Colorado University Athletics

CU Lacrosse Continues MPSF Play Against UC Davis

CU Lacrosse Continues MPSF Play Against UC Davis
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Game Notes

QUICKLY: With its first ever Mountain Pacific Sports Federation home victory under its belt, the University of Colorado looks to continue the trend as it heads to California. The Buffaloes (5-5, 2-1 MPSF) open the month of April with conference match-ups against UC Davis and No. 8 Stanford.

SCOUTING THE UC DAVIS AGGIES: With a 6-4 overall, 1-2 MPSF record, the Aggies hold the nationGÇÖs 34th best win percentage. The six wins match the AggiesGÇÖ 2013 win total. UC Davis began the season on a 5-0 winning streak, including an overtime victory over Siena and a conference win over California. Since their hot start, the Aggies have lost four of their last five, with all but their most recent defeat coming by five or more goals. Last week, the Aggies bounced back with a resounding 13-2 win at Detroit, but lost a 13-12 sudden victory thriller at Michigan. Despite their recent setbacks, the Aggies have fallen just once at home this season. UC Davis remains in the nationGÇÖs top 50 in multiple categories. Their 129 draw controls rank 26th, 170 ground balls rank 37th (with Carly Voris and Mary Doyle both ranking in top 45 with 26 and 25 ground balls, respectively) and their 147 points round out the top 42. Junior midfielder Elizabeth Landry is the teamGÇÖs standout, with 29 goals, 41 points and 42 draw controls, all of which rank in the nationGÇÖs top 30. Landry also leads the Aggies with 65 shots and ties a team-high 12 assists. Eight other Aggies have scored, with Voris, Melissa Kellan and Ellie Delich each netting goals in the double digits. Lead goalie Kai Murphy holds a 6-1 record. She ranks in the countryGÇÖs top 17 in save percentage (.509) and goals-against average (8.02).

MPSF: Conference opponents Colorado and UC Davis are fairly evenly matched in many categories, with CU just edging UCD in goals, assists, points, ground balls, shots and saves per game. Though the Aggies are stronger on the draw (averaging 12.90 draw controls per game to CUGÇÖs 11.80) and cause more turnovers, they also lead the conference in fouls and average 2.30 more turnovers per game than the Buffs.

LAST TIME OUT: Behind a program-high number of goals, CU swiftly defeated the St. MaryGÇÖs Gaels 19-5 at Kittredge Field in the BuffsGÇÖ inaugural MPSF home game. With freshmen Cali Castagnola and Amelia Brown leading the way, with four goals apiece, the Buffs dominated nearly every stat line. CU outshot St. MaryGÇÖs 33 to 16, including an astounding 22-9 in the first half. The Buffs scooped up 23 ground balls to SMCGÇÖs eight, limiting the Gaels to just one second half ground ball. The Buffs have now had four games with at least 20 ground balls. Colorado was strong on the defensive end, with goalies Paige Soenksen and Sophia Gambitsky combining for seven total saves. CU was also a perfect 18 for 18 in clears. Colorado had much better control of the ball than it has in some of its previous outings, recording just 14 fouls and turning the ball over 13 times. Saint MaryGÇÖs, who leads the conference in turnovers, but also leads the nation in caused turnovers, gave the ball up 21 times (a game-high for a CU opponent) and caused just two of CUGÇÖs errors.

SMASHING RECORDS: The Buffs continue to break records in their inaugural season, with Kittredge Field serving as a strong proving ground. CUGÇÖs 14 goal win was their biggest margin of victory to date. CU was commanding on the attack, taking a record 33 shots (besting the previous high of 29 versus Temple on March 4 at Kitt), while holding St. MaryGÇÖs to 16, the second least of a Colorado opponent this season. CUGÇÖs 19 total goals are also a program record, as are the 14 in the first half. The Buffs have scored 10 goals in a single half in two previous games, in the first half versus MSPF opponent Fresno State and in the second against Temple. The Buffs also demolished their previous record in assists, grabbing 13 on the day, including an amazing single-game record of seven by Katie Macleay. The seven points are also a single game-high. With 19 goals and 13 assists, CU also set a record for points with 32. Additionally, Marie Moore had a single-game record of eight draw controls.

