March 7, 2008

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy women's lacrosse team continues its season-long six-game homestand this weekend at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, by hosting Cincinnati on Saturday and Saint Mary's (Calif.) on Sunday. Both games start at noon and admission is free to all Navy home games.

The Midshipmen are 3-0 so far this year and boast the nation's top offensive attack after blasting St. Francis (Pa.), 24-0, on Tuesday. The Mids are averaging a staggering 22.0 goals per game and haven't been held under 21 goals yet this season. In Tuesday's win over St. Francis (Pa.), Navy produced 17 first-half goals and outshot the Red Flash, 38-0, for the contest. Navy's performance helped it establish several marks in the NCAA record book, including points in a game (41, 3rd), assists in a game (17, 3rd) and largest margin of victory (24, 8th). In addition, Navy's Mary Ruttum, who was named Patriot League Player of the Week on Tuesday, and Katrina Nietsch scored the fourth-quickest consecutive goals in NCAA history (seven seconds apart), then Erin Rawlick and Nietsch scored the ninth-fastest consecutive goals in NCAA history (eight seconds apart). Amanda Towey led the Mids with eight points, including seven assists, the ninth-most in a single-game in NCAA history. Five players netted hat tricks in the win for the Midshipmen.

Leading the Navy charge is Towey, a senior midfielder from Smithtown, N.Y. Towey has scored 18 points to rank first in the Patriot League and her 15 assists are believed to be the most in the country (official NCAA stats don't come out until March 11). Rawlick, a sophomore midfielder, has scored 17 points (13 g, 4 a), while Ruttum, freshman Meg Decker and Nietsch have scored 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Navy defense has been tough throughout the year, holding foes to just 5.0 goals per game and just 11.7 shots per game. Navy has held its last two opponents, Niagara and St. Francis (Pa.), to single-digit shots, including zero by the Red Flash last Tuesday. Senior Natalie Blandon owns a 5.02 GAA with a .458 save percentage.

Cincinnati enters Friday's game with Saint Mary's (Calif.) with an 0-3 record. The Bearcats, who are also in their first NCAA Division I season and have several players that played under associate head coach Allison Valentino while at Ohio, have fallen to Vanderbilt, LeMoyne and Robert Morris so far this year. They are led by Lindsey Marshall's six points (6 g) and Lynsey Burton's five points (5 g). Jen Mott has seen the majority of action in goal, stopping 30 shots for a save percentage of .508. The Bearcats are averaging 6.3 gpg, while giving up 14.0. The Cincinnati roster boast six Maryland natives on its team, including Annapolis native, freshman Paige Stratton, who prepped at Annapolis High School.

Meanwhile, Saint Mary's (Calif.) is also 0-3 after falling to Mount St. Mary's, Boston College and Fairfield. The Gaels are paced by P.J. Hainley and Lisa Vogeley, both with three goals and one assist for four points. Hilary Gardner has played every minute in goal, with a .393 save percentage and a 17.00 GAA. Saint Mary's has two Maryland natives on its roster, including Alana Burrough, a sophomore who played with Erin Rawlick in high school at C. Milton Wright. The Gaels' other Maryland resident is junior Abby Morgan, an Annapolis native that played at the Key School.

The contests will be the final non-conference game before the Patriot League schedule gets underway next weekend. The Mids will host the defending league champion, Holy Cross, next Saturday (March 15) at noon at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.

# GO NAVY #