Riverdale, NY – Riding a three-game winning streak, Manhattan women's lacrosse aims to continue its winning ways with a pair of games this week at Central Connecticut State and against Sacred Heart in the Bronx.
The Jaspers take on the Blue Devils from Arute Field on Wednesday, March 6 at 2:00 pm;
the game was moved up two hours earlier as of Monday afternoon. Fans not attending the game can follow along with a live stream via NEC Front Row and live statistics provided from CCSU Athletics.
Following that matchup, the Kelly Green and White returns to the Bronx to face the Pioneers as the second part of a Manhattan lacrosse doubleheader on Saturday, March 9 at 3:30 pm. The Jasper Sports Network will stream the contest live and Manhattan Athletics will provide live statistics.
LAST WEEK
- The J's outscored LIU Brooklyn 6-0 in the first half and held on for a 9-7 win at Gaelic Park on Wednesday, February 27.
- Manhattan then took out Lafayette 9-7 on Saturday, March 2.
- Freshman Cassidy Burns exploded for six points off two goals and four assists, while Fitzpatrick netted a team-best three goals.
- The Jasper defense coerced the Leopards into 23 turnovers and a season-low seven goals
MORE WEEKLY AWARDS
- For the second straight week, Manhattan had two student-athletes earn weekly awards.
- Senior Nikki Prestiano collected her second-consecutive MAAC Defensive Player of the Week honor.
- The Yorktown Heights, NY native corralled 19 saves, good for a .576 save-percentage and a 7.00 goals-against average.
- Burns received MAAC Rookie of the Week recognition, her first collegiate award.
- In addition to her six points, Burns also racked up three ground balls and three draw controls in the two contests.
MILESTONE WATCH
- Fitzpatrick is one goal away from 100 in her career. She would become just the seventh Jasper in program history to reach that mark.
- The Yorktown, NY product is also seven points shy of fourth place on the all-time points list, currently sitting at 141 points. Mary Dudek '05 and Victoria Carman '05 have 148 points.
- Prestiano is 93:45 from reaching 3,000 minutes of playing time in goal.
- Senior Caitlin Murphy is 10 ground balls away from 100 for her career.
- Senior Emma Kaishian is 17 ground balls from the top five in program history, sitting at 132. She is also eight away from 150 draw controls.
NATIONAL RANKS (UPDATED MARCH 4)
- Manhattan is third in the nation with a .576 save percentage. Individually, Prestiano ranks fourth among her Division I counterparts with that mark.
- The Jaspers' 26 ground balls per game are fifth in the country and first in the MAAC.
- On defense, the J's average seven goals allowed per contest, ranking seventh in Division I. Prestiano's 7.00 goals-against average in that category is sixth individually.
- Averaging one free position goal each game, Fitzpatrick is tied for 28th in the nation. She is also 31st with a .611 shot percentage overall.
- Kaishian and junior Emily Sandford occupy 34th place in Division I with 3.25 ground balls per game.
D-D-D, DEFENSE!
- During the Jaspers' three-game winning streak, the defense has allowed a sterling six goals per contest.
- Every foe so far has been held under their season average in scoring against the Jaspers.
- Opponents have scored on just 18 of their 73 shots, good for 24.6 percent.
- The unit has created 57 turnovers in the last three games, an average of 19 per affair.
FOUR SCORE
- Manhattan aims for four wins during non-conference play. It would be the first time since 2016 the Kelly Green and White accomplished that feat.
- Its last four-game winning streak came in 2009, which was also in the non-conference portion of the season. That streak also featured wins over LIU Brooklyn and Lafayette.
FRIENDS OF THE NEC
- Three of Manhattan's next four opponents come from the Northeast Conference.
- Outside of the MAAC, the Jaspers' four NEC adversaries this season are the most from one conference this season.
SCOUTING REPORT: CCSU
- The Blue Devils head into Wednesday's duel at 1-3, with its only win coming against Hartford, 11-8, on February 20. The team fell 16-6 to MAAC-foe Niagara the game after.
- Morgan Sinton is the team leader with five assists and nine points, while Carson Adelberger has a program-best six goals.
- On defense, Jackie Branthover has played every minute in the cage, compiling 47 saves and 16 ground balls. Jane Henry has 13 draw controls.
- Head Coach Betsy Vendel is in her first season leading the program. A CCSU graduate in 2014, she is the school's all-time leader in points.
SERIES HISTORY
- The Jaspers and Blue Devils square off for the first time since 2016, when Manhattan won 9-8 in Connecticut on March 16.
- In the all-time series, Manhattan holds a 5-4 advantage.
- The rivalry began during Manhattan's MAAC-winning season in 2004. The Kelly Green and White won the first four meetings, followed by four straight victories for CCSU.
SCOUTING REPORT: SACRED HEART
- Idle during the week, the Pioneers are 0-3 this year, with losses to New Hampshire, MAAC-foe Monmouth and Vermont.
- Hannah Wise and Lydia Werlau headline Sacred Heart's offense with five points, the former leading the way with five goals.
- Starting all three games between the pipes, Shana Hecht has 34 saves in 150 minutes.
- Laura Korutz is in her 19th season as head coach of the Pioneers. She has three NEC championships and 158 wins on her resume.
SERIES HISTORY
- The last bout between Manhattan and Sacred Heart occurred on March 29, 2017, a 10-5 Jasper win. Fitzpatrick led the way with three goals and an assist, while Murphy and now-senior Talia Price added two scores.
- Manhattan is 4-6 all-time against Sacred Heart, with all four wins happening on the road.
- One of Manhattan's oldest rivalries, the two teams began play vs. each other in 1999.