FIRST: CUGÇÖs season of firsts continues, with March 28 serving as both the BuffsGÇÖ first MPSF home game and win. Defender Maddie DeWinter and midfielder Claire McCain each netted their first collegiate goals in the 19-5 victory over St. MaryGÇÖs.

ATTACK, ATTACK: The Buffs had relied on second half comebacks in their three previous games, but a late run wasnGÇÖt necessary against St. MaryGÇÖs. Taking a 14-2 lead into halftime, the Buffs did continue one trend, holding their opponent to five or fewer second half goals for the fourth straight game. Seeing their five-game scoring streaks come to an end against Brown, Cali Castagnola and Sarah Lautman each bounced back against SMC, combining for six goals. Behind a resurgent attack, CU ranks in the nationGÇÖs top 51 in ground balls per game, draw controls, points, scoring offense, scoring margin and win percentage.

MACLEAY AN ASSISTING MACHINE: With Katie Macleay leading the way, the Buffs had a record 13 assists against St. MaryGÇÖs. Macleay contributed seven, marking CU single-game records for both assists and points. The seven assists also tie for fourth most in MPSF history and are the second most this season (behind OregonGÇÖs Shannon Propst nine assist performance at Stetson on February 10). Macleay leads the Buffs this season with 11 assists, nearly breaking Johnna FuscoGÇÖs previous season best of nine in a single game. Macleay also ranks fourth on the team with 20 points and fifth with 14 ground balls.

AMELIA BEDELIA HELPS OUT: Amelia Brown had a career performance against St. MaryGÇÖs, netting four goals, smashing her previous bests of one in three straight games against Temple, Fresno State and UMass. Brown was a perfect 4 for 4 in shooting and also scooped up a ground ball.

GOING BACK TO CALI: Cali Castagnola continues to be a standout in her freshman season. After seeing her five-game scoring streak put to bed against Brown, Castagnola came back with a vengeance against St. MaryGÇÖs, having her fourth game with at least four goals. She leads the team with 25 goals and 31 points, while her six assists and seven caused turnovers rank third.

SCORING MOORE GOALS: Marie Moore began the season on a six-game scoring streak. Though she was iced out on the BuffsGÇÖ East Coast swing, she has recorded back-to-back hat tricks since returning to Boulder. Moore and Castagnola are the only Buffs to have five games with at least three goals. In addition to her three goals against St. MaryGÇÖs, Moore also had a program-high eight draw controls, while scooping up three ground balls and causing two turnovers. Moore ranks 35th in the nation and first on the team with 37 total draw controls.

THE FUSCO, THE PROUD: Johnna Fusco is an emerging leader for the Buffs, pacing the team with 47 shots and ranking second with 29 points, 20 goals, nine assists and 27 draw controls. Her 23 ground balls rank 40th in the country. Fusco has scored in all but one of her nine games played, scoring two or more goals in eight games. Fusco has earned two Rookie of the Week titles, first after scoring five goals and adding four assists to open the season against Stetson and Jacksonville, and most recently for scoring four goals in CUGÇÖs late 8-1 run against Brown. In just 30 minutes played against St. MaryGÇÖs, Fusco netted two goals and scooped up three ground balls.

SUNNY ONE SO TRUE: Paige Soenksen looks forward to returning to her GÇ£sunnyGÇ¥ home state this weekend. As CUGÇÖs lead goalie, Soenksen continues to shine as one of the nationGÇÖs best shot blockers. She ranks in the top 20 in saves (91), saves per game (9.10) and save percentage (.476). She holds an 11.45 goals-against average, allowing 100 goals from the 246 shots sheGÇÖs faced. 

NEXT UP: The Buffs conclude their MPSF road trip at No. 8 Stanford, taking on the reigning MPSF tournament champions on Sunday, April 6 at 2 p.m. MT. CU-Stanford will air on the Pac-12 Regional Networks.