GAME NOTES• Millersville women's lacross opens its 2016 campaign Saturday against West Virginia Wesleyan. Last year, the Marauders posted a record 6-11 while going 3-9 in conference play and finishing 11th overall in the PSAC.
• The Marauders return nine of their top 10 scorers including sophomore
Sabrina Fusco who led the team with 52 goals. She was named PSAC Freshman of the Year. Junior
Renee Landis started all 17 games last season totaling 34 goals, and 22 assists which ranked her third and second on the team in those categories.
• Seniors
Bridget Hufnagel ,
Abby Mack , and
Brianna Logana will be the field generals this season for Millersville. Hufnagel netted 37 goals while adding 16 assists in 2015 while Mack scored nine times with an .895 shots-on-goal percentage while handing out 11 assists. Logana anchored the defense in 2015 starting all 17 games while tallying 37 ground balls and six draw controls and causing 17 turnovers.
COACH'S TAKE• Head Coach
Mia Hall enters her fifth season at the helm for the Marauders and is setting the bar high for her squad which was picked to finish 10th in the PSAC in 2016.
• "My expectations for this team is that they, as a collective group, make a team mark on our program," said Hall. "We are chasing playoffs. That has been my goal every year and will continue to be until we get there."
• Outside of the upperclassmen leadership, Hall believes conditioning and working in the newcomers to be key components to a successfull season.
• "We have put a lot of time into our fitness level and have revamped our offense and defensive plays," said Hall. "I think what has impressed me most is that I am seeing more competitiveness between ourselves at practice. I think our freshmen have really bought into being apart of a team that makes an impact and many of them will see significant playing time this year."
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
• Like Millersville, Saturday marks the begininng of the 2016 season for West Virginia Wesleyan. The Bobcats are a member of the Mountain East Conference and went 13-5 last year going 3-2 in conference play.
• Both Millersville and West Virginia Wesleyan squared off against Shepherd last season. Millersville topped the Rams 14-8 while the Bobcats fell 7-6.
• As a team, West Virginia Wesleyan scored 218 goals (12.82 per game) and handed out 66 assists with a shot percentage of 47.9.
• Scoring 40 goals in her freshman season, Natalie Schaffner will again lead the attack for West Virginia Wesleyan. Teammate Darla Quevado was second on the team in assists (16) last season, starting all 17 games as a sophomore.
• The Bobcats defeated Davis & Elkins last Friday in an exhibition.
