Women's Lacrosse | February 7, 2020

PHILADELPHIA – Women's lacrosse begins its second season under head coach Katie Rhodes Abbott on Saturday as La Salle travels to face the Manhattan Jaspers. The first four games of the season come on the road proceeded by the home opener at McCarthy Stadium on February 29th vs. Radford. Conference play starts less than a month later as the Explorers seek to punch their ticket to the A-10 Championship for the first time since 2017.

ABOUT THE EXPLORERS

• The Blue & Gold are on a mission after almost making the postseason last year. The 2019 side finished seventh with a 3-6 mark in A-10 play, going 5-11 overall.
• Continuity across the field: the majority of La Salle's impact players return this season including four players – senior Emily Talluto and juniors Bridget Ruskey, Priya Kavuru and Molly Loughlin—who started every game last year.
• The top five goalscorers remain: Ruskey (33), juniors Maddie Dachowski (32), Annina Iacobucci (19),Allison Hunter (18) and redshirt senior Mikki Raymond (12).
• Ruskey, a Second Team All-Conference selection last year, also led the team in draw controls (54) and assists (13).
• Loughlin, statistically among the best goalkeepers in the league, is back between the posts. Among A-10 goalkeepers who played at least 500 minutes, she had the most saves (170), the best save percentage (.476) and the second-best goals against average (12.55). Loughlin also led the team in ground balls with 49, which was second most among conference goalkeepers.
• Other key members of the defense are also back. Talluto, Kavuru and classmate Jordan Campbell combined for 38 caused turnovers and 53 ground balls.
• Junior Emily Johnston returns to bolster the midfield after playing eight games last campaign. Her 72 draw controls in 2018 remains a program record.
• The freshman class will look to add quality to all areas of the field. By position: attackers Madi McKee and Jess Sulouff, midfielder Tori Rolon, defenders Karissa Worley and Liza Dellaratta and goalkeeper Julia Dellaratta.

SCOUTING THE JASPERS

• Manhattan finished the 2019 season with an 11-6 record, going 6-2 in conference play. As the number-four seed, they fell to Marist in the opening round of the MAAC Championship, 15-14.
• The Jaspers will have to adapt without a few key players who graduated last year. Their top two goalscorers, Molly Fitzpatrick and Caitlin Murphy, are gone. So too is Nikki Prestiano who led the MAAC in goals against average and Emma Kaishian, who paced the conference in ground balls per game and was second in caused turnovers per game.
• Cassidy Burns, who was the team's top provider with 25 assists, transferred.
• On the offensive end, players who could fill that void are junior Alaina Burgess (25 goals) and sophomore Grace Lipponer (24 goals, 12 assists). Julia Fernandes is the lone freshman attacker brought into the side, but the Jaspers also drafted in four rookie midfielders who could play a part in front of net.
• The battle between the posts will be between senior Caitie Pluta (seven career games played) and freshmen Jessica Hise and Ashley Gambardella.
• La Salle is 2-1 all-time against the Jaspers. Manhattan claimed the most recent matchup last season.
• Game time: Saturday, 12 p.m.