Women's Lacrosse Travels to Rutgers
April 12, 2012 | Women's Lacrosse
April 12, 2012
LOUISVILLE, Ky. - The University of Louisville women's lacrosse team returns to the road for a match at Rutgers on Friday, April 12, in New Brunswick, N.J. First draw at Yurcak Field is set for 5 p.m.
The contest will be streamed live via Rutgers' RVision free of charge.
The Cardinals (3-8, 1-3 BIG EAST) are coming off a pair of losses last week, falling to 15th-ranked Loyola (Md.), 17-8, on April 5, and then to No. 13-ranked Georgetown, 19-11, on April 7.
Against the Hoyas, Louisville climbed out of an early 4-0 deficit and was able to tie the game at four apiece at the 14:24 mark. Georgetown responded with four unanswered goals and finished the half on a 7-1 run. The Hoyas outpaced the Cardinals in the second half, 9-6. Nikki Boltja led the Louisville offense with four goals, while Jamie Redding and Eleni Kozas chipped in with two apiece. Redding also had team highs in ground balls (3) and caused turnovers (2). Casey Pepperman, Cat Gordon and Amy Poteet combined for 15 draw controls, leading Louisville to a 19-13 advantage in the team category.
Statistically, Louisville ranks seventh nationally in draw controls per game (15.27) and also is in the top-20 in caused turnovers per game (8.55), checking in at No. 19. Individually, Boltja dropped to third in the country in goals per game (3.82), while ranking 11th in total goals (42) and 35th in points per game (3.82). Gordon and Monica Negron also hold top-20 national rankings, as Gordon is 14th in draw controls per game (4.55) and Negron is 16th in caused turnovers per game (1.82).
Rutgers (7-5, 2-2) enters the contest having won three of its last five contests, but recently fell to Syracuse, 15-10. The Scarlet Knights trailed by just one at the half, but were outscored, 8-4, in the final period. Stephanie Anderson led the charge with three goals, and Lauren Sbrilli and Ali Steinberg added two apiece. Rebecca Alley and Megan Clements recorded a game-high five draw controls apiece. Syracuse, led by Alyssa Murray's six goals, held a 15-12 advantage in draw controls.
Currently, Anderson leads the team with 30 goals, while Steinberg's 24 goals and 11 assists give her the team-high 35 points. Defensively, Lily Kalata ranks first on the team in ground balls (27) and Hollie DiMuro is first in caused turnovers (19).
The Scarlet Knights are under the direction of 10th-year head coach Laura Brand-Sias, who's guided the program to an 86-72 overall mark. The Scarlet Knights were picked to finish fifth in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches' Poll.
