Women's Lacrosse Opens 2012 Season at Ohio State
February 18, 2012 | Women's Lacrosse
Feb. 18, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville women's lacrosse team opens its 2012 campaign on Sunday, Feb. 19, at Ohio State. First draw at Ohio Stadium is scheduled for 1 p.m. in Columbus, Ohio.
Under head coach Kellie Young, the Cardinals are beginning their fifth season in school history. She has led the program to a 43-24 overall mark. Louisville is coming off its fourth-straight double-digit win season, going 10-7 last year, with a 3-5 mark in BIG EAST play.
The Cardinals will look for new leadership - captains Janaye Dzikewich, Katie Oliverio and Monica Negron - this season after losing 11 seniors from the 2011 squad. This year's squad features nine new faces, eight of whom are freshmen. Darby Dudley, the team's lone transfer, was a second team IWLCA All-American at Michigan State on its club team. The squad also boasts a touted freshman in Dani Lazo, who was part of the U.S. Lacrosse Women's U-19 National Team that won the U-19 World Championship in Germany in the fall of 2011.
Last year, the Cardinals ranked in the top 25 in multiple categories: second nationally in draw controls, fifth in ground balls per game, ninth in scoring offense, 13th in scoring margin and 25th in caused turnovers. The team had a program-best five IWLCA all-West/Midwest Region selections and four all-BIG selections.
Ohio State (3-0) is off to a fast start this year, defeating San Diego State, Stanford and Robert Morris. Alayna Markwordt has a team-best 20 points over that span, while Gabby Capuzzi is first in goals with 11. Collectively, the team has outscored its opposition, 49-16. Defensively, Kirsten Donahue is first on the team in ground balls (8) and caused turnovers (7).
The Buckeyes are led by their second year head coach, Alexis Venechanos. In her first year, she led them to a 10-7 overall mark, going 2-3 in the American Lacrosse Conference. The Buckeyes also enter the season with a young roster, boasting 11 freshmen. The team returns five starters, led by Markwordt, who ranked sixth nationally in points per game (4.65) and ninth in points (79).
