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LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The nationally-ranked Lock Haven University lacrosse team is postseason bound and set to return to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament action.
The No. 4 seed Bald Eagles will host No. 5 seed Slippery Rock tomorrow (Tuesday, May 1) at 4 p.m. in First Round action.
In the most recent Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) National Rankings, released today, the Bald Eagles were ranked No. 22 in Division II, while Slippery Rock checked in a tie for No. 25.
LHU won the final two games of the regular season to secure its playoff berth and a home game on Charlotte Smith Field.
Lock Haven finished the regular season at 12-5 overall and won four of its final five games. Like SRU, the Bald Eagles went 8-4 in PSAC play, but secured the No. 4 seed and home-field advantage thanks to a 13-7 win over Slippery Rock on March 20.
Slippery Rock enters the 2018 PSAC Tournament riding a three-game win streak. The Rock finished the regular season at 13-4 overall. The 13 wins set a single-season school record.
The winner of the Lock Haven – Slippery Rock game will advance to the PSAC Semifinals with top-seed and host West Chester waiting. West Chester is the No. 1 seed and will host the tournament semifinals and championship game. The semis are scheduled for Friday, May 4 and the title game is set for Sunday, May 6 at WCU.
In other first round action tomorrow, No. 3 seed Mercyhurst hosts No. 6 Bloomsburg. The winner will get No. 2 seed East Stroudsburg in the semifinals.
For LHU and SRU, tomorrow's game also holds major NCAA Tournament implications as both teams were ranked among the top-five in the Atlantic Region last week when the updated NCAA regional rankings were announced. Lock Haven was ranked No. 5 and Slippery Rock was listed at No. 4.
Tomorrow's game marks Lock Haven's 14
th PSAC tournament appearance since 2004 and marks a return to the tournament after missing out last season. LHU will be in search of its 14
th trip to the tournament semifinals and the Bald Eagles have won eight PSAC titles.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH FOR TUESDAY
OFF THE DRAW: Lock Haven has been strong on the draw all season and is led by
Alex O'Herrick, the program's all-time leader in draw controls (361). In the last two games alone, she's recorded 28. The draw is certainly important to Lock Haven's fast-paced attack as it allows them to get a groove quickly. In the first meeting with Slippery Rock – a Lock Haven win – LHU held a 16-6 advantage in draws including 11 from O'Herrick. O'Herrick leads the PSAC and ranks No. 6 in NCAA DII with 8.06 draws per game.
HAVEN OFFENSE: Lock Haven averages 15.47 goals per game comparted to SRU's 12.88. Leading the way for Lock Haven is
Hayley Kilian who leads the PSAC in assists per game (4.31).
Katie Costanza has 54 goals on the season (No. 5 PSAC) and she scored three in the regular season meeting vs. The Rock. In that 13-goal regular season contest,
Kate Hooper added four goals as the LHU offense will look to click once again tomorrow afternoon.
HOME COOKING: During the regular season Lock Haven went 9-0 at home and is 82-8 at home since the start of the 2009 season when the Bald Eagles first moved to Charlotte Smith Field.
