LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Lock Haven University lacrosse team (2-2) prepares to open their 2020 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) West Division campaign this week when they travel to Gannon on Wednesday (Mar. 11) at 4:00 p.m. and then host Indiana (Pa.) on Saturday (Mar. 14) at 1:00 p.m.
After splitting their two games last week, the Bald Eagles look to open the PSAC season in style. The Haven secured a huge 15-6 win over Millersville on Wednesday behind a balanced offensive attack which saw nine Bald Eagles find the back of the net led by
Braxtin Reddinger with four goals. The Bald Eagles also got another vintage performance from goalkeeper
Lauren Girardi who stood tall between the pipes and racked up 17 saves, the best mark in the PSAC to date this season.
Gannon rolls into Wednesday's matchup boasting a 4-1 overall record including most recently a 11-10 win over Lynn University. Courtney Young and Jess Hudak led the Knights with three goals apiece and Hudak scored the game winner with just 1:07 remaining in the game. Gannon's Rachel Tufts paces all PSAC scorers this year as she's poured in 19 goals already this season. Tufts also leads the conference in points with 24 having added five assists.
Indiana (Pa.) enters their showdown at Charlotte E. Smith Field with a 2-1 record. On Monday, the Crimson Hawks traveled to West Virginia Wesleyan and won by a resounding 21-2 score line. Victoria Kerkovich started the scoring just two minutes into the game for IUP and led all scorers pouring in five goals along with one assist. Jordan Kulp, who notched six assists in the win over West Virginia Wesleyan, and Chloe Borland are tied for the team high with 15 points each to lead the Crimson Hawks.
Haven Highs:
Reddinger paces the Bald Eagles in both scoring (14) and total points (20). Her 14 goals rank fourth in the PSAC, and her mark of 20 points is second best in the conference. Red-shirt senior
Karli Gilbert has notched nine goals for second best on the Bald Eagles while junior
Caitlin Morrow sits third with six goals, including four in their last outing against Shippensburg.
Girardi continues to shine as one of the top goalkeepers in the nation and ranks second in the PSAC and seventh in all of Division II in save percentage at .565. She also ranks best in the PSAC in total saves with 52 and saves per game at 13.0. Her total save mark ranks 16
th in the nation, while her saves per game place her seventh in Division II.
Two Bald Eagles have already been honored by the PSAC with Athlete of the Week awards. Reddinger earned West Athlete of the Week for her 12-point nine goal outburst, and Girardi was voted Defensive Athlete of the Week for her 24 save performance just a week ago.
The Haven have notched assists on 26 of their 50 goals this season led by Morrow and Reddinger who have both handed out six helpers.
Campbell Brant has dished out five and
Loren Librizzi sits at four assists to round out the balanced offense.
LHU holds a decisive 58-38 advantage in draw controls over their opponents, a charge led by Gilbert who leads the team and ranks fifth in the PSAC with 20 draw controls. The Bald Eagles as a team rank fourth in the conference with 14.5 draw controls per game. Reddinger and
Raleigh Bateman have also been strong on the draw and have contributed 16 and 14, respectively.
Next Up:
After this week's clashes, the Haven hosts Roberts Wesleyan on Wednesday, March 18 at 4:00 p.m. In the latest Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) the Redhawks are currently ranked No. 21 in the nation.
