PHILADELPHIA – The Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse team will conclude the 2015 season this Friday, April 24 at home against La Salle. Start time is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. on Sweeney Field. Live streaming ($) of the game will be available via a subscription to the Atlantic 10 Digital Network while live stats will be provided via SJUHawks.com.
The Hawks rank second in the conference in both draw controls (12.27) and caused turnovers (9.73) per game. Junior midfielder Kelly Phelan's 2.54 goals per game rank third in the league while senior goalkeeper Nora McGeever ranks third in total saves (118) and fifth in saves per game (7.87).
La Salle ranks second in the league in scoring offense at 11.07 goals per game, led by Katelyn Fay's 2.69 per outing.
SENIOR DAY
The Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse program will honor its two seniors - Julia Falcone and Nora McGeever - in a postgame ceremony scheduled for immediately following the conclusion of Friday's game for their dedication and commitment to the women's lacrosse program over their four years on Hawk Hill.
LEADING HAWKS
Heading into SJU's final game of the season, junior midfielder Kelly Phelan (33G, 8A) and sophomore midfielder Sarah Smith (24G, 8A) account for 38 percent of SJU's goals (57-of-151); Phelan also leads the squad in draw controls (37) while Smith has put away a team-high six FPG. Sophomore attack Nora McCallion (16G, 8A) and junior defender Maggie Egan (15G, 7A) rounds out SJU's 20+ point members.
On the defensive end of the field, juniors Caroline Hagan (24GB, 19CT) and Courtney Emanuele (25GB, 17CT) have combined for 49 ground balls and 36 caused turnovers while classmate Mallory Grey has earned 32 draw controls in 15 appearances. Senior goalkeeper Nora McGeever (5-10, 0-7 A-10) owns an 11.67 goals against average and .417 save percentage in 848:14 to go with a team-best 28 ground balls.
SCOUTING THE EXPLORERS
La Salle is 7-7 overall and 3-3 in the Atlantic 10. The Explorers posted a 4-4 non-conference record with wins over UMBC (10-9 OT), Kennesaw State (17-2), Delaware State (19-4), and Sacred Heart (15-5) and losses to Temple (9-7), Delaware (24-6), Jacksonville (16-7), and Drexel (12-10). In A-10 play, the Explorers have alternated each game in wins and losses, defeating George Washington (10-8), St. Bonaventure (20-7), and Davidson (8-7) and falling to George Mason (12-9), Duquesne (10-8), and UMass (14-9). Katelyn Fay (35G, 5A) and Allee Ilgenfritz (27G, 10A) lead La Salle in scoring while Gabby Antonelli (7-7, 3-3 A-10) owns a 9.69 GAA and .479 save percentage in 761:14.
SERIES HISTORY AGAINST LA SALLE
Saint Joseph's owns an 11-6 all-time series edge over La Salle as Friday's game will mark the 18th meeting all-time between the Hawks and Explorers. La Salle won the most recent outing, 9-4, on April 18 of last season; returning scorers from that game include Nora McCallion (1) and Julia Falcone (1). SJU took home a 13-10 win last time the teams battled on Sweeney Field on April 12, 2013; Falcone and Emily Bowers were good for three goals apiece in that contest.
LAST TIME OUT
Recap | Box Score
Trailing 9-8 with 23:49 remaining in regulation, Davidson scored five consecutive goals to down the Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse team, 13-10, in Atlantic 10 action last Saturday afternoon on Sweeney Field. Junior midfielder Kelly Phelan netted four goals to lead the Hawks in scoring.
ATLANTIC 10 ACTION
Saint Joseph's is 0-7 in the Atlantic 10 and will close out the 2015 season at home against La Salle this Friday, April 24. The Hawks went 2-5 in the A-10 in 2014.
FIVE WINS . . . AND COUNTING
The Hawks posted a 5-3 non-conference record to own five victories heading into their Atlantic 10 slate, which had already matched SJU's total amount of wins from the 2014 season. The Hawks are currently 5-10 overall with one game remaining in the regular season; SJU's program record for wins in a season is 10, set in 2009.
MCGEEVER TABBED YEARDLEY LOVE UNSUNG HERO AWARD FINALIST
Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse senior captain Nora McGeever has been selected one of five finalists for the 2015 Yeardley Reynolds Love Unsung Hero Award. The Yeardley Reynolds Love ("YRL") Unsung Hero Award recognizes the accomplishments of two student-athletes (one male, one female) who demonstrate dedication, integrity, humility, hard work, community service, leadership, kindness and sportsmanship - all qualities Yeardley Love exemplified throughout her life. These student-athletes make a significant contribution to the team in ways that may not be measured in goals, saves or ground balls. Read more here.
STARTING FOUR
Saint Joseph's has seen four Hawks start all 15 games so far this season. Sophomore midfielder Sarah Smith has been SJU's only offensive player to earn the starting nod in all 15 games while the junior defensive duo of Courtney Emanuele and Mallory Grey have also made all starts so far. Senior goalkeeper Nora McGeever has made all 15 starts in net and has seen all but 78:51 between the pipes this season.
SCORING SOPHOMORES
The sophomore trio of Sarah Smith (24G), Nora McCallion (16G), and Maggie Egan (15G) have combined for 55 of SJU's 151 total goals through 15 games and rank second, third, and fourth, respectively, in goal scoring for the Crimson and Gray.
HAVOC WITH HAGAN
Junior defender Caroline Hagan has launched herself into SJU's all-time record book for career caused turnovers having posted 19 through 15 games this season and sparked by a career-high five-CT effort against George Mason on March 27. Hagan's 53 career caused turnovers ties her for seventh all-time on Hawk Hill.
