PHILADELPHIA ??The Hawks will look to close the non-conference portion of the schedule at .500 when the Saint Joseph's women's lacrosse squad (3-4) takes on Wagner (4-3) this Saturday, March 24. Opening draw control at Hameline Field in Staten Island, N.Y. is set for 1:00 p.m. The Hawks have dropped three of their last four, with two of those losses coming against nationally-ranked opponents, while the Seahawks have won four of their last five.

Saint Joseph's offense, which averages 12.86 goals per game (and 15.40 goals per game against unranked opponents), will go up against a Wagner defense that ranks third nationally in caused turnovers per game (12.14) and seventh nationally in ground balls per game (23.00).

Saint Joseph's is coming off of a three-game homestand in which the Hawks faced nationally-ranked competition in then-#11/8 Navy and then-#14/13 Towson. On the season as a whole, junior midfielder Rebecca Lane (15g, team-high 11a) and junior attacker Francesca Donato (team-high 18g, 6a) own over 20 points apiece while junior midfielder Hayley Sabol (13g, 2g) and freshman attacker Stephanie Kelly (9g, 4a) also have double-digit points for the Crimson and Gray.?

The dynamic draw control duo of sophomore midfielder Julia Pash (28) and senior midfielder Kate Payne (23) have combined for 51 of SJU's 89 draw controls while senior defender Kristen Kelbon (team-high 14 ground balls) and junior midfielder Ally Beck (13 ground balls, team-high 10 caused turnovers) have anchored SJU's defensive unit; additionally, senior defender Juliana Strazulo has been a difference maker off the bench with eight ground balls and a team-high 10 caused turnovers through six games. Graduate student goalkeeper Liz O'Sullivan (3-4) has made 52 saves vs. 80 goals allowed through seven appearances and sports a .394 save percentage in 335:47, all but 84:13 on the season.

Lane, Donato, and Kelly have made all seven starts up on the attack, with Sabol appearing in all seven games with six starts. Pash and Payne have anchored the midfield with seven starts apiece while Kelbon, Beck, and seniors Catie Vivian and Dana Garbinski have made all seven starts on the back line. Starting goalkeeper O'Sullivan has earned all seven starts in net.?

Wagner opened the season with back-to-back losses to Iona, 11-10, and Hofstra, 15-10, before winning three straight home contests over Bucknell, 15-2, Lehigh, 15-11, and Stetson, 10-9, in overtime. The Seahawks then fell to UMass Lowell, 11-9, on the road before most recently defeating Manhattan College, 11-6, this past Sunday, March 18; Anna Belle Reilly (3g, 3a) and Marjorie Dehm (3g) led the Seahawks in Sunday's win.?

On the season, six Seahawks own double-digit points, led by Ally Alliegro (14g, 6a), Reilly (8g, 11a), and Lauren Ednie (17g). Aside from leading the team in goals, Ednie ranks second on the squad in ground balls (16), draw controls (18), and caused turnovers (10) while defensive stalwart Maddie Courtney has gone for a team-high 24 ground balls and a team-high 11 caused turnovers through seven games. Lucy Darlington (4-3) has made 48 saves vs. 51 goals allowed in all seven starts for a .485 save percentage and 9.44 goals against average in 324:09, all but 96:56 on the season.?

Saturday's game will mark the 15th all-time meeting between Saint Joseph's and Wagner. The Hawks own a 13-1 series advantage and are 2-1 under the direction of fourth-year head coach Alex Kahoe. With the exception of the 2014 season, the Hawks and Seahawks have played every year since 2003; Saint Joseph's won all 11 games from 2003-13. The Hawks are a perfect 8-0 at home against the Seahawks and downed Wagner, 13-8, last spring with strong performances from current senior midfielder Aly Gormley (4g) and current graduate student goalkeeper Amelia Deibler (13 saves).

All-time series results are listed below:
2017 ? W ? 13-8 - Home
2016 - L - 11-9 - Away
2015 - W - 13-12 (2OT) - Home
2013 - W - 10-5 - Away
2012 - W - 14-7 - Home
2011 - W - 12-5 - Away
2010 - W - 10-3 - Home
2009 - W - 16-8 - Away
2008 - W - 11-3 - Home
2007 - W - 12-6 - Away
2006 - W - 13-9 - Home
2005 - W - 11-5 - Home
2004 - W - 9-7 - Away
2003 - W - 13-3 ? Home

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Also be sure to check out Sideline Photos, LLC's shots from home games vs. CCSU and Navy and road game vs. Villanova at PhotoShelter.com.