Women's Lacrosse Heads South to No. 8 Vanderbilt
March 13, 2012 | Women's Lacrosse
March 13, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville women's lacrosse team faces its second top-10 ranked opponent this year when it heads to No. 8 Vanderbilt on Wednesday, March 14, in Nashville, Tenn. Start time is set for 4 p.m. ET at the Vanderbilt Soccer/Lacrosse Complex.
The Cardinals (2-3) picked up their second win of the season in convincing fashion, defeating Presbyterian, 20-3.
Nikki Boltja led the team with six goals, while also totaling two ground balls and two draw controls. Casey Pepperman and Jamie Redding combined for seven goals and five assists in the win. Monica Negron, who was named to the BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll, scored her first collegiate goal and had career bests in draw controls (5) and caused turnovers (5). Louisville's defense held Presbyterian scoreless in the second period, and the Blue Hose's three goals are tied for the second fewest by a Louisville opponent in program history.
Boltja currently ranks fourth nationally in goals per game (4.0) and has a team-best 20 goals this season, which ranks 15th nationally. Jamie Redding ranks 26th nationally in assists per game (1.8) and No. 29 in total assists (9). Collectively, Louisville is 15th in the country in caused turnovers per game (9.6) and 18th in ground balls per game (18).
Vanderbilt (4-1) enters the contest having won its last three games, posting a 10-8 victory at Canisius its last time out on March 11. Ally Carey, the American Lacrosse Conference Offensive Player of the Week, scored four goals - tallied the last three goals of the game - to lead the Commodores to the win. Alex Priddy and Abby Wheeler came off the bench to score two goals apiece. Chelsea Pasfield, who earned the win and made three saves, and Natalie Willis split equal time in goal.
Carey leads the team in goals (11), points (15) and draw controls (26), a statistic that she ranks 11th nationally. Katie Mastropieri ranks second on the team in goals (7) and points (11). Willis has started all five games and boasts a 3-1 record this season in goal.
The Commodores are under the direction of 15th-year head coach Cathy Swezey, who's led the program to a 126-109 record. Vanderbilt was picked to finish fifth in the ALC Preseason Poll.
The two programs met last year, and the Cardinals upset then-No. 13 Vanderbilt, 12-6, in Louisville. Ashley Herbst played all 60 minutes in goal and made four saves.
