, 20-11 but dropped the following contest over two months later, 16-17.
• The 2021 loss snapped a 21-game streak by the Nittany Lions.
ABOUT THE NITTANY LIONS
• Penn State (6-7, 0-4 B1G) is still looking for its first conference win after falling to No. 19 Michigan in a close battle last Saturday where neither side led by more than a goal. U-M would win 8-7 in overtime.
• O'Neill leads the Lions with 33 goals. She has 11 multi-goal games this year. She also has a team best 42 points and 20 caused turnovers.
• Junior Kara Nealon has a team best 20 assists.
• Sophomore Kayla Abernathy has won a team best 54 draw controls.
• Freshman Ashley Bowan has started between the pipes in the last ten games. She has a .426 save percentage.
PSU STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• PSU is fifth in the nation and second in the Big Ten in fewest turnovers per game (11.4).
• PSU is 15th in the nation and third in the Big Ten in clearing percentage (.908).
• PSU is 25th in the nation and fourth in the Big Ten in scoring defense (10.6).
SCOUTING THE SCARLET KNIGHTS
• RU (12-3, 2-2 B1G) enters the contest on a two-win streak with back-to-back non-conference wins vs. Wagner, 13-11, and San Diego State, 14-4.
• This year, RU has achieved its most wins in a season since the 2007 campaign.
• In Big Ten play, RU has fallen to Maryland and Northwestern but has beat Michigan and Johns Hopkins.
• Junior Cassidy Spilis is the reigning Big Ten Midfielder of the Week after she combined for eight points on seven goals and an assist along with 14 draw controls, eight ground balls and two caused turnovers last week.
• Spilis leads the team with 51 goals followed by grad student Taralyn Naslonski who has 50 goals along with 17 assists for a team-best 67 points.
• Junior Meghan Ball leads the Scarlet Knights with 77 draw control wins.
• Starting goalie sophomore Sophia Cardello is 10-3 between the pipes with a .426 save percentage.
RUTGERS STATISTICAL RANKINGS
• RU is ranked tenth nationally and first in the Big Ten in ground balls per game (19.6). Meghan Ball is 12thindividually in Division I, picking up 12 ground balls a game.
• The Scarlet Knights are ranked 13th nationally and first in the conference in caused turnovers per game (9.8). Ball is sixth individually in Division I by causing 2.47 turnovers a contest.
ADDITIONAL NOTES
• On March 15, Kristin O'Neill earned Big Ten Midfielder of the Week honors after combining for 10 points in wins over No. 21 James Madison and Saint Joseph's.
• On March 1, Brooke Hoss earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after combining for six goals in wins at Duquesne and Cornell.
• Senior Mary Muldoon and junior Rachel Spilker were elected captains for the 2022 season.
• Head Coach Missy Doherty is in her 12th season leading the Nittany Lions.
• Doherty notched her 200th career victory following the Lions' Feb. 23 win at Duquesne.
• The team returned 22 players while adding one graduate transfer and seven freshmen.
UP NEXT
• Penn State wraps up the regular season by hosting Johns Hopkins on Thursday, April 28. First draw is scheduled for 6 p.m.
• RU also concludes their regular season but on the road at Ohio State on Thursday, April 28.
