WLAX Notes - 3.28.19
Liftoff To League Play
BIG EAST action begins for all six women’s lacrosse teams on Saturday, with No. 22/RV Georgetown visiting Butler at noon ET to kick off the day. Marquette, which will serve as the host of the 2019 BIG EAST Women’s Lacrosse Championship presented by Jeep, will begin league play at home when it hosts Villanova at 1 p.m. The conference tripleheader wraps up at 4:30 p.m. when Old Dominion visits conference preseason favorite No. 15/19 Denver.
Why We’re Watching …
22/RV Georgetown at Butler: The Bulldogs already have their most wins in program history and now have their eyes set on their first BIG EAST victory. Ashley Guerra, who led Butler last season with 32 points off 21 goals and 11 assists, has already surpassed those figures this season for 37 off 22 and 15. Her points average (3.70) ranks second in the BIG EAST this season, while her goals clip (2.20) lists fifth. The Hoyas have been ranked every week this season and have torn through unranked opponents, nearly doubling them up in the scoring column – 76 to 40 – while going 5-0. Fifteen different Hoyas have at least one point on the season, with Taylor Gebhardt and Francesca Whitehurst tied for the team lead with 33 points apiece. GU was picked No. 2 in the BIG EAST preseason poll and has never missed the conference tournament, winning it all in 2010 and advancing to the title game six times.
Villanova at Marquette: Just two points separated these teams in the BIG EAST preseason coaches’ poll with the Golden Eagles earning the narrow edge for the No. 3 spot over No. 4 Villanova. Marquette is coming off its first BIG EAST Championship berth in program history and returns key pieces from that squad, particularly Grace Gabriel. Gabriel has shown progression from year to year, increasing goal and point totals annually, including last season in BIG EAST play when she totaled 24 goals, seven assists and 31 points. The BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year has continued the trend, entering Saturday’s contest with the most goals (37, 3.08 per game) and draw controls (7.25) and third-highest point average (3.42) among league players this season. The Wildcats look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2015 and could get there off the stick of a rookie netminder. Four-time BIG EAST Freshman of the Week and reigning Defensive Player of the Week Alexa Moro leads league starting goalkeepers with a .490 save percentage and 9.90 saves per contest, both of which rank among the top 25 nationally.
Old Dominion at 15/19 Denver: Since joining the BIG EAST women’s lacrosse lineup two seasons ago, the Pioneers have been one of the stingiest defensive teams in the league. Through 10 non-conference games this season, they have also proven to have a deadly offensive attack, leading the BIG EAST with a 14.00 goals average, while boasting the only single-digit goals against average (6.53) in the conference. Denver’s defensive scoring average ranks second nationally as goalkeeper Carson Gregg boasts the second-best goals against average (7.16) in Division I. Four different Pioneers have at least 20 goals this season, including Quintin Hoch-Bullen who has the third-most in the BIG EAST at 28. Old Dominion will be playing its first BIG EAST contest since joining the lineup this season, and will look to Glory Johnson to work that difficult Denver D. Johnson ranks second in the BIG EAST with 36 goals over 12 games this season, while her 3.33 points average lists fifth. The Monarchs have experience in the cage, as Haleigh Wurzel has the most career saves (632) among any active Division I goalkeeper and has played the sixth-most minutes among all D1 stoppers.
Weekend Schedule
Saturday
22/RV Georgetown at Butler, Noon*
Villanova at Marquette, 1 p.m.*
Old Dominion at 15/19 Denver, 4:30 p.m.*
*BIG EAST game
All times Eastern